12 minute read
AUGUSTA
LIFE AWAY FROM THE EVERYDAY:
Reigniting Nostalgia in Augusta
WORDS | Sarah Robinson
Not being on the way to anything is Augusta’s secret superpower. It means the people who adventure there know how special it is. And of course, there’s less bustle. The lazy seaside town is around three hours south of Perth.
If you’re heading that way, here are some things to fill your day.
9am Coffee at the Colourpatch The Colourpatch is a café restaurant that overlooks the Blackwood River. Inside you’ll find a beautifully restored wooden yacht, built in the sixties by Jim Thompson, a retired farmer from Albany. They also do a good looking full breakfast.
10am Walk the Pelican Trail and Swim Just 300 metres from the Colourpatch, at the bottom of Albany Terrace, is Seine Bay. From here, you can start a 2.4 kilometre walk along bridge, boardwalk and bitumen. It’s an easy meander, which follows the Blackwood River to Ellis Street Jetty near town.
Along the way, you’re bound to see the odd pelican. If you’re lucky, a dolphin. The walk should take you about an hour, and afterwards, you can swim out to the pontoon or rest awhile on the grass under shady trees. If you have kids, there’s an amazing playground. Let the little ones run amuck while you take in the bay. It’s the little moments that make a day in Augusta special.
12pm Eat Fish and Chips in Town Along the main strip, you’ll find Blue Ocean Fish and Chips – a seafood spot loved by locals and visitors in the know. Seafood is caught fresh at the local marina and prepared onsite. You’ll find all your favourites, which can be grilled, battered or crumbed. Plus prawns, crab sticks, calamari rings, and all the other good bits that make fish and chips the best.
1.30pm Granny’s Pool and the Lighthouse Jump in the car and head to Granny’s Pool, a waist deep hamlet surrounded by rocks –perfect for little people and the elderly folk its name celebrates. If the other side of Augusta is wild, you’re likely to find good conditions here.
If it’s warm enough (or you’re brave enough) don a snorkel and explore, or search for crabs among the rocks. When you’re done, your next pitstop is the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse – a nine-minute drive, which
Hamelin Bay or Turner Street jetty are best enjoyed with fish and chips.
A TASTE OF THE VINEYARD
From our unique terroir to your glass
An intimate and unique opportunity to explore one Margaret River’s most exclusive and awarded estates.
takes you to the very tip of the peninsula.
Guided tours happen every half an hour, and will set you back around twenty dollars (ten for kids under 16). The tour takes you to the top of the lighthouse, which is perfect for spotting whales and taking in the rugged coastline.
3pm Hamelin Bay Hamelin Bay is about three epic road trip tunes away. It’s famous for sting rays, which swim close to shore to say hello. Sting ray etiquette says its best to admire them from the beach, not in the water. The swimming at Hamelin Bay is next-level, just find a spot clear of rays and head on in.
The ruined jetty at Hamelin Bay is a relic of the busy timber shipping hub it used to Tour our immaculate Estate and gardens in an EV buggy as we guide you through a selection of critically acclaimed Parterre wines, deep within the vineyards from which they are created.
The Colourpatch Cafe (above) sits right across from the Blackwood river.
be. In 1900 the old jetty was abandoned, after five ships wrecked in a powerful storm. Divers can still explore the wrecks.
5pm Pizza at Gusty’s Gusty’s Pizza is a local legend, serving up hand rolled, wood fired pizza and slow cooked ribs in a 1951 Guy Arab Bus. You’ll see the bus parked up, just before you hit town. It’s a good idea to call ahead, since they sell out most nights. Gusty’s is best enjoyed on the park benches out front, or take dinner away to a quiet spot by the Blackwood. Meandering along the Blackwood River is one of the most incredible ways to explore Augusta. Blackwood River Houseboats owner, Pamela Winter, says boats cruise along 28 kilometres of untouched national parkland. “It’s really beautiful and it’s a real wilderness,” she says, “It’s just you and the river.”
You don’t need a skipper’s ticket to hire a houseboat, just an induction session to make sure you operate the vessel safely. Houseboats are heated in winter, and come with a dinghy so you can moor close to town and head to shore.
There are also plenty of great accommodation spots to choose from on land too. Check out the reviews before booking, and enjoy taking life down a notch in this special town.
Before it was a holiday spot. Before it was a whaling town or a timber export hub, Augusta was (and always will be) home to the Wadandi and Pibulmun Noongar people. •
WHERE TO STAY IN AUGUSTA
HOW TO: Cook and Eat Augusta’s Prized Abalone
WORDS | Jinna Yang IMAGES | Samira Damirova
AN INTERNATIONALLY SOUGHT-AFTER seafood delicacy, the abalone of Augusta is a local treasure. They’re adorned with a shell, but abalone are not actually shellfish, instead reefdwelling marine snails. Fifteen different species of abalone call Western Australia their home, but the three large enough to be fished are the Roe’s abalone, Greenlip abalone and Brownlip abalone.
