Yumbah Sea Farms

Peter Lillie of Bay Sea Farms grows mussels in the waters off Mt Martha.

On Sundays, you can catch him selling from the local piers, but you’l also find Bay Sea Farm mussels at select wholesalers.

While mussels are his main gig, Peter is also turning his attention to reviving the native Angasi oyster which was over-harvested from the 1860s and almost vanished from Port Phillip Bay. These oysters are quite different from Pacific oysters: they’re flat, quite chewy in texture and full flavoured. They’re like the French Belon oyster which has largely been destroyed by disease in Europe, and which in France can command three to five times the price of Pacific. Peter’s eyeing the potential of tapping into this valuable export market, adding an exciting twist to his seafood endeavors.