Armstrong Oysters has farmed Sydney rock oysters in the Camden Haven River since 1978. Its founder was a New Zealand sheep farmer on a working holiday.
Brine2/ 5
Sweetness4/ 5
Minerality2/ 5
Umami4/ 5
Australia · Saccostrea glomerata · finish earthy · texture plump · lemon yes · 22–30 ppt · 16–24 °C
Basic Profile
Origin
Camden Haven River, Laurieton, mid-north coast of New South Wales, Australia
Species
Saccostrea glomerata (Sydney Rock Oyster)
Classification
Farmed; family grower
Farming Method
Sydney rock oysters in floating bags and flip-farm baskets
Producer
Armstrong Oysters (Brandon and Jason Armstrong)
Visual Signature
Small, thick-shelled Sydney rock oyster
Rob Armstrong was a sheep farmer from New Zealand who came to Australia with his wife Jenny on a working holiday in the mid-1960s. In 1967 Armstrong Oysters began in Port Stephens. In 1978 he sold those leases, moved north with a young family and started farming the Camden Haven River.1
The mouth of the Camden Haven River seen from Camden Head, New South Wales. Photo: Brian Tolagson / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Second Generation
His sons Brandon and Jason took over in 2008. The farm's gear tells the story of the industry in that time: plastic slats in place of timber in 2000, floating bags in 2015, and from 2018 the flip-farm system, in which rows of baskets are turned mechanically from a boat.1
Flavor Breakdown
The water
A river and lake estuary with a steady flow of fresh water. Our scores put sweetness at four and brine at two.
The finish
Earthy and savory, scored four. A plump northern rock oyster, softer than those from the cold lakes of the far south coast.
What Makes Camden Haven Unique
The Armstrongs left Port Stephens for this river in 1978 and have stayed nearly fifty years, changing how they grow the same oyster three times.1
A sweet, full Sydney rock oyster. A good choice for people who find southern rock oysters too lean.
We use one analytics tool — Google Analytics — to understand how this site is
used. It loads only if you accept. Essential cookies that keep the site working
are always on.Google Analytics loads only if you accept. Essential cookies are always on.
Read our Cookie Policy.
