Shellfish reefs once thrived in Port Phillip Bay. The natural structures made by colonies of oysters, mussels and other shellfish formed bustling reefs that provided food and shelter for marine life and supported a rich, productive fishery.
But decades of dredging and coastal development took their toll, and by the time most Victorians alive today were born, these reefs had all but disappeared. Now, we’re bringing them back.
Mornington locals launch into action
On 12 May 2026, the Port Phillip Bay Chapter officially launched the Mornington Shellfish Reef Project. Volunteers and local leaders, including members of the Victorian Fishing Authority, Mornington Peninsula Shire Council staff, and Bunurong Land Council, gathered at Mornington Pier to deploy the first of 400 reef modules, off the coast of Mornington Peninsula.
Building blocks for a better bay
The reef modules being deployed are known as robust oyster baskets (ROBs). They’re made from degradable steel mesh, filled with recycled oyster shell collected from local restaurants and seafood businesses.
Once deployed and safely installed on the sea floor, the oyster shells begin attracting free-floating shellfish larvae looking for a place to colonise – a new generation of shellfish who will begin to build a living reef. Eventually, the mesh breaks down until only the shells and live shellfish remain — along with all the fish that have come to feed, breed and shelter in and around them.
The 400 ROBs at Mornington will form a 400sqm reef, attracting some of Victoria’s most prized recreational fishing species, such as King George Whiting, Snapper, Silver Trevally and Bream.
Shellfish are filter feeders, naturally improving water quality and clarity as they remove excess nutrients, and suspended solids from the water column. A single oyster can filter up to 200 litres every 24 hours. That’s a bathtub’s worth of water, per oyster, per day.
This is just the beginning
We’ve been building shellfish reefs along the Queensland coast since 2019. OysterWorld Brisbane, our purpose-built shell recycling facility, enabled our Queensland crew to recycle over a million kilograms of shell by the end of 2025.
Last year, we joined efforts to mitigate the effects of South Australia’s harmful algal bloom, establishing OysterWorld Adelaide and the Port River Shellfish Restoration project.
Victoria is the newest chapter in that story – and with OysterWorld Melbourne on the horizon, there’s so much more to come.
Be part of the Victorian shellfish revolution
With the help of rec fishers, locals and our partners, we’re working towards completing our newest Victorian shellfish reef project over the coming months.
Once OysterWorld Melbourne is up and running, we’ll be assembling more ROBs, and finding new sites to keep the shellfish revolution going throughout Port Phillip Bay and beyond.
Want to join us on our mission to bring better fish habitat to Victoria? Become an OzFish member, register your interest and join us at our next shellfish reef building event. Every pair of hands makes a difference for fish habitat – and for better fishing.
To get involved, visit ozfish.org.au/get-involved/
For more information, visit ozfish.org.au/projects/mornington-reef-project-vic/
This project is funded by the Victorian Fisheries Authority, with support from Mornington Peninsula Shire Council, Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation, and BCF – Boating, Camping, Fishing.
