The Rock Oyster benefits from a slow growth rate, nurturing and more care compared with Pacific Oysters. The longer time, usually 2-3 years, allows the development of complex flavours unique to the merroir each oyster finds itself in. The following explains the intricate stages of the Rock Oyster's production cycle:

YEAR 1

January - March

SPAWN AND SETTLE

Wild oysters spawn releasing eggs and sperm into the water column where they fertilise, become a zygote, then motile larvae within 24hrs. Larvae are motile for around 14 days swimming through the water column seeking substrate to settle on. During this period our oyster farmers place slats out to catch the larvae. Once spat settle they are left on the slats until October.

October – December

SINGLE SEEDING

The farmer removes spat from slats and oysters become ‘single seed’ and seeded into the nursery.

YEAR 2

December-September

NURSERY

The oysters then spend 6 to 9 months in the nursery until they become 30-40mm in length, also known as ‘1400 count’ (meaning 1400 oysters in a bag).

YEAR 3

September-August

GROW OUT

The oysters are then grown on a lease for 9-12 months before they are ready for market. It is here where they are turned, finished, and graded before going into our Rock Oyster sommelier for assessment of Appellation grade.

SPAT COLLECTION

The life cycle of the Rock Oyster begins when their eggs and sperm are shed into the water and fertilisation takes place. After 2-3 weeks the larvae settle and attach themselves to a surface where they continue to grow.

The surface may be artificially provided by oyster farmers (like the catching slats in the photo below) and is the basis for wild spat collection. 'Spat' is the term used to refer to small oysters, usually less than 12 months old.

The majority of Rock Oyster spat used in the Appellation program is wild caught.