Western Sydney’s leading entertainment, dining, and leisure destination, that once campaigned to have its own postcode, is now chasing a new recognition for Western Sydney by staking a claim on Australia’s seafood festival map. While Rooty Hill may be inland, West HQ feels this year’s expanded Western Sydney Oyster & Seafood Festival deserves a place alongside Australia’s established regional seafood festivals. These include established regional destinations already recognised for celebrating Australian Oysters and Seafood, including the Narooma Oyster Festival on the NSW South Coast, Western Australia’s Mandurah Crab Fest, South Australia’s Tunarama Festival and Victoria’s TIDAL Seafood Festival. Running from Sunday 2 August 2026 to Monday 31 August 2026, the festival will bring together celebrated chefs, Australian oyster growers and seafood producers, oyster and seafood dishes, demonstrations and family entertainment designed to make premium seafood accessible, entertaining, and affordable. The expanded festival builds on an event that began in 2023, when celebrity chef Sean Connolly – the chef behind Steak & Oyster Co. at West HQ – set out to make oysters more accessible to Western Sydney. Since the event began, West HQ has served more than 300,000 oysters during the Festival, with a further 100,000 expected to be served this August. West HQ Commercial and Communications Chief Robert Squillacioti said the ambition was to establish a major seafood celebration for Sydney rather than replicate a traditional coastal festival.
“Sydneysiders should not have to travel to the coast or interstate to enjoy a serious seafood festival,” Chief Squillacioti commented. “It is clear from the interest we have had as the event has evolved over the years that Sydneysiders have an appetite for oysters and other seafood. What began as Sean Connolly’s idea to make oysters more accessible has grown into a month-long celebration attracting guests from across Greater Sydney. Guest traffic from more than 25 kilometres away during the festival period increased by 18.8 per cent in 2024 and a further 15.1 per cent in 2025.”
Sean Connolly said he was excited to see his idea evolve into a serious Oyster & Seafood Festival.
“August is peak oyster-growing season and the month of World Oyster Day, making it the perfect time to celebrate oysters and other outstanding Australian seafood in the heart of Western Sydney.” Connolly commented, “We look forward to realising our ambition to build one of Australia’s leading seafood festivals here in Western Sydney – one that is approachable, affordable and distinctly our own.”