Known for their plump, juicy and tender flesh — abalone have the shortest fishing seasons in the wild, but thanks to Ocean Grown Abalone, they’re now more accessible than ever before. Founder and local fisherman Brad Adams worked to create the artificial reef spanning 45km of Augusta’s ocean floor — where abalone hand-plucked from the wild are taken to feed and mature until they’re ready to be sustainably harvested for the public.
“The OGA abalone ranch in Flinders Bay is where two of the world’s great oceans – the Southern and Indian – collide to provide pristine, clean, nutrient-rich waters that provide unrivalled environmental conditions in which to grow the world’s most premium abalone,’’ says Brad.
Chef Patron of Osteria Francescana and 3 star Michelin chef Massimo Bottura tried it and raved, “One of the most amazing things I have ever tasted. It is juicy, tender, tasting of the earth and the ocean. Tasting the abalone in my dish was one of the Gourmet Escape weekend’s cooking highlights.”
Sustainably harvested, native to the Southwest Coast, and surprisingly versatile in the kitchen — there’s never been a better time to satisfy a seafood craving with this delicious ocean jewel.
Margaret River’s own Master Chef and Food Photographer Samira Damirova, well-known for her signature artisan style derived from her beloved homeland of Azerbaijan, takes us through three exciting new ways to cook and eat Augusta’s prized abalone. // continued over
Shabby Chic Abalone in a Wok
P.S. if you’re pressed for time and prefer to skip the cooking, head straight to Blue Manna Bistro in Dunsborough and ask for their abalone special! They also have a seafood shop next door where you can purchase products from Augusta’s Magic Abalone team, allowing you to experiment with cooking at home. Ingredients: 2 abalone, thinly sliced 1/2 tbsp oil (any mild flavoured oil) 2-3 tbsp butter (salted butter) 4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed 1/2 dried red chilli, thinly sliced Few generous turns of freshly cracked pepper Salt to taste if needed
To garnish: Lime juice Fresh coriander Edible flowers if desired Crusty bread and a glass of local Sauvignon Blanc Semillon to serve.
Method: Using a meat hammer, mallet each slice of abalone (use the spiky side of the mallet). Place the wok over the wok burner over medium high, add the oil, butter garlic, chilli and cracked pepper and stir them around the wok for a few moments until the garlic releases its aroma. Increase the heat to high and immediately add the tenderised abalone slices, toss them for a minute or until abalone no longer appear to look translucent. Try not to cook the abalone for too long as it will get tough if overcooked, you essentially need to heat abalone through to seal it. Remove the abalone from the wok into serving dish, reserving the juices. Add butter to the juices and stir though until it’s completely melted. Dress the abalone with the juices and garnish with fresh coriander leaves, edible flowers if desired. Serve alongside crusty bread, lime wedges or cheeks and a glass of cold Sauvignon Blanc Semillon. You can learn more about Chef Samira Damirova and her recipes on her instagram: @samsfoodiesgoods. •
Deep Fried Abalone With Jalapeño Sauce
IMAGE Russell Ord
Ingredients: 4 medium-small abalones, thinly sliced 1 cup panko breadcrumbs 1/3 cup cornflour 2 eggs, whisked with a pinch of salt 1L oil for deep frying
For the Jalapeño Sauce: 6 jalapeno peppers 1 small bunch of fresh coriander 1/3 cup cashew nuts 1/2 lime juice 1 tbsp white wine vinegar or to taste 1/2 tbs sugar or to taste (or 1tsp of honey) 1 1/2 tsp sea salt or to taste 1/2 tsp ground cumin
Method: To make the Jalapeño sauce: Wash and pat dry the jalapeños (use Serrano peppers or any other green chili peppers with thick flesh if you can’t get your hands on a jalapeño). Remove the seeds (Wear gloves or use a teaspoon to scrape the seeds out). Roughly chop the coriander including the stems (for extra flavor). Place all ingredients into a food processor and whizz until smooth. Taste, and if necessary, add more salt, sugar or cumin until suited to your palate. To deep fry abalone: Using the spiky side of a meat mallet, tenderise both sides of each abalone slice. Be mindful not to hit too hard to avoid tearing the slices. Chef tip: A wooden chopping board with a damp towel underneath will take away some of the noise. Start heating oil in a deep fryer or medium-size saucepan. Roll each slice of abalone in cornflour, then dip in beaten eggs and roll in panko crumbs (you can repeat the egg dipping and panko crumb rolling a second time to make them twice-coated). Check if your oil is hot enough by dropping a breadcrumb into the oil. If it sizzles and turns brown quickly, your oil is ready. In a few batches, drop the coated abalone slices into the hot oil. Be mindful not to burn yourself, and have a tea towel and a slotted spoon ready. The abalone will take less than a minute on each side. Once browned, fish them out using a slotted spoon and move to a tray. Dip with the sauce and serve with an ice cold local brew. A small complex of unique self-contained holiday homes situated opposite the Busselton Foreshore and a short walk to the famous Busselton Jetty
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