But, the East 33 group, which owns a number of oyster farms throughout Wallis Lake, decided to take its time after purchasing the well know and established Hamiltons Oyster Bar Tuncurry back in 2019.

During the most recent shut-down the popular restaurant took advantage of the 'spare time' to revitalise and renovate the lake-side venue resulting in a cosy and inviting vintage, coastal interior.

Now known as Thirty Three Degrees, the destination restaurant will continue to provide a menu of fresh seafood and locally grown oysters harvested daily (when in season) from East 33's nearby paddocks.

Group executive chef, Glenn Thompson said his team wanted to create a luxury brand that would promote local produce.

"We wanted to elevate the dining experience in the area, and showcase the Sydney Rock Oysters grown in Wallis Lake; we wanted to elevate the dining experience in an unpretentious dining room," he said.

"We wanted people to come here and dine and not just eat."

"At the moment our oysters are the very best they have ever been," Glenn said.

He attributed this to what he described as ideal growing conditions and good farming practices undertaken by the company's farmers.

Glenn said the Wallis Lake grown Sydney Rock Oyster was renown throughout the country for its fullness and rich creamy taste, with a hint of salinity.

"And, we buy as much local as we can," Glenn said.

Local for Thirty Three Degrees extended beyond the menu and onto the table

"We didn't want run-of-the-mill (tableware); we wanted unique pieces."

True to its mandate, the Thirty Three Degrees menu is a tribute to local produce and artisans from the Manning Valley raised beef, the Wallis Lake oysters to the exclusive hand-made pottery tableware from Pacific Palms.

In the 18 months since East 33 purchased its first oyster leases in 2020 it has injected more than $40 million into the local economy, and with plans to create a hospitality school and build and create more tourism opportunities that monetary boost is expected to continue.

New to the restaurant venue is the oyster bar where patrons can sit, learn about the Sydney Rock Oyster - how it goes from 'spat to plate' - and savour the end result.

Teaming with Cloudy Bay wines, Thirty Three Degrees has expanded the tourism/dining experience to a short punt ride into the heart of an oyster paddock to view the leases and learn about the growing process before pulling onto one of the many Wallis Lake islands to shuck and sip wine.

More recently the restaurant has begun day trips via a seaplane from Rose Bay in Sydney's eastern suburbs offering the same, unique experience, while farmgate oysters and hampers are available pre-ordered.

Open five days a week, from Wednesday to Sunday, for both lunch and dinner, the restaurant is served by 16 wait and kitchen staff.

Mr Thompson described lunch-time dining as casual, while dinner was a more elevated experience

"But, we are not pretentious."

He said the menu offered a range of dishes unique to Thirty Three Degrees and which would not normally be cooked in the home kitchen.

"We wanted to create something unique to the area."

Originally from Port Macquarie 52-year-old Glenn came to Forster Tuncurry via Port Stephens and more recently Vancouver where he ran the prestigious Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel, managing 100 staff and seven food outlets.

Glenn has brought with him executive chef and one-time chef at his award-winning Port Stephens restaurant Zest, Mitch Tait.

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