Rottnest Cruises, Rottnest Island, Western Australia © Tourism Australia
Where to find Australia’s best seafood
From coast to coast, Australia boasts a smorgasbord of world-class seafood. Here’s where to feast on the very best.
Barramundi
Barramundi
Barramundi is a large native species of tropical sea bass, abundant in our country’s north and popular among Aussies for its mild, buttery flavour and firm, flaky texture. Keen anglers can visit Darwin to try their luck at hooking their own mighty "barra" on chartered harbour cruises or ocean trips. Alternatively tuck into creative barramundi dishes at restaurants like Snapper Rocks.
Oysters
Oysters
Coveted Coffin Bay oysters appear on top menus across the country, but you can head direct to the source with Experience Coffin Bay. Wade into the Eyre Peninsula waters with a friendly farmer and pluck ocean-fresh oysters to sample at their best. Pair the delicacy with a glass of bubbles or delve into a full seafood lunch back at HQ.
Scallops
Scallops
Hobart is mad for scallops – and understandably so. The season for these plump, delicately flavoured molluscs runs from Easter to July, when you’ll find them on local menus fresh, battered or even in a pie. The family-run Mures on Hobart's waterfront offers everything from elevated scallop dishes on the Upper Deck to battered scallops with a side of chips on the more laid-back – but equally delicious – Lower Deck.
Lobster
Lobster
A two-hour drive north of Perth in the relaxed holiday town of Cervantes is the Lobster Shack, serving up fresh, succulent bites of the highly prized western rock lobster. The top draw here is the lobster served barbecued, steamed or on a roll, eaten on the beachside deck. If you’re visiting nearby Rottnest Island, you also can’t miss a chance to catch your own fresh feast with Rottnest Cruises.
Balmain Bugs
Balmain Bugs
Don’t be deterred by the name Balmain Bug – these tropical water crustaceans are akin to a lobster and commonly found in our southern waters. Find them wild-caught, fresh and delicious year-round at Sydney Fish Market, a rite of passage-destination for seafood-lovers visiting our harbour city
Mud crab
Mud crab
Found in estuaries and coastal mangroves, the mud crab is highly prized for its size, including its hefty claws. You can learn about how to catch and cook them the traditional way with Walkabout Cultural Adventures. Walk the mudflats and mangroves of the Daintree Rainforest and if you’re lucky to spear a crab, you’ll be treated to a feast right on the beach.
Prawns
Prawns
An Aussie summer seafood platter is incomplete without a mound of fresh, local prawns. You’ll find them on many menus across the country, but in the waters off southern Queensland they are particularly abundant, plump and sweet. At the Fishermen’s Co-op on the Gold Coast, trawlers sell freshly caught and cooked prawns at the pier, ripe for a waterfront picnic or beach barbecue.
Abalone
Abalone
Abalone has long been a significant part of the local palawa diet in Tasmania. Today, the sweet flavour of the mollusc continues to be a favourite among diners and a treat to try raw. Tasmanian Seafood Seduction departs from Hobart and takes you to the abundant waters of the southern coast to be served ocean-fresh blacklip abalone among many other local specialties.
