OYSTERS
Oysters from the Sapphire Coast are some of the most highly regarded and awarded in Australia. Our six key estuaries provide the ideal growing environment for the world-renowned Sydney rock oyster, which thrives in our cool southern waters. Our passionate local growers use the latest in regenerative farming techniques to look after the environment and produce a premium product.
Our oysters are grown in the pristine estuaries of the Sapphire Coast. Sydney rock oysters are native to this region and are found growing wild in our cool southern waters.
Our Sydney rock oysters are the most highly regarded in Australia. Our producers work with the natural environment to create a premium product that exceeds the highest culinary standards.
Sydney rock oysters are good for you and good for the planet. Our oysters are naturally organic and grown in the cleanest waters in NSW.
The Humble OYSTER
The humble oyster belongs to a large group of marine animals called ‘bivalve molluscs’, which are invertebrates with a two-part hinged shell including oysters, mussels, pipis, cockles and clams. Oysters are found in many parts of the world, living in salty or brackish water along our coastlines.
OYSTER Species
There are three species of oysters grown and eaten in Australia, including the Sydney rock oyster, Pacific oyster, and Angasi oyster. Sydney rock oysters and Angasi oysters are native to Australia, whilst Pacific oysters were introduced from Japan and are only farmed under carefully controlled environmental conditions.
Sydney rock oyster
Saccostrea glomerata
Endemic to the east coast, Sydney rock oysters have been called ‘the greatest culinary jewel of the sea’. They take up to three years to grown before harvest, and vary dramatically in shape, colour, texture and flavour depending on where they are harvested. Sydney rock oysters grown on the Sapphire Coast are nationally renowned due to their high quality and flavour, and are the main species cultivated by local farmers.
Angasi oyster
Ostrea angasi
The rare Angasi oyster (Flat, Mud, Native) is endemic to the cooler waters of southern Australia, preferring sandy sediment within estuaries. Overharvesting brought them to the brink of extinction during early European settlement, however they are now making a comeback. Local farmers at Merimbula Lake and Bermagui River are part of a small number of Angasi growers in Australia, with hopes that Angasi reefs will eventually be restored for the future.
Pacific oyster
Crassostrea gigas
Pacific oysters are considered a noxious species in many Australian estuaries, however a sterile version was developed to be farmed under carefully controlled environmental conditions. Pacific oysters grow much faster than their Sydney rock cousins, reaching market size in just 18 months. There are currently two farmers on the Sapphire Coast growing Pacific oysters.
