Georges River Oyster Farm proposed for Captain Cook Drive, Woolooware

Woolooware Bay has a long history of oyster farming but has been in decline for decades due to poor water quality. There are now plans to revitalise the industry and provide employment opportunities.

An increase in oyster farming could come back to Woolooware Bay after decades of decline in the industry due to water quality in the area.

Transport for NSW has submitted a development application with Sutherland Shire Council this week for a Georges River Oyster Farm at Captain Cook Drive, Woolooware.

The proposal is for buildings and infrastructure needed for oyster farming activities including four sheds for different tenants, carparking, a loading and unloading zone, electricity substation, water tanks and more.

Oyster farming has occurred in the Shire since the 1870s, throughout the Georges River and Woolooware Bay waterways, where different methods have been used including the mounting of oysters on stone rubble, rock beds, timber posts, fibro cement roofing sheets and wire net trays.

The growing population of the Sutherland Shire in the 1970s and 1980s saw the degradation of water quality in the Georges River and Woolooware Bay.

Proposed location for Georges River Oyster Farm. Picture: Tonkin, TfNSW

“As a result, the quality of the oyster harvested in the Georges River and Woolooware Bay suffered and the local oyster industry went into decline,” the plans said.

“Improvements in urban water management have resulted in improved water quality within Woolooware Bay in recent years.”

The development application said the 1700 hectares formerly farmed for oysters is currently around 70 per cent unutilised and is currently limited to a single operator, Endeavour Oysters.

“Notwithstanding the currently reduced level of oyster farming activity, it is highlighted the site has been continuously used in support of oyster farming for over 150 years,” the proposal said.

“The site is therefore highly disturbed but was remediated by Transport for NSW between 2017-2021, as part of ongoing program to improve the environmental outcomes associated with oyster farming.”

An aerial image of the proposed site. Picture: Tonkin, TfNSW

The application said the sheds would allow for the storage and maintenance of the oyster farming equipment including watercraft, nets, cages and bags as well as handling, grading, and depuration of harvested oysters` using machines.

The shed will also allow for temporary storage of harvested oysters, and bagging or packaging of oysters for delivery to off-site retailers and other customers including for example restaurants and wholesale suppliers.

However each tenant’s operational activities may differ, the application said.

The proposed buildings are of low intensity and small scale, with the site located on the northern side of Captain Cook Drive, immediately to the north of the Woolooware High School.

The developer said the development of the site will not have any “significant adverse impacts for biodiversity, heritage and water quality”.

Endeavour Oysters is the last oyster farming working in the Georges River area in Sydney. Picture: Dylan Robinson

Transport for NSW said the proposed development aimed to provide infrastructure and facilities that can support improved overall environmental management, employment opportunities and will improve work practices, waste management, and water quality protection.

The application was related solely to the land-based infrastructure upgrades to support the oyster aquaculture buildings and operation.

There are no in-water or overwater activities proposed in the application but the existing and future overwater oyster farming activities in Woolooware Bay do not require development consent.