Times have changed in the oyster industry. No longer can you wander down to the rocks, collect a bucket of this humble mollusc, extract them from a stubbornly resistant, self-contained dwelling, and savour the beach holiday taste experience. The rock oyster industry has contracted over recent years. Once resident in every river estuary from Bribie Island in Queensland to Merimbula in NSW, it has been ravaged over years by the effects of urbanisation along the east coast of Australia. A large percentage of the total population of Australia inhabits this attractive area desirable for its climate, and amenities. This urbanisation has impacted on the estuarine environment in which the rock oyster industry once thrived. Natural run off from sugar cane and dairy farms, tea tree plantations, river towns, the hinterlands, and their associated industries all impact on a fragile balance, and affect the health of river systems, and coastal bays. Areas where healthy oysters once thrived are now devastated, rotten oyster bank timbers the only legacy of an industry that brought a prized, marine delicacy to the nation's table. The industry that remains in these populated areas has had to rethink its management, to ensure that a safe product arrives on your plate., and indeed that the industry itself survives.

Oysters are molluscs - marine filter feeders. They are what they eat. In their natural state, they are immobile, and must suffer their surroundings, quietly accepting everything we tip into our rivers. Concerns for public health see warning signs erected in heavily populated areas where once oysters could be picked from the rocks with abandon. Farmers must now test the water and flesh before harvest to ensure adequate protection from harmful substances that are accumulated by this marine sentinel. In some areas the only answer has been taking the oysters out of the rivers just before harvest and placing them in large tanks of clean water - treated by ultra violet to remove harmful bacteria. The effectiveness of this approach is hotly contested. There has been no answer to the effects of acid sulphate soil runoff, which impacts on the bacteria on which oysters feed, stunting their growth.
If you love oysters, these are things you need to be aware of. If you have wondered why they don't taste as good as they used to - ponder the situation. Farm location is vital information for all oyster connoisseurs. Ask your supplier where the oysters are sourced - he should be able to tell you with confidence -not just that they are "Sydney rocks" or that "they come from Sydney rock", but that they are farmed in Moreton Bay, or the Clyde River, or perhaps that their growers river is flooded and cannot supply. Buy direct from a grower - knowing the harvest date, the growing area location, and the salinity of the water will all reap benefits to the consumer in flavour, enjoyment, and peace of mind.
Buy live in the shell and open your own. Rock oysters kept in temperatures between 8 and 12 C have a wonderful shelf life. We are passionate about our farm, its location in the export certified Moreton Island Growing area, 20 km from the coast, and the rock oyster we produce. We can supply product live in shell, between October and December. If we can assist you with an unique opportunity, please call.