From the Estuary to the Esky: Rooty Hill’s Oyster Festival Brings Farm-Fresh Bivalves and a Shuckload of Fun to Western Sydney
Let’s be honest—Rooty Hill isn’t exactly known for its briny sea breeze. It’s not a sleepy fishing village. There are no boats bobbing gently in a harbour or pelicans waiting patiently at the jetty. In fact, it’s a good hour’s drive from the nearest oyster farm and even further from the ocean.
And yet… Rooty Hill is set to become the crème de la shell of Sydney’s oyster scene.
Welcome to the Western Sydney Oyster Festival, where the only thing inland about this event is the postcode. This August, West HQ is flipping the script (and the shell), turning Western Sydney into the unlikeliest of mollusc meccas—serving up more than 250,000 Sydney Rock Oysters in a month-long shuckfest of affordable luxury, education, and sheer culinary joy.
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A Bold Oyster Move
“This festival is a pearl in the making,” said Richard Errington, Chief Executive Officer of West HQ, who is steering this landlocked lark with legendary chef Sean Connolly, aka Australia’s Oyster King. Together, they’ve transformed a once-a-year oyster promotion into a full-blown festival that’s ready to blow Sydney’s culinary compass off the coast.
“With over 175,000 oysters demolished last August alone, we figured—why not go full shell?” Errington said.
If that sounds excessive, just wait until you realise they’ve upped the ante this year by adding East 33 Sunday Sessions, aquaculture education displays, and a $18 dozen deal so good it might make Bondi cry into its cocktail prawns.
Western Sydney Oyster Festival
The month-long Western Sydney Oyster Festival is serving up a shucking good time for the whole family, with a fresh lineup of events and delicious deals:
East 33 Sunday Sessions
Get the inside scoop every Sunday in August as oyster farmer Matt Toan and his crew share how to farm, source, shuck and serve Sydney Rock Oysters—straight from the experts. East 33 are vertically integrated oyster farmers based at 11 Palm Street, Tuncurry, NSW, 2428.
$18 Dozen Oyster Deals
From Sunday to Thursday, indulge in 13 Sydney Rock Oysters for just $18 across all of West HQ’s signature dining spots. Each venue—Steak & Oyster Co by Sean Connolly, CHU by China Doll, Pizzaperta Manfredi, and New Town Thai—puts its own twist on the coastal classic.
Shell-ebrity Science
Wander through West HQ and discover interactive displays packed with oyster facts, aquaculture know-how, and the salty secrets behind one of Australia’s finest delicacies.
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So, Why Rooty Hill?
It’s a fair question. Rooty Hill has long been considered the beating heart of Western Sydney, but few predicted it would also become the beating heart of bivalve appreciation.
And yet, here we are, flipping oyster clichés harder than a master shucker in a time trial.
Chef Connolly, who brings his signature coastal flair to West HQ’s Steak & Oyster Co, is the salt-sprinkled mastermind behind the flavours on offer—collaborating with the likes of CHU by China Doll, Pizzaperta Manfredi, and New Town Thai, each bringing their own twist on the salty-sweet Sydney Rock.
If you’re a traditionalist, you can keep it simple with lemon and mignonette. If you want to go rogue? Try your oyster with Thai lime and chilli or woodfired with pancetta and pecorino. And if you’re just here for the Instagram clout? There’s a shucking station for that.
The People Behind the Pearls
The stars of the show are, of course, the NSW-grown Sydney Rock Oysters, sourced by East 33—part of the Yumbah Aquaculture Group—and delivered fresh, despite the inland setting. East 33’s own Matt Toan will be at the festival every Sunday, talking tides, techniques, and the sometimes tempestuous life of an oyster farmer.
“It’s been a tough year with wild weather and challenges in the industry,” said Toan. “But what better way to bounce back than to celebrate what makes Sydney Rocks so incredible—flavour, freshness, and that unbeatable salty-sweet balance.”
A Gourmet Gateway
Even the NSW Government is on board with the idea that this landlocked festival could become a coastal-class culinary event.
“Seasonal events like the Western Sydney Oyster Festival prove that Sydney has something for everyone, all year round,” said Minister for Jobs and Tourism, Steve Kamper. “Western Sydney is becoming Australia’s new gourmet gateway.”
Frankly, we’re here for it.
Come for the Shell, Stay for the Shuck
Whether you’re an oyster aficionado or just curious about what all the slippery fuss is about, Rooty Hill is the place to be this August.
So, Sydneysiders—ditch the harbour views and take the M4 west. From inner west hipsters to Hills District foodies, this inland festival is calling. Bring the kids, bring your appetite, bring that one mate who swore they’d never eat an oyster and make them try one anyway. It’s about time someone cracked open a fresh idea this side of Parramatta.
Because if you think you have to see the sea to enjoy the oyster, well… shucks to be you.
Western Sydney Oyster Festival runs all through August at West HQ, Rooty Hill. $18 dozen oyster deals Sunday–Thursday across all venues. Educational displays and East 33 Sunday Sessions every weekend. Don’t miss it.
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