After more than a century and five generations of oyster growing in Port Stephens, the Diemar's have sold their world renowned oyster business to a Sydney firm. Robert Diemar, who operated the business over the past few years with cousin Graeme, said that the time was right to get out after having worked in the family business for some 50 years.
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It's the end of an era following the recent sale of the iconic Diemar oyster business.
The Salamander Bay-based business which has more than 130 years of history around the waters of Port Stephens was sold to Sydney enterprise, East 33 Farming, who specialise in Sydney Rock oysters.
The Diemars have been cultivating and selling oysters for five generations, starting in the late 1800s at Swan Bay and eventually spreading their farms right across the Port, including Little Swan Bay, Karuah River, Cromarty Bay and Tilligerry Creek.
Diemars Oysters, which has been synonymous in the Port Stephens area for well over a century, was a strong producer of the Sydney Rock oyster, which can only be found in NSW.
Robert Diemar, who with cousin Graeme operated the company for the past few years, said it was time to move on.
"Unfortunately, we don't have anyone in the family to pass on the company to. We received a couple of offers and went with East 33 who have a background in farming oysters," he said.
Mr Diemar, aged in his 60s, said that oyster farming required plenty of time and long-hour days. "The older you get in this industry the harder it becomes."
According to the book Oysterman, written by Port Stephens fishing identity John 'Stinker' Clarke, the oyster business got its start through Mary Ann Diemar who had arrived in Stockton from the US, married Henry Thompson in 1879 and moved to Salt Ash.
"The couple, who were the licensees of the Sea Breeze Hotel in Nelson Bay from 1894-99, had one child, Samuel. Working together the Thompson and Diemar families built a solid business in the seafood trade - fish, lobsters, prawns and particularly oysters."
Vic Deimar, the son of Mary Ann from her first husband who died at sea, took over the business before eventually passing it on to his sons Brian, Peter and Warren.
They were joined at different times by Mark's son Geoff and Harold's son Alan 'Sam' Diemar, who worked with Jack Thompson in Tilligerry Creek. "They all made major contributions to the expanding oyster industry in Port Stephens."
Brian Diemar, now aged 87, was the first to establish VC Diemar & Sons and on his retirement his son Robert ran the show along with Graeme, the son of Warren Diemar.
Brian and Warren have made significant contributions to sport and for years sponsored Nelson Bay rugby league.
Warren was also a committee member for more than 30 years while Brian became a longtime member of Nelson Bay Golf Club.
Robert Diemar said that the property would remain in the family and that he would stay on with the new owners for a few years before thinking about retirement.
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