Gascoyne Food Festival: 11 Delicious Reasons Why You Should Road Trip North

Gascoyne Food Festival
The laidback coastal town will yet again be the hub for Australia's biggest regional foodie event, the Gascoyne Food Festival, running now until September 18.

Gascoyne Food Festival: 11 Delicious Reasons Why You Should Road Trip North

The laidback coastal town will yet again be the hub for Australia's biggest regional foodie event, the Gascoyne Food Festival, running now until September 18.
Gascoyne Food Festival
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As if we needed more excuses to head north and chase the sun, Carnarvon – the truest living definition of a fruit salad bowl – will become an even more delicious destination as part of the Gascoyne Food Festival.

The laidback coastal town will yet again be the hub for Australia’s biggest regional foodie event, the Gascoyne Food Festival, running now until September 18.

The annual gastronomic event is a pleasure-seeking paradise in both locale and unique foodie experiences, with this year’s festival featuring 11 epicurean events hosted across the Gascoyne region.

Be a well-nourished castaway morning, noon and night at Dirk Hartog’s Island Life Festival. Make your way through conversations and courses at the celebrated Long Table Dinner along the gorgeously lush Gascoyne River. Savour a snag at Australia’s Biggest BBQ with Mount Augustus as a rocking backdrop. Whatever the choice, the Gascoyne Food Festival has plenty of scrumptious happenings to suit your holiday mood.

So, expect to arrive at Carnarvon and leave as a connoisseur of the region as we highlight the festival’s events that are simply too tasty (and fun) to miss. 

In and around Carnarvon

Carnarvon Pop-up Food Market (Free)

Indecisive when it comes to food? This market won’t help you in that department, but it will surely tempt you to try it all! 

This hawker-style pop-up event will feature specially created street eats for this night edition of the Carnarvon Food Market. Purchase a few knick-knacks and enjoy a picnic along Carnarvon’s gorgeous palm-tree laden foreshore only moments away. 

When: August 5, 5pm – 9pm 

Location: Carnarvon Civic Centre, 21 Robinson Street, Carnarvon WA 6701

Long Table Dinner

Chat, eat and repeat at the festival’s biggest scenic supper event.

The Long Table Dinner event is set along the tropical green banks of the Gascoyne River at Bentwaters Plantation, the perfect backdrop to exhibit horticultural country.

Make new friends as you sip and dine on a medley of fresh produce sourced locally and thoughtfully prepared by some of Perth’s most renowned chefs with a tapas-style menu. From feasting to forging new friendships, this will be a wholesome evening.

When: Aug 6, 5pm – 10pm 

Location: Bentwaters Plantation, 99 North River Road, North Plantations WA 6701

Book: Long Table Dinner

Chilli Festival & Gascoyne Growers Market (Free)

Make sure to have the water on standby as this is literally the hottest event on the calendar.

For those brave souls game enough, the Chilli Festival is a celebration of the world’s hottest chillies – and grown in Carnarvon too.

No stranger to feeling the heat, Dingo sauce maker Leigh Nash will host a sauce making class to blow your mind (and possibly tastebuds) with how to up your condiment game. There will also be a chilli eating competition, and everything hot and spicy in between. 

To cool off, have a stroll around the Gascoyne Growers Market in search of a local treat to give your tongue some respite.

When: Aug 8, 8am – 2pm 

Location: Carnarvon Civic Centre, 21 Robinson Street, Carnarvon WA 6701

Feast on the Beach

There is nothing like appreciating a good feed than being surrounded by untamed natural beauty.

The Coral Coast’s remote, pristine paradise, Red Bluff, is the spectacular backdrop for the popular sundowner event, Feast on the Beach. It’s a true celebration of all things WA, with Shark Bay seafood paella or a veggie alternative, salads paired with local beverages. True blue bliss.

When: Aug 14, 5:30pm – 9:30pm 

Location: Red Bluff (135km north of Carnarvon), Gnaraloo Road, Macleod WA 6701

Book: Feast on the Beach

Canapes on the Gascoyne

 Enjoy a smorgasbord of flavours at Canapes on the Gascoyne, a gourmet ten-canape menu by chef Sophie Budd.

Set at Brickhouse Station, the event will focus on the finer, small bites in life, with delicious tangs at large.

