The Albany Rock Oyster harvest represents a growing WA industry able to deliver a product claimed to be equal to Sydney rock and Coffin Bay oysters
The Albany Rock Oyster harvest officially began in the Great Southern, with Harvest Road’s award-winning West Australian rock oysters heading to fishmongers and restaurants as the weather warms up.
After four years of investment and job creation, Harvest Road’s aquaculture business Leeuwin Coast will this year be able to deliver oysters widely available across WA, as well as Sydney and Melbourne.
Until now West Australians often didn’t have the chance to eat West Australian Oysters – this festive season that changes.
And the east coast is already acknowledging their quality. At Sydney’s Royal Easter Show earlier this year Leeuwin Coast won three gold medals for its WA rock oysters – in the Sydney rock oyster category.
Normally harvested in the warmer months of November to April when they are in peak condition, Albany Rock Oysters are grown in the aptly named Oyster Harbour, nourished by fresh waters from the King and Kalgan Rivers and saltwater of the Southern Ocean, conditions that provide a nutrient-rich growing environment.
Harvest Road, a portfolio company of Tattarang, is also currently developing a second oyster grow-out operation at nearby Shoal Bay after it received a sublicense in the second stage of the West Australian Government’s Albany Aquaculture Development Zone in July.
Harvest Road Group CEO Tim Wood said the business was proud to be developing a growing industry in the Great Southern.
“The national recognition that Harvest Road has already received gives us confidence that Albany Rock Oysters will be a growing industry for Western Australia and will be a premium oyster of choice for diners in WA and on the east coast alike,” Mr Wood added.
Harvest Road General Manager, Aquaculture, Richard Kohne said Albany Rock Oysters are carefully managed across their three-year lifecycle to create a premium shape and flavour.
“Starting their life in the local hatchery, and then transitioning to purpose built, state of the art nursery facilities, Albany Rock Oysters are graded so that only the best quality juveniles continue their journey into the baskets in Oyster Harbour,” Richard Kohne explained.
“But ultimately, it’s the pristine, nutrient-rich waters of the Great Southern that are delivering the exceptional, well-balanced flavour that experts and chefs are applauding.
“Previously a small volume, little-known product, Albany Rock Oysters are holding their own against Sydney rock oysters and Coffin Bay oysters for shellfish connoisseurs and I encourage everyone to try them,” Richard Kohne concluded.
Albany Rock Oysters are available now, for stockists see more on this link.
Resumption of Live rock lobster trade with China
And there is further good news for Albany Rock Oysters in that a timetable has been agreed with China for the full resumption of Australian live rock lobster exports by the end of the year.
It is estimated that this resumption of trade will save the jobs of 3,000 Australians employed in the industry, 2,000 of whom are in Western Australia.
The agreement to a timetable for the re-entry of live rock lobster was made during a meeting between Prime Minister Albanese and China’s Premier Li Qiang today on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Vientiane Laos.
This outcome is another step towards stabilising the bilateral relationship between China and Australia. This is positive news for the lobster industry and for Chinese consumers, who will have access to high-quality Australian rock lobsters in time for Lunar New Year.
Since 2020, Australian rock lobsters have been effectively prevented from entering China’s market, with a worth over $700 million in 2019.
It has been a challenging period for the Australian rock lobster industry with the Albanese Government working to restore this and further markets lost during the previous Morrison government.
So far we have seen progress on the removal of trade impediments for wine, barley, coal, cotton, timber logs, copper ores and concentrates; and some meat establishments – worth almost $20 billion worth of Australian exports.
With a calibrated, and deliberate approach, the Albanese Government has restored much of the Australian trade with our largest export market.
As for the resumption of full Australian rock lobster exports to China, this agreement is now on a timetable with China for the full resumption of trade by the end of the year with a trade potential of over $700 million per annum.
