Moruya Shellfish Hatchery

Project: build a shellfish hatchery near Moruya Airport to contribute to ongoing, reliable supply of oyster and mussel spat.

Timeframe: mid-2022 to mid-2025.

Status: In progress

Funding: $4.8m grant fund under the Australian Government’s Regional Jobs and Investment Package.

Page last updated: December 2024

Details

We are working to:

  • build a land-based shellfish hatchery to grow the spat to ideal commercial, juvenile shellfish
  • provide aquaculture training facilities for workers and students
  • provide a dedicated research and development space for ongoing scientific breeding and species development
  • provide an export accredited packing centre to meet overseas demand for shellfish.

Benefits to the community:

  • reliable, quality oyster and mussel spat supply for local estuaries and other shellfish industry farmers.

Background

Council signed an agreement with Sea Perfect (NSW) Pty Ltd that will see the experienced shellfish supplier design, build, and operate the facility.

The state-of-the-art facility is being built on land at Moruya Airport. The facility will commence operations in mid 2025.

Project updates

2024

December

  • Sea Perfect Pty Ltd is constructing the hatchery/breeding building.
  • The next steps in January 2025 are to install underground water intake pipes and the jetty on the river.

November

  • 52nd Earthworx and Haulage were onsite digging water storage ponds.
  • Jack Johnston Building were onsite concreting and building foundations for the hatchery/breeding building.

July-October

  • 52nd Earthworx and Haulage began landscaping and leveling the site.

2023

September

  • The cladding was completed on the nursery building.

August

  • Sea Perfect Pty Ltd assembled the frames on the nursery building.

May

  • The concrete slab for the nursery building was poured.
Image Steel trusses in a pile on the ground with construction worker and concrete truck in the background
May 2023: Construction works on the new nursery building have started.
Image A person using machinery to smooth a concrete slab.
May 2023: The concrete slab for the nursery building has been poured.
Image The Shellfish Hatchery nursery building at Moruya during its construction.
August 2023: Sea Perfect assembling the framework for the nursery building.
Image An excavator digging a large trench.
November 2024: 52nd Earthworx digging the water storage ponds.
Image The building foundations for the Moruya Shellfish Hatchery.
November 2024: The hatchery building foundations concreted by Jack Jonston Building.
Previous Next

More information

To find out more, contact Ian Duthie from Sea Perfect NSW:

  • T: 0409 411 322