PRESS RELEASE

Public Release Date: September 18 2025

  • Confirmed performance from First Nations dance group GARWOEIDHAMIN MAYAN  
  • Pearls and Plates Chef Guy Jeffreys offers insight into his menu and beverage partners 
  • Multiple transport and local accommodation options outlined 

The stage is set for the first ever NSW edition of Pearls and Plates this October, with Broken Bay Pearl Farm revealing exciting new details about this unforgettable long-table dining experience on the Hawkesbury River. 


Hosted by the pearl and oyster farmers of Pearls of Australia, in collaboration with Liddon Pearls from the Abrolhos, this one-of-a-kind riverside dining experience will be held at a little-known, secret location right on Sydney’s doorstep.

INDIGENOUS PERFORMANCE ART 

For the first time, Pearls and Plates will feature a live performance by the talented First Nations dance group, Garwoeidhamin Mayan, who will bring the spirit of the Hawkesbury River to life through powerful movement and storytelling. 

Known as Deerubbin, the Hawkesbury River is a place of deep cultural and spiritual significance to its Traditional Owners, the Darkinjung People, who have cared for it for millennia through seasonal foraging and hunting practices that sustained its rich biodiversity. 

Commissioned exclusively for this event, Garwoeidhamin Mayan’s mesmerising performance will be a contemporary movement ritual that celebrates the mystery of the Akoya pearl and its home in the river’s pristine waters. 

“The Hawkesbury River is a special place, stretched within the heart of Darkinjung Country,” says dancer Erica Dixon. “More than a waterway, it is a living spirit. Akoya pearls are one of its hidden treasures, lying beneath the water’s glistening surface, these delicate orbs pulse with silent beauty, guarded by the energies of the deep.” 


Hosted by the pearl and oyster farmers of Pearls of Australia, in collaboration with Liddon Pearls from the Abrolhos, this one-of-a-kind riverside dining experience will be held at a little-known, secret location right on Sydney’s doorstep.

BEVERAGE PARTNERS AND MENU INSPIRATION 


Pearls and Plates guests will be treated to a six-course culinary journey curated by award-winning WA chef Guy Jeffreys, a celebrated champion of hyper-local, seasonal produce. 

Renowned for his garden-to-plate ethos and creative mastery, Jeffreys will craft an unforgettable menu that showcases the abundant produce of the Hawkesbury and its surrounds: locally caught seafood, freshly harvested vegetables from Mangrove Mountain, and artisan ingredients from the region’s most passionate producers. 

His creations will be perfectly paired with a hand-picked selection of premium beverages including crisp Hunter Valley wines and French Champagne Lallier to Campari spritzers, Pearl Crush Gin by Distillery Botanica, and Ode to Oysters, a unique oyster-infused stout from Six Strings Brewery. 

“I love cooking with local ingredients, so I'm super excited that it will be my first time using produce from in and around the Hawkesbury,” says Jeffreys. “Think vegetables from Fanelli Organics, pasture-raised eggs from Grace Springs Farm, and whatever our fisherman catches for us from his boat out the front of the Shellar Door. Along with a few other spring goodies, the menu has written itself.” 

TRAVEL WITH EASE 

Pearls and Plates is an experience tied to the waters of the Lower Hawkesbury River, and the adventure begins at our Shellar Door in Mooney Mooney. From here, guests will be transported by boat across shimmering waterways to our secret, water-access-only venue: a private homestead owned by one of the region’s oldest families. 

Getting to the Shellar Door is easy, with options to suit every guest:  

  • SELF DRIVE: Onsite parking is available at the Shellar Door.  
  • UBER: Approximately $90 each way from Sydney. 
  • TRAIN: Take the train from Sydney to Hawkesbury River Station, then enjoy a short pre-booked transfer to the Shellar Door.  
  • BUS: Coaches will depart the Shellar Door post-event for Sydney’s North Shore, the Four Seasons Hotel in Sydney CBD, and Gosford and The Entrance on the Central Coast. $30pp. 
  • SEAPLANE: For the ultimate arrival, board a Sydney Seaplanes flight from Rose Bay. Soar over Sydney’s Northern Beaches before touching down on the Hawkesbury River beside our Shellar Door. Note, this is a one-way flight, return via Uber, bus or train.  
  • PRIVATE VESSEL: Guests arriving in their own boats are welcome. Our team can assist with moorings.  


For more information, transport options (road, seaplane, boat) and to purchase tickets, visit: pearlsandplates.com.au


Links

Pearls and Plates Gallery

Pearls of Australia

Liddon Pearls

Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm

Broken Bay Pearl Farm

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MEDIA CONTACT

Pearls of Australia

Pearls of Australia
Kat Clark, 
media@pearlsofaustralia.com.au

BOOKING ENQUIRIES

Please Visit: pearlsandplates.com/broken-bay
Learn more about Pearls and Plates

About Liddon Pearls


The Liddon family has been fishing for lobsters for four generations, and since 1999, they've cultivated pearls in the pristine waters surrounding Post Office Island in the Abrolhos. Their pearl farm has become a popular attraction for tourists, offering visitors the chance to learn about pearl cultivation and explore a small jewellery gallery.


The family’s collections combine the artistic talents of Jane, a painter and skipper, Michela's design expertise honed in Europe and Asia, and the pearl-growing skills of musicians, Jesse and Sam. Together, they create elegant, one-of-a-kind jewellery that reflects their eclectic tastes and rich family history.


About Pearls of Australia


For three generations, the Brown family has been dedicated to cultivating the world’s finest quality pearls in Australia’s pristine waters, with a deep commitment to sustainability, heritage, and the ocean’s natural beauty. Their unique jewellery collections showcase two locally grown species of premium pearls, each a masterpiece formed over years of careful cultivation.


Sold directly from farm to market, these rare gems provide an authentic connection to the ocean, with every pearl untreated and guaranteed to have clear provenance, reflecting nature’s purest intentions. Through their renowned Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm in Western Australia and Broken Bay Pearl Farm in New South Wales, the Brown family offers immersive experiences that celebrate the artistry, culture, and heritage of the Australian pearling industry, creating a legacy as timeless as the pearls themselves.


Pearls and Plates 2025


At the heart of both the Liddon and Brown family’s drive to present Pearls and Plates, is a strong connection to community, land and ocean, and a commitment to share their deep passion for pearling with the world.

The families look forward to sharing their homes in extraordinary, beautiful parts of the world with you, and hosting a once in a lifetime event.


Broken Bay Pearl Farm invites you to an unforgettable long-table dining experience on the Hawkesbury River. Journey by boat to a secret waterfront homestead, where acclaimed WA chef Guy Jeffreys will serve a six-course feast featuring the region’s finest produce, including premium seafood, and local wines and beverages. Hosted by two multi-generational pearling families, you’ll enjoy local music and Indigenous performance art, storytelling, a live pearl harvest, and the chance to take home your own Australian saltwater pearl. It’s a rare blend of cuisine, culture and connection. 

DATE: 25 and 26 October 2025 

ADDRESS: 12 Kowan Road, Mooney Mooney, NSW, 2083 

ARRIVAL: 11.30am 

Watch Pearls of Australia Short Film Below