In the early 1900s, Carl Ingersol Verdich and his six sons founded Verdich Bros Oysters on the banks of the George River. Together, these brothers grew up in several estuaries along the New South Wales coast, taking advantage of “road oyster farming” and transporting oysters from one region to another to maximize growth and create a unique flavour profile known for excellence. In 1974, Maurice Sydney Verdich and his two sons, Stephen and Clifford, founded the Wallis Lake branch of the company. Stephen and two of his sons, Brad and Rhys, now carry on the family legacy and run M.S.Verdich & Sons, now part of East 33. Andy Myers, oyster project manager at NSW Farmers, said the closures were a “precautionary measure” to protect consumers. In 1880, Thomas Holt, the true father of scientific oyster farming in Australia, began observing the fascinating nature of Sydney Rock, noting in 1865 that the native oyster had been widely plundered for its natural health benefits and delicious taste. In response, Australia`s first oyster farms were established at Weeney Bay (now Botany Bay in Sydney, NSW), which Holt was fundamental to their establishment. Holt`s bold move laid the foundation for the future of Australian oyster farming; In 1876 Holt was appointed chairman of a royal commission on oyster farming, which led Parliament to pass legislation in 1880 to allow for the formation of oyster leases as we know them today and to ensure the survival of Sydney`s native oysters. In 1899, Henry Thompson and his sons began combining fishing and raising Sydney rock oysters in the Port Stephens Estuary. In 1945, Henry`s grandsons, Mark and Victor, experimented with the concept of sawn hardwood sticks nailed to a block of 100 and dipped in thin tar, dried and then placed on wooden supports. This innovation led to a huge expansion of the industry. A few years later, Mark sadly passed away. Victor and his sons Warren, Brian and Peter founded V.C.Diemar PTY LTD in 1971, which over the years expanded to Georges River, Port Stephens, Macleay River and later the Hawkesbury River.
Brian`s son, Robert, and Warren`s son, Graeme, continued the family legacy, joining the family business in 1972 and running it as their own for 25 years. As no future predecessor will join the family business, Robert has partnered with East 33. You will need this permit if you intend to operate a shellfish seafood business (e.g. oysters, mussels, scallops). This includes activities such as harvesting, catching, processing, packaging, storage, transport and wholesale. For oyster farmers like Paul Wilson, who ran the Port Oyster Company on the Hastings River, this latest setback was another addition to the already troubled years. Contaminated oysters and other shellfish can be extremely dangerous if eaten contaminated. Seafood poisoning such as paralytic shellfish poisoning can be fatal. “Recent bad weather has affected some species like Sydney rock oysters, but customers don`t need to be worried or discouraged.
Australia has a large selection of species available,” said Alex Stollznow, tour guide and fish expert at the Sydney Fish Market. In 1889, Phillipo Sciacca emigrated to Australia to join his brother-in-law, Vincenzo Fazio, who lived on beautiful Lake Wallis on the north coast of New South Wales. As both men were professional fishermen and fished in Lake Wallis for many years, there was a keen interest in raising Sydney rock oysters. Phillipos` sons, Tony and Vince, then acquired the family`s first oyster leases in 1916. Over generations, Vince`s sons, Maurice and Max, continued to grow oysters in their later years, passing the legacy to Maurice`s sons, Anthony, Phillip and Andrew, who are now third-generation oyster farmers and are still part of one of Australia`s oldest intergenerational oyster lines. One of the first pioneer families, Percival James Melville Browne arrived in the Port Stephens area in 1886. In 1920, Percival`s son, Harry Remington Browne, purchased the family`s first official leases. Harry Remington Browne worked on leases with his son.
John Benson Browne and, in 1984, Glenn Browne, John`s son and now a farmer from East 33, took over the business – the Browne family remains one of the longest unbroken family lines of active oyster farmers to date. Introducing Tony Troupe, first generation farmer from Camden Haven. Tony started raising oysters after a fascination with aquaculture was sparked during his studies in marine biology, which led him to take up oyster farming in 1980. Tony expanded his knowledge with a Master of Science degree and became involved in NSW`s breeding programme from 2005, setting up a nursery to raise young oysters. Later, in 2012, Tony developed a Sydney rock oyster farming system that allowed him to raise oysters in a controlled environment. Today, Tony is the East 33 Hatchery Manager and his knowledge continues to pioneer the Sydney Rock Oyster and East 33 legacy. New South Wales oysters are being removed from the menu this Easter weekend with persistent heavy rain and flooding forcing the state food authority to close all harvesting areas in the state. People who experience these symptoms after eating oysters or other shellfish should seek medical attention immediately. Please note that all New South Wales oysters and mussels are harvested according to the NSW Shellfish programme. “As far as oysters are concerned, Pacific oysters, grown mainly in South Australia and Tasmania, are in high supply and in perfect condition.” The NSW Food Authority uses “rainfall triggers” that alert authorities when water levels become too high in certain growing areas. “At the Hastings River, we were given the green light to open on April 24. I hope it`s the worst behind us,” he said.
“There`s a lot of different activity going on in the catchment areas, whether it`s a very active cattle industry or a lot of dogs, you don`t know exactly what`s going to flow from the land to the harvest areas,” Myers said. According to NSW Health, symptoms can appear within half an hour to two hours of consuming the affected shellfish and include numbness and tingling of the lips and extremities, as well as gastrointestinal symptoms. Other fees are indicated on the registration form. Fees for 2022-23 A license defines the need to obtain recognition/certification and registration in order to conduct a particular business activity. The authority aims to complete applications within four weeks of an inspection or approval review. “The peak period is usually from November to Easter. There is usually a bit of a wet period, but we have been closed for most of the season. The history of the Sydney rock oyster, our industry, our farmers and our business spans thousands of years, dating back to the earliest recorded Australians.
With years of culture, craftsmanship and accumulated knowledge, Sydney rock oyster has become one of the most sought-after delicacies in the world, forging the history of East 33 together. Wilson says rapid population growth in nearby coastal towns like Port Macquarie has begun to overwhelm the aging sewage system. He says the number of sewer failures and leaks has increased, adding to the burden on farmers. Please contact the contact agent for information on terms and conditions. Oysters in other parts of the country remain intact. “We were really on a hard foot.