Barilla Bay Oyster Farm & Puddleduck Winery

 

Our first day in Hobart took us to Barilla Bay Oyster Farm, one of Tasmania's leading suppliers of premium Pacific oysters where the Forrest family have been growing and harvesting the briny little darlings since 1980. Barilla Bay Pacific oysters start life as a little 'spat' or 'juvenile oysters'. These "babies" are first placed into a nursery using protective boxes or cages with a very fine mesh to keep them safe while allowing nutrient-rich water to filter through. As they grow, they are moved into bags with progressively larger holes to ensure they have enough space and access to the plankton and algae that they eat. As they grow, they're moved to cages with larger holes, eventually becoming market-ready oysters, a process taking 3-4 years for the prized Pacific Gold variety. 

The second stop our day's tour was Puddleduck Vineyard, which is a charming family-owned vineyard and winery nestled in Tasmania’s Coal River Valley. As one of the few Australian vineyards handling every aspect of wine production onsite, from growing the fruit to crafting and selling the wines, for an unforgettable Tasmanian experience where every sip is a celebration of family, tradition, and the beauty of the Coal River Valley.

Barilla Bay Oyster Farm outside of Hobart in Tasmania

Barilla Bay Pacific oysters start life as a little spat 

Our Barilla Bay guide explained the life cycle of an oyster

Pacific Oysters are generally harvested after 2-3 years once they reach 3-inched, 

but if left alone they will keep growing larger and larger but "taste like an old boot" 

Dried Abalone is also a big business and very popular with the Chinese market

Wild Dried Tasmanian Abalone from pristine waters of barilla bay can be added to enhance 

any dishes with a burst of umami flavour

Gillespie's Ginger Beer is also made and bottled on the property

and where we were treated to a tasting - if you like the dreaded stuff

Gillespie's Ginger Beer made in Tasmania

Oyster Tasting of Barilla Bay prized Pacific variety

Path to Barilla Bay was blanketed with a carpet of crushed oyster shells

The pristine waters of Barilla Bay

Barilla Bay is minutes from Hobart Airport so they can ship their oysters easily

to local and overseas markets

Trucks drive out the oyster beds at low tide to harvest the prized Pacific Golds

Puddleduck Winery

Puddleduck Winery pond with ducks and vines

The charming and animated representative from Puddleduck gave us a curated wine tasting

of their selection of wines

The 2025 Puddleduck Tasmanian Riesling

A beautifully balanced Riesling with lime and green fruit undertones

Section of Coal River Valley Brie and Cheddar to enjoy with our wine tasting

2025 Puddleduck Tasmanian Pinot Gris

Clean, crisp and delicious with wonderful fruit definition

2024 Puddleduck Tasmanian Chardonnay

Not a fan of Chardonnay, this wine was outstanding, with flavours of summer stone fruits,

combined with citrus notes and a touch of vanilla and pear

2025 Puddleduck Tasmanian Rosé

A great fan of French Côtes de Provence Rosé, this Puddleduck Rosé with sweet strawberry and cream

characteristics was a bit too sweet for my palate

2024 Puddleduck Pinot Noir

A lush fruit driven Pinot Noir with lots of black cherry and raspberry on the nose

with hints of blackcurrant and pepper on the apart for a super rich silky tennis to finish 

The floating Puddleduck woven from twine

Viticulturist Andrew Hanigan is 5th generation of the family-owned Puddleduck business,

and the grapes he nurtures and manages are of the finest quality anywhere in Tasmania

www.puddleduck.com.au