Aquaculture Ian Cameron died aged 89 ‘on his own terms’

A keen businessman, Ian Cameron kickstarted Tasmania’s shellfish industry to become the producer of arguably Australia’s finest live oysters. He died aged 89.

Ian Cameron, the founder of Cameron of Tasmania, the nation’s major supplier of Pacific oyster spat and the producer of arguably Australia’s finest live oysters, has sadly died. Picture: Peter Mathew

A down-to-earth entrepreneur and shellfish industry pioneer is remembered for his contributions to aquaculture in Australia and Tasmania.

Ian Cameron, 89, was the founder of Cameron of Tasmania, Australia’s major supplier of Pacific oyster spat – juvenile oysters – and some of Tasmania’s best oysters.

He died on March 4, months before his 90th birthday.

Ian was a stalwart of business most of his life, taking up a poultry farm bought by his father in his 20s and turning it into an enterprise that supplied more than 50 per cent of the state’s egg supply.

He also diversified his business interests from hotel ownership to the farming of deer, emus, flounder, clams, mussels and, of course, oysters.

Ian’s grandson Ben Cameron – the current general manager of Cameron’s – said it was his passion for the water and fishing that led him to establish Cameron of Tasmania in 1971 at Boomer Bay on the outskirts of Dunalley.

“My dad died fairly young so Ian took on a mentoring role for me,” he said.

“Having that one generation divide was different, especially when some businesses struggle when father-daughter or father-son operate together.

“Ian encouraged my ideas and was one of those businessmen who wanted to try new things and keep his business moving.

“The 50 to 60 hour weeks I spent time with him are something I will never regret.”

Ian’s granddaughter Ellen is Manager of Nursery Operations for Cameron and Ian’s son Graeme specialises in the company’s hatchery business.

In just its first year of full operation with the Dunalley hatchery, Cameron’s had met domestic demand for oyster spat and was exporting up to 5m spat to China, with Ian at the helm.

Ian has ridden over many challenges with Cameron’s, including a 2016 outbreak of Pacific oyster Mortality Syndrome (POMS) and the 2013 bushfires in Dunalley.

While transferring the leadership of Cameron’s to Mr Cameron, a joint venture hatchery in South Australia was created in partnership between the Tasmanian company and Yumba.

Mr Cameron said many people don’t understand how groundbreaking oyster hatchery was for the Tasmanian aquaculture industry.

“Ian ran a venture before Cameron’s that was the first commercial oyster spat venture in Australia,” he said.

“With Cameron’s, the harvesting of Pacific oysters takes the pressure off native oyster species and their marine environment.

“It’s a good version of the aquaculture industry – we don’t have the same downsides as others like worries of environmental impact or producing a lot of waste.”

Mr Cameron said Ian was considered the “godfather of the family” with life and holidays revolving around him and his wife Barbara.

“It’s going to make holidays and big events hard now, people chose to stick around because of him.

“It’s been difficult to lose a mentor and someone who has all that business knowledge from 60 plus years.

“The most important thing was he went on his own terms.”

Originally published as Aquaculture Ian Cameron died aged 89 ‘on his own terms’