Tucked behind the Oaklands Barn complex on the Princes Highway at Pambula, Waratah Chocolate is a genuinely-local gem. Every bar, freckle and chunk of rocky road is finished in their own tempering machine and moulds.

The moment fish come off the trawler, they’re moved directly into South Coast Fish’s chilled processing and storage facility, literally across the road from the dock.

The waters here are part of the Great Southern Reef, a chain of temperate ecosystems stretching from Sydney to Tasmania. With no impact from heavy industry or sprawling cities, the water on the Sapphire Coast stays clear and clean.

Grassboots Farm started as a quarter-acre patch of garlic behind the house. Then came a borrowed block and, finally, in December 2023, the family landed their own property at Tantawangalo.