Find out why a trip up to Broken Bay Pearl Farm is the most exciting way to spend a day with the kids
The beach? Done it. The zoo? Been there! If you are looking for something different to try with the kids that ticks all the boxes – nature, education, hands-on adventures – your search is over.
Just one hour north of Sydney, Broken Bay Pearl Farm is one of NSW’s hidden gems. Since 2003, we’ve been farming Akoya pearl oysters in these remarkable estuary landscapes, where sea eagles wheel overhead and crabs scuttle along the shores. In 2019, we opened our doors to the public so that other people could experience the magic that happens here every day.
Since then, our pearl farm tours have captivated kids and parents alike, as they explore the Hawkesbury by boat, visit working oyster leases, hear stories from Australia’s early pearling days, taste the region’s finest oysters, and witness a pearl harvest live.
What can you expect on your visit to Broken Bay Pearl Farm?
Kids love boats
From our jetty, your little explorers will board a riverboat and set out on an unforgettable adventure into the Lower Hawkesbury’s mangrove-fringed estuaries. After an exciting boat ride, they will visit working oyster leases and learn about how these fascinating creatures live and thrive in these beautiful and pristine waterways. It’s a hands-on experience – your children will be enchanted watching the oyster baskets being lifted out of the water and will have a chance to hold and touch both live oysters and oyster shells.
You’ll explore the flora, the fauna, the islands and the Aboriginal heritage of this special area. It’s the kind of day that leaves your kids full of wonder and brimming with questions.
Will there be a pearl inside?
Back on dry land, our friendly tour guides will keep kids entertained with fascinating stories from Australian pearling history (think crocodiles, deep sea diving, and people living in paperbark huts), and important lessons about how oysters help protect and preserve our precious marine environments. There are pearls and shells to look at and hold.
But the real showstopper is the live pearl harvest – a real-life treasure hunt that will have your kids on the edge of the seats. An oyster is pulled from the tank, carefully opened, and the search begins. That moment when a luminous pearl is found among the fleshy folds? Pure magic.
Want to taste an oyster?
Finally, there’s the chance to taste and shuck the three oyster species lovingly grown in our Hawkesbury River leases. This is usually the part that the parents enjoy, but we’ve seen plenty of adventurous little eaters have a try, especially with the toppings and seasonings on hand. And for those who’d rather not? No pressure! There’s plenty of fun to be had watching Mum or Dad have a go.
Come join us!
If you’re looking to do something different this weekend, this school holidays, or anytime you feel like an escape, Broken Bay Pearl Farm is one of those rare places where kids can get curious, excited and learn something totally new in nature.
For readers of Eastern Suburbs Mums, we’ve got a special treat: use code EAST10 when booking online to receive 10% off our Farm to Plate, Oyster and Pearl Lovers and Shell to Showroom tours.
www.brokenbaypearlfarm.com.au/our-tours
