Next stop, Australia: The Great Ocean Road abalone adventure

SINGAPORE – Many make the long drive along Victoria’s iconic Great Ocean Road to marvel at the 12 Apostles – colossal limestone stacks rising dramatically from the ocean – or to wander the lush trails of the Great Otway National Park. 

But just five minutes from the town of Port Fairy, a popular stop along the route, lies a little-known marine experience at Ocean Road Abalone, one of Australia’s pioneering abalone farms. 

Since early 2024, the farm has been offering guided tours of its facilities, which have undergone significant upgrades since its establishment in 1996. These include building additional tanks and a new nursery, and adding solar panels to reduce its carbon emissions. 

Farming abalone is no easy feat. Each abalone takes a minimum of three years to reach commercial size. To ensure optimal growth, the abalone progresses from nursery tanks to weaning tanks to, finally, larger growing tanks.

The tour, lasting about 90 minutes, lets visitors get up close to the intricacies of abalone farming. 

Guests can observe live abalone, follow its growth stages and explore the farm’s facilities, guided by experienced aquaculture technicians.

They can also savour Ocean Road Abalone’s premium Tiger abalone, a hybrid of the native Greenlip and Blacklip varieties. The Tiger abalone gets its name from the striking striped frill on its foot, and is renowned for its tender texture and subtle sweetness. 

During each tasting session, tour participants can enjoy abalone prepared in two different styles – battered and deep-fried Korean-style abalone, or charred abalone topped with truffle oil, salmon roe and spicy mayonnaise.

The farm sells abalone in three forms – live, canned and vacuum-packed – and tour participants get a 10 per cent discount on purchases made on the same day. 

Prices, which are currently discounted, range from A$29.70 (S$25) for a 130g can of ready-to-eat whole abalone to A$49.50 for a 200g vacuum-packed portion.

Tours are priced at A$45 an adult, with an extra A$10 for the tasting session. Children aged 16 and below can join the tour for free or pay A$10 for the tasting.

In the coming months, tours are available on Feb 13 and 27 and March 6 and 27, with one tour a day that starts at 10am. For more food and drinks along the Great Ocean Road, go to

str.sg/dnbQ

For those seeking more gourmet seafood adventures, consider a journey with Tweed Escapes in New South Wales. Its 2½-hour Seafood Selection Cruise (A$95 a person) showcases local catch such as prawns, oysters and salmon, while travellers cruise down Tweed River in a heritage ferry.

Alternatively, food enthusiasts can go on three new walking tours by Darwin Gourmet Tours. 

These include visits to local distilleries, tropical gardens and an exclusive private garden where participants can forage for fruit, vegetables and herbs to be used in a gourmet meal prepared by an award-winning chef. 

Tours start at A$329 a person for a five-hour Distilleries, Beer And Wine tour with a gourmet lunch and alcoholic beverages.