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Aboriginal middens around Merimbula Lake contain the remains of large oysters and other shellfish indicating that Aboriginal people had been collecting the naturally occurring mud oysters over a long period of time.[1] European settlers also harvested them, mainly to use the shells in the production of lime mortar.[2]
The commercial growing of oysters in Merimbula Lake began shortly after the First World War (1914-1918) when the Sydney Rock oyster was introduced.[3]
Oyster production figures for the years around the time that the Merimbula Oyster Festivals were held show that Merimbula Lake produced the most oysters within the district.
The following table lists the production in tonnes for the oyster farming estuaries in the area, which in 1981 became the Bega Valley Shire Council following the amalgamation of three councils.
Estuary |
1978/1979 |
1979/1980 |
1980/1981 |
1981/1982 |
Merimbula Lake |
127 636 |
172 312 |
172 584 |
181 492 |
Bermagui River and Cuttagee Lake |
15 572 |
8 704 |
12 852 |
10 132 |
Wapengo Lake |
49 572 |
55 012 |
48 756 |
55 420 |
Pambula River |
24 480 |
48 688 |
36 652 |
34 272 |
Wonboyn and Nullica Rivers |
23 256 |
44 608 |
11 424 |
12 920 |
Table 1.1 Oyster production in tonnes.[4]
Merimbula Lake oyster farmers often won awards at the annual conferences and dinners of the Oyster Farmers’ Association of New South Wales. While reports in local newspapers were inconsistent about the time period over which awards had been won, it is evident that local farmers were regular winners of awards for their oysters.
A report in 1988 declared that ‘Merimbula oysters were again major prize winners ... [they] have, for a number of years, taken out major awards at the annual [conference]’. Jack Cole and his son Peter had won four awards and Chris and Shelley Boyton had won two.[5]
In 1990 Jack and Peter Cole won two awards and Chris and Shelley Boyton also won two awards (see Photograph 1.1). Jack Cole recalled ‘Merimbula Lake oyster farmers have been frequent winners for at least the last thirty years’.[6] Another report in 1992 regarding Jack and Peter Cole winning four awards and Jack Cole being granted life membership of the Association (see Photograph 1.2) stated that local farmers ‘have performed outstandingly over the last ten years, only once having failed to pick up a major prize’.[7]
1.1 Merimbula oyster farmers 1988 award winners Peter Cole, Jack Cole, Shelley Boyton and Chris Boyton.[8]
1.2 Jack Cole granted life membership of the Oyster Farmers’ Association of NSW, 1992.[9]
The minutes of the meetings of the Association’s annual conferences held in 1978, 1979 and 1980 list the names of the winners of the various awards.[10] No Merimbula Lake oyster farmers, however, have been identified from amongst the winners in those years.
Merimbula began as a private village in the early 1850s owned and operated by the Twofold Bay Pastoral Company.[11] It was not gazetted as a town until 1912 and since the 1950s it has become a popular holiday resort and retirement destination increasing its population significantly.[12] The increase in Merimbula’s population is shown by the Census figures in the following table.
1921 142[13]
1947 335[14]
1976 1,956[15]
1981 2,899[16]
2011 6,875[17]
