The Shoalhaven oyster farmer, of Jim Wild’s Oysters, took out the title at the Narooma Oyster Festival on Saturday, May 5, after a display of super-speedy shucking.

Ms McLean shucked her way to the top in just over three minutes, plating up a faultless arrangement of 30 oysters.

The 37-year-old blitzed her way through the heat and final, demonstrating the classic ‘Wild manoeuvre’ that saw her father, Jim Wild, win the world oyster shucking crown in 1984.

She credited her win to years of experience and a trusty teacher.

“My Dad was the world champion oyster opener and he represented Australia in Galway Bay in Ireland, so I’ve got a little bit in the blood and I’ve had a great teacher,” Ms McLean said.

“Instead of getting that Barbie doll for Christmas, I got an oyster knife.”

Following in her father’s footsteps, Ms McLean and her sisters learned to shuck oysters from the age of eight.

Almost 30 years on, she still has her very first oyster knife.

Ms McLean’s family runs a farm gate shop on the Crookhaven River at Greenwell Point where she helps shuck up to 200 dozen oysters a day.

Speaking of her win, Ms McLean hoped the inaugural women’s competition would inspire more females to become involved in the oyster industry.

“It’s the first women’s oyster opening competition and I feel ecstatic to be the first woman,” she said.

“There are a lot of leading women in our industry and they’ve suggested we have this competition.

“Normally you see us behind the scenes, so it’s fantastic for the women.”

She urged young women and girls to get involved in future competitions.

“Down the track there may be a few women oyster openers coming through and maybe seeing this today (Saturday), it might give them a little inspiration to come and start opening oysters,” she said.