ABOUT US
At East 33 we are dedicated to pioneering the world’s best oyster culture, by empowering the people behind it, caring for the places that support it, and delivering moments to be savoured. As Australia’s largest vertically integrated Sydney Rock Oyster producer, supplier and exporter East 33 unites marque fourth and fifth generation oyster farming families under a single premium banner, growing oysters that are a bold expression of the sun-kissed, pristine waters of the east coast of New South Wales.
OUR KNOW HOW
Harnessing a century of quality, unparalleled scale, four generations of collective farming knowledge, access to the most treasured nurseries in the world, pioneering aquaculture technology, world-leading breeding programs, and a sophisticated corporate management model, East 33 is uniquely positioned to take the highest quality Australian produce to the world. Sydney Rock Oysters are indigenous, growing naturally, and have thrived for thousands of years on the east coast of Australia. We foster this natural process by committing to sustainable farming practices, safeguarding our pristine aquatic environments
with stringent oversight and by engaging with industry-leading bodies that set and regulate quality standards.
OUR VALUES
Quality
A marriage of artistry, innovation and over 130 years of farming expertise.
Authenticity
An unfiltered expression of our pristine waters.
Inspiration
Custodians of an inspired legacy, with an eye on the promise of the future.
Joy
An invitation to savour a moment of inimitable joy.
A UNIQUE RARITY
Each Sydney Rock Oyster captures the essence of the water and environment in which it grows and matures. The Sydney Rock Oyster can only survive and thrive in the unspoiled coastline of New South Wales that stretches down the lower eastern seaboard of Australia, far from the blight of densely populated cities and polluted waterways. The Sydney Rock Oyster is nurtured over time and in pristine conditions to produce the rarest and most unique member of the oyster family. The result of this unique provenance is one of the rarest culinary pleasures in the world with each individual Sydney Rock Oyster producing moment of pleasure to savour.
OUR HERITAGE
The earliest chapters of oyster cultivation in Australia were written thousands of years ago, as indigenous communities tapped into a sustainable source of nutrition and pioneered many of the aquaculture techniques still employed by oyster farmers today.
In 1880 it was Thomas Holt who laid the foundations for the modern oyster industry, establishing cultivation beds in Botany Bay and creating ‘Oyster Leases’ as we know them today. One early pioneers of the industry was merchant banker Henry Woodward, who was granted the first leases in Wallis Lake – many of which today are managed by East 33 farmers. It was Woodward who introduced ‘oyster saloons’, bringing the Sydney Rock Oysters to a waiting Australian consumer eager to discover the delicacies of this new land.
FARMING LOCATIONS
As the largest vertically integrated Sydney Rock Oyster producer, East 33 is privileged with being able to source the finest Sydney Rock Oysters from the length of the New South Wales Coastline, year round. In the same way that the great wines of regions such as Burgundy and Champagne reflect the ‘terroir’ of their natural environment, ‘merroir’ imparts unique and sophisticated characteristics on fine oysters, imparting a rich story of the waters they call home. It is these unique yet linked natural conditions that create three distinct “series” or styles of Sydney Rock Oyster. While these geographic groupings unite around a uniquely singular style, there remains significant diversity between farms and sub-regions, resulting in a never-ending and curious journey through taste and texture.
OUR SERIES
At East 33, we source our Sydney Rock Oysters from the entire length of the NSW coastline to bring you the best of the season’s harvest. Like ‘terroir’ in wine, oysters take on a specific ‘merroir’, flavour properties unique to each oyster as a result of the waters they call home.
154° Series
The 154° Series covers the Northern collection covering Hastings River, Camden Haven and Nambucca. Defined by a sharp bite, SROs from the 154° Series are characterised by higher levels of umami, salinity and minerality. Featuring a dryer finish, this selection offers a deeply complex flavour profile that reaches peak seasonality from September to April.
152° Series
The 152° Series includes farms from the Central and Mid-North Coast of NSW; Wallis Lake, Manning River and Port Stephens. Sydney Rock Oysters from the 1520 Series are perhaps our most unique. Characterised by a creamy body, a lasting sweetness and subtle salinity, representative of their unique environment. Encapsulating the taste of Australian summer, oysters harvested from this series are most enjoyable from October to June.
149° Series
The 149° Series makes up our Southern region, namely Merimbula, Pamula and Wapengo. Characterised by rich flavours, oysters from the 149° Series offer a full, velvety bite with earthy notes and light minerality. Offering minimal oceanic notes, the 149° Series is optimal throughout the autumn and winter months.