Could South Goulburn Island become home to Australia's first sea grape farm? The Yagbani Aboriginal Corporation believes it can, bringing the celebrated ingredient known as umibudo in Japan to the plate.

A remote island in the Northern Territory is getting ready to farm native varieties of seaweed, including a sea grape “that bursts in your mouth like caviar”.

Chief executive Steve Westley said the remote community was excited about the opportunities.

"It has that popping sensation when you eat it and you get this explosion of salty flavours.

An ocean of flavours Dr Alex Campbell is a seaweed expert from the University of the Sunshine Coast (USC) and said Australia’s edible seaweed industry was still in its infancy compared to other nations.

“There’s some really amazing seaweeds growing around Australia’s coast and lots of them don’t grow anywhere else in the world,” Dr Campbell said.

“I’m really excited about the sea grapes because, regardless of external markets, this could become something the community can harvest and consume, something that’s really healthy,” she said.

  • thelastknowngod
    1·
    1 year ago

    The food is really amazing. I used to eat it in Okinawan restaurants when I lived in Japan. Someone described it like vegan caviar which is pretty accurate.