The Gascoyne region of Western Australia is located approximately 900km north of Perth. It is a significant food production district encompassing the horticulture, pastoral and seafood industries. From the pristine world-heritage waters of Shark Bay to the northern waters of Exmouth and the Ningaloo Reef, it is pure paradise for seafood lovers!

Carnarvon is the regional centre and a lush horticultural region. The town's plantation district lines the banks of the Gascoyne River and yields a delightfully diverse array of produce. A drive along the the scenic North and South River Roads (affectionately know as the 'Fruit Loop' by locals) reveals the heart of the horticultural industry. Visit plantation shops, cafes and roadside stalls to stock up on produce that will remind you how food is supposed to taste. 

On Saturday mornings from May through to October, Carnarvon town centre comes alive with the Gascoyne Growers Market (perhaps the most remote Farmers Market in the world!) The abundance of fresh produce delights visitors who have often travelled through contrastingly arid areas to arrive in Carnarvon. The region celebrates it’s high quality food industry at the annual ‘Taste of the Gascoyne’ event, which attracts world class chefs keen to work with the wide array of gourmet produce. 

Catch a taste of the great life as you follow the Gascoyne Food Trail, visit the popular Growers Markets, or time your travels to coincide with the annual celebrations of the Taste of the Gascoyne Festival. We hope you enjoy exploring the gastronomic pleasures of our oasis at the edge of the world!

Horticulture

Horticulture in the Gascoyne region takes place primarily in Carnarvon along the banks of Gascoyne River. Despite the fact that the river flows irregularly and the town is surrounded by arid landscape, this horticulture district plays an important role in providing fresh fruit and vegetables to the Perth market.

One hundred and seventy plantations covering an area of 1,500 hectares produce bananas, tomatoes, table grapes, capsicum, mango, melon, citrus, stone-fruit, asparagus, papaya... and the list continues – Carnarvon even has an egg-farm! The moderate sub tropical climate makes Carnarvon suitable to grow a diverse range of temperate, tropical and subtropical produce throughout the year. In 2007 the Gascoyne horticultural industry grew approximately 39,000 tonnes of produce worth $87.6 million. 

The Carnarvon Horticulture District is considered the best managed irrigation district in Australia. Crops are grown on a micro drip irrigation system using water from below ground aquifers, yielding approximately twice the amount of produce per mega-litre of water than the Australian average. The district is well-known as the home of the “Lunchbox Banana”, and continues to build on it’s reputation as an innovative and ‘clean and green’ region.

Seafood

The vast sea grass paddocks of both Shark Bay and the Exmouth Gulf are extremely fertile breeding grounds for prawns and scallops. Crabs, snapper, whiting and mullet are also commercially harvested in the region. Seafood processing is the region’s principal manufacturing activity with factories in Exmouth, Carnarvon and Denham. Several producers supply export as well as local markets.

Aquaculture continues to develop in the Gascoyne with finfish and pearling operations based in the Shires of Exmouth, Carnarvon and Shark Bay. In 2006/07 the fishing industry contributed $56.7 million to the Gascoyne economy.

Pastoral

Pastoral stations represent more than just an industry to the people of the Gascoyne. It is a way of life that characterizes the history and people of the region. Despite its history as a wool producing region, the main production from the 80 pastoral properties in the Gascoyne is now beef and sheep meat. In the 2007/8 year the value of livestock added $22 million to the region’s economy. During the same year, wool production brought in $6 million.

The average size of a pastoral lease in the Gascoyne is 125,627 hectares, or twice the size of Singapore. These properties are generally run as family businesses and most stock work is undertaken by motorbikes, helicopters and aeroplanes.  Livestock activities are the main focus of these pastoral enterprises however many are now diversifying to take advantage of opportunities in goat domestication, horticulture, inland aquaculture and outback tourism.