Tathra Oysters, grown in the picturesque Nelson Lagoon in Australia’s Mimosa Rocks National Park, are champions — and it’s not just us saying that. The judges have spoken too.
The family-run business was awarded the prestigious 18th Annual President’s Medal by the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW (RAS).
Eligibility for the medal requires having first won a Champion medal or trophy in one of the Sydney Royal Fine Food Show competitions. Tathra Oysters was crowned Champion in two categories of the Aquaculture competition: Commercial Sydney Rock and Boutique Sydney Rock Oyster.
This year is the second time Tathra Oysters has been awarded the President’s Medal; it also claimed the inaugural award in 2006. This time around, it was up against 4274 exhibits and 110 Sydney Royal Champions.
The President’s Medal award celebrates businesses that are leading the charge in the Australian food and beverage sector. Judges are tasked with assessing the businesses’ social, economic, and environmental impact.
Over a period of four months, judges Simon Marnie and Kate Lorimer-Ward travelled 8,000 kilometres across Australia, conducting interviews and site tours at the eight finalists’ farms before deciding on the medal winner.
According to the judges, it was Tathra Oysters’ innovative processes that came out on top, with the business managing to become one of the highest-producing farms per hectare in Australia thanks to their innovations.
Some of their approaches include putting multiple strategies in place to mitigate changing climatic conditions, installing remotely operated cameras and pumps to mitigate fire risk, their 36-year-old oyster selection broodstock program, and rolling cages that can float.
The use of rolling cages enables sub-tidal and inter-tidal growing in one system, allowing for a 50% increase in productivity by utilising areas that traditional oyster farming leaves fallow.
Solar-powered farm
Tathra Oysters’ solar-powered farm produces one million mature oysters each season and up to 10 million juvenile oysters for other farmers to grow to maturity.
Farming oysters has been a decades-long commitment for the Rodely family, who established Tathra Oysters in 1988 and have since received more than 180 awards.
Located on the far south coast of New South Wales, it’s hard to conceive of oysters being grown in the middle of a national park. But it’s this pristine wilderness that makes Tathra Oysters so special.
There are no other commercial farming operations in the estuary, which makes the business truly a one-off.
The Rodely family are passionate about the Sydney Rock Oyster and committed to the stewardship of their very special location. They only sell oysters grown on their own leases.
Gary Rodely says the President’s Medal is the pinnacle of the RAS competitions and to be recognised for a second time is “incredible”. In his acceptance speech, he thanked the RAS for having the foresight 20 years ago to not only recognise excellent food but to also recognise how it is produced.
RAS President, John Bennett, says the award is a true reflection of the innovation and contribution Tathra Oysters has made not only to the industry but also the wider community.
“The judging goes beyond their product, which they’ve already proven is excellent, and delves deeper into their business practices, innovation, and what they give back,” he said.
More information about Tathra Oysters here.
Hear Gary Rodely speak about his family’s award-winning operation in this You Tube video.