Australian Seafood Traditions

Australian seafood divides along a temperature line. The cold southern waters produce oysters, notably Pacific oysters from Coffin Bay and the South Australian gulfs and Sydney rock oysters from the New South Wales estuaries, along with southern rock lobster, abalone and King George whiting. The warm north gives mud crab, Moreton Bay bugs, barramundi and tropical prawns. Western Australia has its own rock lobster fishery on the Indian Ocean side. Most of it is eaten simply: oysters raw, prawns cold with lemon, whiting fried. Two habits are near universal, a takeaway of battered fish and chips at the beach, and a mountain of cold prawns bought from the fish market on Christmas Eve.

What you actually see

• Coffin Bay and gulf oysters - South Australian Pacific oysters, often sold at the farm gate on the Eyre Peninsula.
• Rock lobster - western on the Indian Ocean coast, southern in cold waters from South Australia to Tasmania.
• Tropical species - mud crab, Moreton Bay bugs and barramundi through Queensland and the Northern Territory.
• The Christmas prawn run - capital city fish markets trading through the night before Christmas.

When to go

Oysters are at their best in the cooler months, roughly April to October, when the water is cold and the meat firm. Prawn and lobster prices spike in December. Northern species are easiest to find in the dry season, from May to October, when the tropics are accessible. Fish markets in the capitals open early and are at their fullest in the first hours.

Honest expectations

Seafood is expensive in Australia, and rock lobster and mud crab are luxury prices in any state. Much of what is sold as fish and chips is imported frozen fillet, and flake is shark. Oyster quality varies sharply between growers. Tropical waters carry stinger and crocodile risks that limit where you can collect anything yourself, and recreational fishing is licensed and regulated in most states.

Nearby

The Eyre Peninsula, the New South Wales south coast estuaries and the Queensland coast are the main producing areas.