When: Sep 10, 6pm – 10pm

Location: Brickhouse Station, Unnamed Road, Inggarda WA 6701

Book: Canapes on the Gascoyne

Around the Gascoyne

Black Tie at The Bone

All you can eat pizza and smoked meats? Check. Perfectly chilled boutique beers? Check. Starry nights and fairy lights? Check. Funky beats played live from Freo’s 8-piece groove-band Bambuseae Rhythm Section? Sweet as.

Best known for its massive beer garden, Exmouth’s favourite ‘beer in a shed’ Whalebone Brewing Company is fine-tuning things, hosting the Black Tie at the Bone. 

New to the Gascoyne Food Festival lineup, the formal event is an excuse to dress up and put on the dancing shoes to have a merry ol’ time. Good vibes all around.

When: Aug 6, 6pm to late

Location: Whalebone Brewing Company, 27 Patterson Way, Exmouth WA 6707

Book: Black Tie at The Bone

Island Life Festival

Picture this, the most ideal Survivor scenario. 

You’ll be ‘stranded on an island surrounded by the heavenly turquoise waters and raw wilderness of Shark Bay. There’s no catch to having this perfect island life either. 

Instead of participating in gruelling activities or facing harsh conditions, the only challenge you’ll face is choosing not to over-indulge with freshly prepared meals or extraordinary outdoorsy experiences.

The Island Life Festival on Dirk Hartog Island is the food adventure many would dream of. Over four days, talented chefs will be flown in to create delightful dishes throughout your island getaway, combined with fun activities. It’s a multi-day eating escape worth ditching the mainland for.

When: Aug 26, 6am – Aug 30, 5pm 

Location: Dirk Hartog Island, WA 6537

Book: Island Life Festival

Six Course Beergustation 

Love a cold brew? Or six? Head to where the beers are pouring at Exmouth’s Froth Craft Brewery.

Conveniently located in the heart of town, the lively micro-brewery will be turning on the house taps to host the award-winning Six Course Beergustation, paired with top-shelf dining.

French-trained chef Ash Henry and head brewer co-owner Tyler Little will present each course to guide your taste buds for a feel-good time. The good food mood will be heightened by multi-instrumentalist Ken Young and folk/Americana artist Jimmy McGarth. 

When: Aug 28, 6:30pm – 9:30pm

Location: Froth Craft Brewery, 5 Kennedy Street, Exmouth WA 6707

Book: Six Course Beergustation 

Australia’s Biggest BBQ

There’s nothing more ‘Straya than having a bush barbie with an outback icon.

To have your scenic snag, head to Mount Augustus – the world’s biggest rock – where you join the masses celebrating, socialising and indulging in the country’s biggest flare-up.

Open fire pits will be ablaze in this ancient setting, with chefs cooking up outback beef and local produce. A rock-solid event not to miss. 

When: Sep 4, 6:30pm – 10pm 

Location: Mt Augustus Tourist Park, Mount Augustus, East Lyons River WA 6705

Book: Australia’s Biggest BBQ

Flavours of Shark Bay

Combine the best of both worlds – divine food with striking scenery – at the Flavours of Shark Bay event along the shores of Monkey Mia.

The beachfront festivity will highlight the freshest of the fresh with local produce sourced from Shark Bay and the Gascoyne region creatively prepared by award-winning chef Tony Howell. 

When: Sep 18, 1pm – 2:30pm

Location: RAC Monkey Mia Dolphin Resort, 1 Monkey Mia Rd, Monkey Mia WA 6537

Book: Flavours of Shark Bay

Top Table Lunch

As if you don’t have to travel far in Coral Bay to see natural wonders, you now don’t have to travel far now either for a culinary journey.

Gaze and graze at the Top Table Lunch at RAC Ningaloo Reef Resort. Here you will be invited to taste the region by the forkful as the event will highlight the Gascoyne region’s fresh produce over four courses, paired with WA wines. The added sweetener? The idyllic setting opposite the Indian Ocean. Heaven. 

When: Sep 18, 2:30pm – 5:30pm

Location: RAC Ningaloo Reef Resort (Coral Bay), 1 Robinson St, Coral Bay WA 6701

Book: Top Table Lunch

There’s more to Carnarvon than just its golden boomerangs, bananas. Check out our guide to what to see and do in Carnarvon.

For more information and to book your tickets visit the official events page on gascoynefoodfestival.com.au.


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