Shellfish reefs

New shellfish reefs in Port Phillip Bay set to double

Boosted funding for The Nature Conservancy's highly successful shellfish reef restoration project in Port Phillip Bay will build even more new reefs for Melbourne's much loved waterway. 

Thanks to the generous support of the Ross Trust, the Lord Mayor's Charitable Foundation and the Victorian Government, an extra $1.1 million will allow new reefs to be established within the Bay, doubling the extent of restored reefs from 2.5 hectares to 5.5 hectares. 

"We're really excited to make this announcement which will allow us to continue our work in restoring the lost shellfish reefs of Port Phillip Bay," said Dr Chris Gillies, Oceans Lead  at The Nature Conservancy. "One of the new reefs will be our first on the Mornington Peninsula side of the Bay. The new site at 9ft Bank in Geelong Arm will trial a new restoration technique not attempted before in Australia."

Shellfish reefs provide a range of public benefits such as cleaner water and more fish for everyone. This means more jobs in fisheries, aquaculture, ecotourism and recreation.

For a three minute underwater video reel, including divers finding old Australian Flat Oyster shells on the seafloor as evidence of former native oyster reefs off Dromana, click here.