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Armstrong Oysters is a second-generation family owned and run business with over 50 years' experience in the Oyster industry. Rob Armstrong, a sheep farmer from New Zealand, travelled to Australia for a working holiday in the mid-1960s. He stumbled upon a new calling, building a life and legacy for his family, which is an icon of the Camden Haven region.
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Rob Armstrong
Originally a sheep farmer from New Zealand, Rob and his wife Jenny travelled to Australia for a working holiday in the mid-1960’s. He originally found work with an oyster farmer on the George’s river in Sydney and subsequently purchased and moved to his own leases in the Port Stephen’s area in 1967.
After more than a decade in the Hunter region Rob then re-located to the Camden Haven region in 1978. After a very successful career in the local area, and after surviving the many “high’s and low’s” of the industry as well as many technological changes he handed the business over to his two sons Brandon & Jason Armstrong in 2008.
Brandon Armstrong
Born in 1972 in Port Stephens, Brandon has lived and breathed the Camden Haven region since small, and learned many industry lessons from Rob. Both boys would play around the shed and help their dad when they were in early primary school, and during high school, would come straight from school to the leases to work.
Brandon is a local identity who is a member of the local Surf Club, has a keen interest in surfing and he and his wife Katrina have 4 younger children of their own.
Jason Armstrong
Born in 1974 in Port Stephens, Jason is the youngest of Rob’s children and like Brandon, he absorbed much industry knowledge at the side of his father while growing up in Camden Haven. Jason joined both Brandon & Rob under the Armstrong family banner, on the banks of Stingray Creek in 2008 where they pooled their knowledge under Armstrong Oysters.
Jason is a keen seafood enthusiast and fisherman, along with being heavily involved in theCamden Haven & Bonny Hills surf clubs where he patrolled and competitively rowed surfboats. He and his wife Kirsty have 2 younger children of their own.
Armstrong Oysters comes into being in Port Stephens on the Hunter Valley coastline of NSW.
Rob Armstrong sells his leases in Port Stephens moving north with his young family and begins farming in the Camden Haven River.
A number of new innovative practices are introduced, such as the use of plastic slats for wild catching of oyster spawn, instead of the traditional “stick farming” which used tar and stakes to catch spawn. This was more efficient and less environmentally damaging.
Second generation officially begins with sons Brandon & Jason Armstrong taking over the reins of the business. This coincides with other innovative measures, such as installing cranes onto our punts in order to improve efficiency & worker safety.
New floating bag system is introduced, which phases out the intertidal method previously used. The bags tap into the nutrient and oxygen rich surface water which enables much faster growth rates than the traditional method and is much more efficient for the workforce.
Flip Farm technology from New Zealand is introduced into the Camden Haven river system. This improves labour efficiency as we are able to handle large volumes with minimal effort.
Armstrong Oysters comes into being in Port Stephens on the Hunter Valley coastline of NSW.
Rob Armstrong sells his leases in Port Stephens moving north with his young family and begins farming in the Camden Haven River.
A number of new innovative practices are introduced, such as the use of plastic slats for wild catching of oyster spawn, instead of the traditional “stick farming” which used tar and stakes to catch spawn. This was more efficient and less environmentally damaging.
Second generation officially begins with sons Brandon & Jason Armstrong taking over the reins of the business. This coincides with other innovative measures, such as installing cranes onto our punts in order to improve efficiency & worker safety.
New floating bag system is introduced, which phases out the intertidal method previously used. The bags tap into the nutrient and oxygen rich surface water which enables much faster growth rates than the traditional method and is much more efficient for the workforce.
Flip Farm technology from New Zealand is introduced into the Camden Haven river system. This improves labour efficiency as we are able to handle large volumes with minimal effort.
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