Celebrating Brett Dawson: 50 years of opening oysters & his world-champion journey

Opening oysters isn’t a ‘quick crack’ job. There’s a real skill to it – one that our former owner and multi-award-winner Brett Dawson has been practising for 50 years. And he’s not putting down the knife anytime soon. 

Brett opened his first oyster for the family business in 1975, at just 15 years old.

 “My mum, Julia Dawson, came from the Moffat oyster-growing family in Port Stephens,” he recalls. “By the mid-70s, she’d been processing oysters for over a decade. What began in our garage in Warner’s Bay had grown into a bustling business, producing 900 jars a week for Woolies and supplying local family-run restaurants.”

By 1980, the family had been operating out of Cardiff South for a decade. When a shopfront became available on King Street in Warners Bay, they jumped at the chance - bringing Dawson’s Oyster Supplies back to the area and establishing the shop that still operates there today.

Working alongside his mum, dad and siblings, Brett quickly became an integral part of the business – with a knack for opening even the toughest and trickiest oysters. 

Hitting the spotlight

1980 was also the year an Irish world oyster opening champion came to Newcastle to promote the industry – and the moment Brett’s skills hit the spotlight. 

“There was a local call-out to find a worthy contender to compete against the Irish fella on TV,” Brett shares. “My parents encouraged me to put my name forward. Next minute, I was being whisked off to the studio in a taxi – and I ended up beating him!”

That win lit the spark. Brett went on to claim the 1980 Australian Oyster Shucking Championship. Soon after, NBN News visited the shop to film Brett and the team in action. He also appeared on the Morning Show and was even invited to meet the Lord Mayor.

Then in 1981, riding the wave of his success, Brett travelled to Galway, Ireland, to compete in The World Oyster Opening Championships. He was decked out with Newcastle souvenirs gifted by the mayor to promote the city as a tourist destination.

Competing against entrants from more than 12 countries, Brett outperformed them all! He brought home the ultimate prize – a world championship title – and was paraded through the streets of Galway holding the Aussie flag. 

A European adventure

Held at the International Oyster and Seafood Festival, the World Oyster Opening Championships attracted publicans and restaurateurs from all over the world. Brett’s victory led to invitations across Europe and the US to showcase his opening skills in some top establishments.

He chose Europe, setting off on a three-month solo backpacking trip that took him from Ireland through London, France, Austria, Sweden, Holland and the Greek Isles – all while using his knife to wow restaurant diners and guests along the way.

“My hosts got some great publicity – and it was quite an adventure for a 21-year-old lad, and a chance to meet some really interesting people,” Brett recalls. “There were even more TV interviews during my travels, including one for the BBC, before I eventually headed back home to the shop.”

The following year brought a sense of déjà vu as Brett once again claimed both the Australian Championship in Swan Bay, and the World Championship in Galway – proving beyond doubt that he’d earned his crown as the best oyster opener in the world.

Parties, promos and a quick trip to Paris

Did Brett go for the hat-trick? No, he decided to go surfing instead! 

Brett was also running a little passion project at the time. Hosting infamous parties and mini festivals for friends and locals on a five-acre piece of land he’d purchased in Wakefield, Lake Macquarie.

He’d built a stage, hung lights and would invite bands to play, providing 18-gallon kegs, food and a plot to camp on for a $10 homemade ticket that let people enjoy the fun for a whole weekend. 

“I never made any money from it,” Brett shares. “I just loved the buzz of giving people a place where they could let their hair down.”

During his 20s, Brett also spent a lot of time with his cousin, Lloyd Moffat, who had a restaurant and night spot at the Bar Beach Pavillion, ran the oyster barn at Swan Bay, and later opened the colourful Newcastle night spot Fanny’s. Together, they promoted the oyster industry wherever they went.

“After I won the first Australian comp, Lloyd invited me to showcase my skills at the Pavilion. I also went up to Swan Bay to help at local restaurants – an interactive experience that could sell up to 10 times more oysters.”

Brett fondly remembers Lloyd’s spontaneous nature and zest for life back then, which once took them on a last-minute weekend trip to Paris – quite a thing to do, especially in those days!

But through it all, opening oysters at the shop remained his day job.

Opening oysters is all in the technique

Brett went on to get married, and when his mum sadly passed and his dad, Malcolm stepped back from the business, he and his wife Karren took over Dawson’s. At this point, he was opening oysters seven days a week – a pace he maintained for nearly 30 years.

During this time, he trained many new openers, including, eventually, his son Jack, who, like Brett, remains in the business to this day.

So, what’s the secret behind Brett’s award-winning opening skills? Brett says it comes down to two things: years of practice and technique.

When we calculated how many oysters Brett has opened over the past 50 years, it’s close to 20 million! 

“Unlike many oyster openers who place the shells on the bench, I hold the oysters in my left hand – a technique called drifting,” he explains.

Brett makes it look quick and easy, but it’s actually pretty tricky. It’s very easy to damage the meat or break the shell, faults that incur penalties in the competitions. Winning isn’t just about speed; it’s about doing it well.

It’s also surprisingly physically demanding work, shares Brett, especially when you pick up a tough stick oyster.

Still a passion, still the only Aussie to win the World Championship – 50 years on

You might think that after 50 years on the job, and opening around 100 dozen oysters a day, Brett would be a little sick of it. But he still loves it.

 

“It’s become a bit of an addiction,” he shares. “I don’t know what to do with myself when I’m not opening oysters!”

 

Opening oysters hasn’t just been a job in the family business for Brett; it’s been a huge part of his life. And it’s a passion and skill he’s now happy and proud to have passed on to Jack, who, after initially being unsure, has also found himself hooked.

 

Brett also honours the hard work his parents put in over the years to keep the business going, even through challenging times.

 

After selling the business in 2021, Brett has stayed on working for us at Dawson’s, sharing his expertise and experience with the team. He says he might eventually put the knife down and focus on hobbies he enjoys like maintenance, DIY and gardening, but not in the near future.

 

For now, you’ll still find him opening away in the back of the shop – and still holding the honour of being the only Aussie to win the World Oyster Championship. What a great guy, with a fascinating story to tell!.