Pearls and Plates

Pearls & Plates is an invitation to step off the map and into a world shaped by tides, time and tradition. Set on the tranquil lower Hawkesbury River, this rare culinary experience unfolds at Broken Bay Pearl Farm just one hour north of Sydney. This is not simply a long-table lunch; it is an immersion into Australia's living pearling heritage. Hosted by two multi‑generational pearling families, Pearls & Plates connects you directly with the custodians of Australia's three native saltwater pearl species. Across the afternoon, guests are welcomed into stories passed down through generations—of patience, stewardship and the delicate relationship between sea and shell. At the water's edge, witness the quiet drama of a live pearl harvest, performed beside the very leases where rare Australian Akoya pearls are grown. It is an intimate moment few ever see, revealing the skill, restraint and respect that define modern pearling. This year's table is led by acclaimed chef Mindy Woods, an award‑winning Bundjalung woman from the Northern Rivers of New South Wales. Her cooking is guided by Country, expressing a deep sense of place through native and seasonal Indigenous ingredients. Together, land, river and story converge in a sensory experience that lingers long after the last course is served. Pearls, people and place unite, offering guests a refined encounter with origin and authenticity