Celebration of the tastes of the South Coast comes to Shell Cove

• More than 30 food, wine, craft beer and spirits exhibitors
• Cook, TV presenter, author and MasterChef winner Adam Liaw to headline
• Cooking demo by Indigenous chef, TV presenter and Illawarra local Mark Olive
• Live music, rides and roving entertainment makes for family fun
• Long table dining event set to be a highlight

The best of the Illawarra’s stunning coastline will meet the region’s most innovative food and wine producers when the inaugural The Waterfront Food and Wine Festival comes to The Waterfront, Shell Cove.

The family-friendly event will run 4pm to 10pm on Friday, October 28 and 10am to 9pm on Saturday, September 29, with events, stalls and entertainment just metres from the world-class Shellharbour Marina. 

A celebration of style and flavour, featuring more than 30 producers from the South Coast, Illawarra and Southern Highlands, the event offers the chance to meet the makers in a true paddock to plate experience.

The event will be headlined by TV presenter, cook, author and MasterChef winner Adam Liaw, who will host a cooking demonstration on Saturday.

And talented local drawcards include Indigenous chef and TV host Mark Olive and MasterChef alumni, Shell Cove’s own Gina Ottaway, aka Shellharbour Nonna.

A long-table dining event will take place across both days, along with live music from band Sandy Feet and Wollongong singer/guitarist Jack Willis.

Alongside the tasting and sipping there’s rides, meet-the-maker events, roving entertainment, workshops and closing night fireworks.

And with the newly opened Shellharbour Marina just metres from the festival grounds, it’s the perfect weekend sailing event.

The Waterfront Food and Wine Festival is supported by the NSW Government’s 2022 Incubator Event Fund, which provides grants for regional NSW events in their first or second years of activity.

Minister for Tourism Ben Franklin said The Waterfront Food and Wine Festival would encourage visitors to explore the South Coast and discover the wonderful local produce and warm hospitality on offer. 

“Events like The Waterfront Food and Wine Festival play a critical role in growing our regional economy. This Festival will give visitors a delicious taste of the South Coast’s world-class fine food and wine scene, amid the region’s pristine natural beauty.”

Exhibitors include Darkes Cider, a sixth-generation family farm in Darkes Forest producing award-winning crisp alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, Wollongong’s Headlands Distilling Co, recipient of gold medals at the 2022 London Spirits Competition and the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and Corang Estate, a 2022 Halliday Wine Companion 4-star winery located in Tarago and known for its shiraz and tempranillo.

Local food vendors have embraced the event with enthusiasm. Shellharbour-based Mexican restaurant Amigos will bring their taco truck, Wollongong-based 2 Smoking Barrels will provide American barbecue while Wollongong’s Bun Me Bar  will offer Vietnamese banh mi. Sydney-based Mama Liu’s will sell their homemade north-western Chinese chilli oil.

Minister for Tourism Ben Franklin said The Waterfront Food and Wine Festival would encourage visitors to explore the South Coast and discover the wonderful local produce and warm hospitality on offer. 

“Events like The Waterfront Food and Wine Festival play a critical role in growing our regional economy. This Festival will give visitors a delicious taste of the South Coast’s world-class fine food and wine scene, amid the region’s pristine natural beauty,” says Minister Franklin.

Chris Homer, Mayor of Shellharbour City Council, said the festival promised to be a significant lifestyle event that would further cement The Waterfront, Shell Cove as a regionally significant tourism attraction along the ‘blue highway’ of New South Wales.

“The Waterfront Food and Wine Festival has all the ingredients for unique coastal experience for locals and visitors alike. The high calibre nationally known cooking personalities, incredible local exhibitors, fantastic entertainment and fun rides means there’s something for everyone to enjoy.”

Mathew Gulliver, Development Director, Shell Cove, Frasers Property Australia, said with The Waterfront, Shell Cove’s dining precinct now well-established, the location was a natural fit for a festival celebrating the best of the region’s food and wine.

“This is an event that will not only excite our residents but will introduce visitors from across New South Wales and beyond to the beauty and amenity of The Waterfront, Shell Cove and the Shellharbour region,” he says. “And we hope it will be the perfect excuse for yachties from up and down the coast to check out the new marina. They’ll be able to book a berth and walk off their boat straight into the festival.”

Visit the official website: https://www.thewaterfrontfoodandwine.com.au

The Waterfront, Shell Cove is a masterplanned community in a natural coastal setting surrounded by beaches, parks and wetlands but close to schools, transport and major centres. 

The Shellharbour Marina and Shell Cove Harbour are next to the lively Town Centre featuring a retail precinct anchored by a Woolworths supermarket and specialty shops, restaurants on the harbour’s edge, kids beach and water play areas. Additional components of The Waterfront, Shell Cove masterplan currently in planning or delivery include the 117-room hotel, marina services centre, library and community centre.

The Waterfront Sales Centre is in the Shell Cove Town Centre at Shops 1 and 2, 100 Cove Boulevard, Shell Cove. It is open seven days from 10.30am to 5pm. Call 13 38 38 or visit www.thewaterfrontshellcove.com.au for more information.

FOR MEDIA QUERIES, PLEASE CONTACT: 
Shellharbour City Council 
Kelli Wells
T +61 448 361 008
E kelli.wells@shellharbour.nsw.gov.au

Wise McBaron 
Trudy Wise
T +61 418 220 028
E trudy_wise@wisemcbaron.com.au