Oysters
Sydney Rock Oyster (Saccostrea glomerata)
Sydney Rock Oysters have been grown commercially since the 1870s. Over the last 20 years, Sydney Rock Oysters have not been as plentiful due to environmental issues. This has led to a drop of over 50% from a peak in the late 1970s. Modern production methods have led to an increase in popularity by creating a single seed oyster, which presents better and is easier to open.
Sydney Rock Oysters are native only to the eastern coast of Australia and are grown in rivers, lakes, and bays. The oysters are incredibly varied in their shape, colour, texture and flavour depending on which river and area they are farmed. The Rock Oysters are grown from Morton Bay in Queensland, to Wonboyn on the far South Coast, enabling a year round supply with each area having different growing cycles. Oysters from the South Coast and Hawkesbury are available in autumn and winter whilst oysters from the North Coast and Wallis Lake are available in winter, spring and summer.
A species similar to the Sydney Rock Oyster has been farmed in Western Australia since the early 1980s. In 1989-90, about 72% of edible oysters produced in Australia were Sydney Rock Oysters, 27% were Pacific oysters, and the remaining 1% were other varieties such as the native flat oyster, the milky oyster and the blacklip oyster.
Sydney Rock Oysters tend to be more expensive than Pacific Oysters because they take nearly twice as long to grow (approximately 4 years) and are subject to very strict environmental conditions. An oyster farmer's experience, methods, and the constant balance between quality and quantity, are paramount in the production of a great oyster. Recognising threats to oyster crops; for example salinity levels in the river or lake, rainwater run-off from the surrounding land and the oyster's often unpredictable and spontaneous inclination to spawn, constantly test the knowledge and skill of the farmer.
