Classic catches keep coming at North-West institution

The Sunshine Coast’s Big Pineapple and Coffs Harbour’s Big Banana can move aside, Stanley does the Aussie thrill of ‘big things’ best at Hurseys, and serves a seafood feast to boot.

Alix Davis

3 min read

February 28, 2025 - 11:00AM

Hursey Seafoods Restaurant, Stanley. Picture: Ness Vanderburgh

Tasmania

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Rural and regional Australia is well known for its “big things”. There’s the Big Pineapple (Sunshine Coast, Queensland), the Big Banana (Coffs Harbour, NSW) and the slightly underwhelmingBig Potato (Robertson, NSW) to name just a few.

Not one to miss out on a trend, Tasmania has its own big thing in the shape of the Big crayfish (or is it a large Southern rock lobster?) on the roof of Hursey Seafoods in the northwest town of Stanley. It’s not a large town (population about 600), so navigation around Stanley is pretty simple, but the distinctive crustacean makes it even easier to find this popular seafood restaurant by the harbour.

The takeaway section downstairs is doing a roaring trade the Sunday night that we visit and it’s just as busy upstairs, with tables of couples, families and friends all keen to dine on seafood that’s been freshly caught by the distinctive red boats of the Hursey’s fleet.

The setting sun is filling the room with golden light and the moody charcoal-painted walls are decorated with vintage items from the family’s long fishing history, as well as old navigation charts and knotted rope screens (tied by Steven and Mark Hursey themselves).

Hursey Seafoods’ fleet of red boats lined up at the Stanely wharf, which source the wild-caught seafood for the award-winning restaurant. Picture: Supplied

It’s both laid-back and sophisticated and comes courtesy of Kerry Houston, co-owner of the nearby Ship Inn (our beautifully styled and comfortable accommodation for the evening).

My husband has never met a seafood chowder ($29) he doesn’t like and this one is no exception. It’s a classic New England seafood chowder – a dish brought to North America by English and French immigrants more than 250 years ago.

An early description of chowder appears in the journal kept by the young botanist Joseph Banks, who visited English and French Labrador fisheries in 1766, before seeing what is now Australia for the first time in 1770.

Banks gives an account of chowder, which he described as “Peculiar to this Country”, and its preparation. Even though it was unfamiliar, he said that “when well made a Luxury that the rich Even in England at Least in my opinion might be fond of It is a Soup made with a small Quantity of salt Pork cut into Small Slices a gooddeal of fish and Biscuit Boyled for about an hour”.

One of Hursey Seafoods’ signature dishes of crayfish, served hot in a delicious mornay sauce. Picture: Supplied

Hursey’s version is full of white fish, prawns, scallops and squid and is generous enough to be a main course. Thick Turkish toast on the side is ideal for dipping and wiping the bowl clean.

My entree is a plate of grilled scallops with saltbush butter ($27) and the dozen tender scallops, served with roe on, could easily be shared between two. The saltbush butter is extremely slurpable and the scallops are meaty and delicious.

Service here is friendly and efficient, with waitstaff happy to offer their opinions on dishes and adjust the blinds as the sun sets. After some consultation with our waiter, my husband opts for a half large crayfish with Stanley saltbush butter for his main. These are at market prices and on the day we visit, the half large is $105.

Hursey Seafoods in Stanley. Picture: Supplied

The crayfish are kept live in tanks here to ensure freshness and year-round availability and is certainly impressive in its bright coral carapace. My husband is no expert in the crayfish-eating department, but manages to extract just about all the tender and flavoursome meat without wearing too much of it. The crayfish can also be ordered natural (cold) with seafood sauce and lemon wedges or hot with a mornay sauce.

I opt for a simple dish of pan-seared stripey trumpeter ($48) served with chips and salad. This white fish is moist and bone-free, perfectly cooked and full of flavour. The chips are crisp and the salad is fresh and lightly dressed. It’s a great example of Tasmania’s excellent produce cooked and served without artifice.

Hursey seafoods is renowned for its wild-caught crayfish dishes. Picture: Ness Vanderburgh

North-West Tasmania is known for its stunning produce and Hursey’s is part of the Tasting Trail that highlights the best of the area. The Trail Graze event (April 11-13) takes visitors on a weekend beyond the farm-gate and fishing vessel to meet the makers. The weekend-long celebration features exclusive onsite events, behind-the-scenes tours, and family-friendly activities in a true feast for the senses. If you’re keen to experience the charm of Stanley and the food of the region, it’s an ideal time to visit.