One Woolooware Bay oyster farm closes on Sunday and the other faces big challenge to survive

Adjoining business, Endeavour Oysters, will struggle on, but with the major handicap of having no access from land.

They are the only remaining oyster farms of the dozens that flourished in the Sydney basin before the outbreak of the QX disease in the 1990s.

The Leader revealed in May the two businesses had received shut down orders from Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) so the land around them could be remediated.

The area is contaminated by coal tar, which was used to coat sticks many years ago.

Wetland Oysters, which has a large onsite retail operation, had no option but to close when RMS said land access would be blocked.

“It’s pretty grim,” said business owner John Hedison, who, just 18 months ago, received strong community support for his plans to open an oyster cafe on the site.

“We tried to sort out something to give us access during the remediation, but nothing worked out,” he said.

“We received eviction notices, and have to be out by October 9.

“They are knocking down the buildings and digging up the site.

“The old material will be taken away and new soil brought in.

“We have been told it could take 12 months and cost about $4-5 million.

“RMS can’t guarantee we will be able to return when the job is finished.

“They say it will have to go to public tender.

“It could be rezoned – we just don’t know.”

Mr Hedison said RMS had suggested alternative sites, “but we couldn’t find anything suitable”.

Endeavour Oysters has a mostly wholesale trade, and will battle on.

“I have four million oysters in the river  – what do I do, walk away?” owner Bob Hill said.

“I have had to move everything off the land into my three sheds over the water, which I can keep until they are demolished in stage two,” he said.

“I can’t survive without them.”

Mr Hill said they would have to operate entirely from the water, “which will make it a bit difficult”.

“How we are supposed to conduct a business, I don’t know, but we will give it a go,” he said.

Mr Hill said he could not get any clear answer about the future if he managed to keep the business going during the remediation.

A spokesman for RMS said notice was given to end the occupancy of two oyster processing operations to enable the clean-up of the land-based site after contaminants were discovered.

“To support the oyster farmers, the date to vacate was extended for an additional three months and on-water facilities near the current site offered during the planned work,” he said.

”It is expected the work will take around a year to complete once a tender is appointed.

“All options for the future use of the site will be considered.

“The community will be kept informed as the project progresses.”