53. Oysters

This blog post is dedicated to Stan and Wayne, who were two oyster farmers whose paths crossed with mine, some forty years ago.

Oysters have been a source of food for thousands of years. From my reading on the subject, I have learned that shell deposits in middens (concentrations of shell, bone and botanical remains) have revealed, via carbon dating, that Aboriginal peoples consumed rock oysters as long ago as 6000 BC. Also, that ancient Romans, Greeks, and the Chinese before them, cultivated oysters by using a variety of methods, some of which are still in use today.

Closer to home, in Moreton Bay, European settlers began to grow oysters commercially almost immediately after their arrival here. I have written previously about Baxter’s Jetty, which was named after John Baxter, the owner of Baxter’s Oyster Saloon. He grew his oysters.  in beds and sheds close to the mouth of Cabbage Tree Creek, which flows into Moreton Bay. That story (post 32) caught my attention because John sadly drowned at the bottom of the jetty, in 1897, in mysterious circumstances.

Cabbage Tree creek, which is tidal, was an ideal place for John to grow oysters, as they were covered at high tide twice a day, and hence stayed fresh until they were ready to be served to the customers who visited his establishment. After his death his widow took over the saloon, which continued to sell oysters for many years thereafter. However, in the twentieth century, the industry in Queensland suffered setbacks, due to oyster disease and competition from New South Wales.

Oysters are still grown in this part of Queensland today, but on a much smaller scale than is the case in New South Wales. There is an oyster farm on Moreton Island near the township of Kooringal, which advertises itself as a family run company, and describes its product as follows:

“The Moreton Bay Rock Oyster is a species similar to the Sydney Rock Oyster, with a flavor unique to the beautiful environment where it is grown. Most Sydney Rock Oysters available to the market are grown in rivers, our oysters are oceanic-grown providing a salty, sweet aftertaste.”

“It takes us around 3 years to grow a plate sized oyster, and our oysters are typically available between the months of September – March, depending on seasonal conditions.”

Oyster farming, as I have learned, is not for the faint-hearted. Oysters are very susceptible to pests and predators. Some of these, such as worms, were mentioned in post 59, “Laurie’s Walk”, published in June.

In some parts of Moreton Bay there is a high risk of Marteiliosis (QX) disease, which is caused by parasites and which can have the capacity to impact and wipe out a large part of the oyster harvest. So, to reduce the losses, the oyster farming community in Australia has, over the years, developed a number of techniques and control measures. These include, in certain circumstances and locations, the use of specially designed cylinders and the transferring of oysters, at various stages of their development, between these cylinders and trays.

Many years ago, I had an association with the industry (rock oyster aquaculture) in the Hawkesbury River in New South Wales. We were looking at the feasibility of promoting a new system of growing oysters. This is where I came to know Stan and his son Wayne. We often met in the family’s home, where Stan’s wife, Mrs M., always provided a magnificent morning tea.  Our small group included a patent attorney and other interested parties. Some of us, including Wayne, even travelled to southern China to have a look at the industry there.

In April 1987, the family’s Hawkesbury River oyster farm had a visit from a delegation from the People’s Republic of China, led by the Chairman of China’s State Economic Commission and the Chinese Ambassador. This visit was planned and arranged by the Protocol Division of the N.S.W. Premier’s Department and involved security supplied by the N.S.W. Police. The delegation travelled from Sydney by bus and by car to Moony Moony, a small waterfront village close to the river, where they boarded an oyster boat (captained by Wayne) and where, with the help of Chinese interpreters, we explained the workings of the oyster farm as we travelled towards the oyster grounds.

I think the delegation really enjoyed this boat trip. It was a pleasant outing for them, away from their busy schedule. Luckily for everyone concerned it happened to be a dry and sunny April day.  The Hawkesbury River really is a beautiful and scenic destination. I think that most of the visitors also loved the fresh oysters, along with a glass of champagne, which we were able to offer them.

Due to circumstances beyond my control I had to transfer my interest in this project to others, but I will never forget the kindness shown to me by Stan and his family. I sincerely hope that they were able to successfully introduce their cylinder system (which was patented) to the industry in Australia and elsewhere.

O.P.

P.S. My next post on Sunday, 1 September, will be about my grandfather’s work as a coachman, driver and pharmacy assistant.