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Gascoyne Food Festival sets the table for 16 days of immersive dining

From Carnarvon to Exmouth and Shark Bay, this festival celebrates the region through long-table dinners, station feasts and coastal experiences.

Published Jun 2026

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Published Jun 2026

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By: Natalie Pugh

From 21 August to 6 September 2026, the Gascoyne Food Festival returns, bringing together chefs, growers, fishers and storytellers for a 16-day celebration of food and place across one of Australia's most remote and captivating regions.

From long-table dinners beneath mango trees to fire-cooked feasts on remote stations and sunset gatherings on Dirk Hartog Island, the program features a series of events designed to reflect the character of each location.

A lively nighttime view shows a crowded outdoor venue where people are dancing and listening to a live band. Musicians perform on a stage illuminated by bright blue lights on the right, while a large crowd, many wearing cowboy hats, dances in an open area lit by overhead string lights.

Following a sold-out year, the festival returns at a significant moment for the region, as communities continue to recover from the impacts of Tropical Cyclone Narelle earlier this year. The 2026 program celebrates the region's resilience while encouraging visitors to experience its hospitality, stories and spectacular landscapes firsthand.

Among the festival's signature events is The Plantation Feast (22 August, Carnarvon), set within a working mango plantation in full bloom. Curated by chef Jessica Roe, the long-table dining experience pairs seasonal produce with premium WA wines in an orchard setting that transforms with the afternoon light.

An elevated nighttime view shows a large outdoor dinner gathering on a beach under a full moon. Guests sit at tables beneath a wide wooden canopy illuminated by warm, glowing string lights, while the moon casts a bright reflection across the dark ocean water in the background.

Also in Carnarvon, Fireside Yarns: Land, Sea & Story (26 August) sees chef Paul “Yoda” Iskov lead an evening of food, culture and connection to Country at Gwoonwardu Mia.

Further north in Exmouth, the Whalebone Hoe-Down (29 August) combines live music, fire-cooked food and outback hospitality, while the Bullara Station Feast (5 September) returns as one of the festival’s most anticipated experiences, serving guests beneath vast, star-filled skies.

close-up, shallow-depth-of-field view shows guests raising their wine glasses in a toast along a crowded dinner table. Warm, glowing Edison bulb string lights hang directly above, casting a soft blur over the smiling people laughing and interacting in the background.

The festival concludes on 6 September with Australia’s Last Sunset on Dirk Hartog Island, where guests gather at the western edge of the continent for an evening of food, storytelling and celebration.

Alongside the signature events, the Taste of the Gascoyne Food Trails will run throughout the festival, linking venues across Shark Bay, Carnarvon and Exmouth through dishes that showcase the region’s produce under a shared theme: Put a Prawn On It.

With many events intentionally intimate, we recommend booking early. Tickets are on sale via gascoynefoodfestival.com.au.

Hi! Could you please write alt text for this imageAn overhead, bird's-eye view shows a long dining table set up in a narrow clearing within a dense grove of lush banana trees. The table is filled with guests sitting on both sides, enjoying a meal amidst vibrant green tropical foliage that frames the entire scene.You said: could you please do the same for this imageA ground-level, eye-length perspective shows a large group of people seated along an exceptionally long dining table stretching down a path inside a lush banana plantation. The guests, many wearing sun hats, sit facing each other down the length of the table, while a speaker stands at the far end under a canopy of vibrant green banana leaves.You said: could you do the same for this image pleaseAn elevated nighttime view shows a large outdoor dinner gathering on a beach under a full moon. Guests sit at tables beneath a wide wooden canopy illuminated by warm, glowing string lights, while the moon casts a bright reflection across the dark ocean water in the background.Would you like to explore the best camera settings for capturing high-contrast night scenes on a beach?You said: could you please do the same for this imageA close-up, shallow-depth-of-field view shows guests raising their wine glasses in a toast along a crowded dinner table. Warm, glowing Edison bulb string lights hang directly above, casting a soft blur over the smiling people laughing and interacting in the background.Would you like to learn how to create a shallow depth of field for indoor portraits?You said: could you please do the same for this oneA lively nighttime view shows a crowded outdoor venue where people are dancing and listening to a live band. Musicians perform on a stage illuminated by bright blue lights on the right, while a large crowd, many wearing cowboy hats, dances in an open area lit by overhead string lights.Would you like to explore tips for capturing sharp action shots in low-light concert environments?You said: and for this one too please!A wide, elevated landscape view shows a small group of people gathered on a rocky coastal cliffside overlooking a vast ocean. The sky transitions through vibrant sunset colors of yellow, orange, and soft purple, casting a warm glow over the water and the rugged terrain.

Event details

Date	21 August - 6 September 2026
Time	Times vary per event
Location	Carnarvon, Exmouth, Shark Bay and surrounds.
Cost	Tickets vary by event
More information	Event website

Gascoyne Food Festival sets the table for 16 days of immersive dining

Gascoyne Food Festival sets the table for 16 days of immersive dining

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