Images: Blessing of the fleet, San Remo’s first fish truck, Dawn (couta boat) and Walter (Cack) Todd packing couta
Our History
The fishing village of San Remo is in the Bass Coast Shire of Victoria; gateway to the tourist destination Phillip Island, and a great place to sample a fresh bounty of seafood – or catch your own.
The history of fishing in San Remo stretches back tens of thousands of years. The Bunurong people would travel to this coast every spring to dine on fish, crayfish, abalone, and mutton bird. Commercial fishing in San Remo has been taking place for just over eighty years. The San Remo Fisherman’s Co-op was officially founded in 1948 and is one of only three remaining cooperatives in Victoria. The original target species was couta, the favourite fish in Melbourne’s fish and chip shops at the time. These days gummy shark is the firm favourite on many San Remo boats, with other common species including crayfish, scallops, squid, and wrasse. The Blessing of the Fleet began in the early 1960s – competition was fierce among the large couta fleet, and they were all eager to get help from above!
In 1978 the San Remo Fishing Festival was born, an event to celebrate the village’s fishing heritage and a good excuse to have some fun. Over the years the festival has changed its format, but one thing has stayed the same – it’s a festival made possible by local businesses and volunteers who are proud of their town and their heritage.
About Tidal Seafood Festival
With smiles as wide as the jetty, people flock to TIDAL Seafood Festival San Remo to be part of something special. Come with a curious mind, an inspired heart and a hungry belly as you learn more about the history, traditions and fine local produce of our region.
When the sun and moon align, the tides are high and so are our spirits!
We kick off the celebration with Friday evening’s Strait to Plate Seafood Dinner, serving scrumptious local, sustainably sourced Bass Strait seafood to wow your taste buds. Treat yourself to our open oyster bar and captivating courses matched with local wines.
Saturday’s Blessing of the Fleet is a centuries-old tradition that ensures a safe and bountiful season for our local fishermen. An important event which has been held on San Remo Jetty since the early 1960s, make sure you bring a camera to capture the occasion.
If a program filled with fun family activities, pelican feeding, food stalls and live music doesn’t lure you in, our mouth-watering cooking demonstrations will catch you hook, line and sinker.
Bring your appetite as local restaurants and cafés throughout San Remo will have the freshest fare on offer, including specials featuring our famous gummy shark (flake), southern rock lobster, king prawns, abalone and duckfish.
For a shot at a share of $1,000 prize money, tackle the Deckies Race! Teams of two take on four fun ‘deckie’ challenges that will see how well you can toss a float into a cray pot and more. Do it for the cash prize or just for a laugh, whatever floats your boat!
Head south, drop your anchor and stay for the whole weekend. San Remo and Phillip Island are loaded with experiences for you to get out on the water, soak up the sunshine and breathe in some fresh coastal air.
At a time when life revolves at a non-stop pace, it’s time to redefine what we treasure, and this festival has it all… history, culture, connection, adventure and flavour. A weekend filled with wonder for all ages, whatever it is that you’re seeking, you’ll find it at TIDAL Seafood Festival, San Remo.