In the 1940s Port Stephens was written about and considered to be "the biggest oyster farm in the world" with extensive areas under oyster racks in North Arm Cove, Swan Bay, Cromarty Bay Little Swan Bay, Oyster Cove, Karuah, Tilligerry and Pindimar.
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Vital to the booming industry was the labour of the local Worimi people.
Highly respected and hard working the Aboriginal families were much sort after by the oyster growers stretching way back to the very early 1900s.
The Ridgeways, Russells, Mantons and Lilley families were but a few of those who contributed in a big way to the growing industry.
Many of the aboriginal families grew up in the town of Karuah and moved to Oyster Cove to work for a leader in the oyster industry, Stan Phillips who provided accommodation and education for the kids.
In the words of well-known Worimi man John Ridgeway:
"Everyone was happy working for Stan Phillips.
"I paid £7 a week when we moved in to Oyster Cove. Twenty-three later after raising eight kids, I was still paying £7 a week".
Worimi families remain in the oyster industry to this day. Their remarkable contribution over the years has been outstanding.
- If you've got a picture from Port Stephens' past, you can email it to stinkerfishing@yahoo.com with your contact number and details about your catch.
