AIM | 9 February 2026Roc partners-backed Australia’s Oyster Coast expands footprint with acquisition of NSW oyster farm
By Lynda Kiernan-Stone
Australia’s Oyster Coast (AOC), a portfolio company of Roc Partners and the country’s largest producer, processor, and marketer of Sydney Rock oysters, announced it has expanded its footprint through the acquisition of an oyster farm in the Pambula estuary on the far South Coast of New South Wales (NSW).
Founded in 2013 as a co-op between farmers to improve industry standards and acquired by Roc Partners in March 2018, AOC leases over 191 hectares across nine estuaries in NSW and operates processing facilities in Batemans Bay and Kingsgrove.
The company also works with independent farmers across 20 NSW estuaries and has expanded its operations to also source from Tasmania, South Australia, and Western Australia.
AOC explained that this combination of their own farms with contracted suppliers allows access to a diverse range of estuaries and gives the company the ability to be the source of a consistent year-round supply of high quality Rock Oysters (also called Sydney Rock Oysters), Angasi Oysters (also known as the Native Flat Oyster), and Pacific Oysters to their customers on a year-round basis.
The company’s newest farm is located in the Pambula estuary – a tightly held and highly productive estuary known for premium Sydney Rock Oysters. Totaling five hectares of oyster leases, two waterfront sheds, a fully serviced land base, and associated farming equipment, the acquisition of the Pambula farm represents a natural extension of AOC’s existing Far South Coast operations, while strengthening its vertically integrated supply base.
AOC’s CEO Devin Watson noted that this acquisition reflects the company’s steady, long-term growth strategy built on strong fundamentals and the expansion of its footprint to boost its Sydney Rock Oyster supply capabilities across NSW.
“This acquisition strengthens our finishing water, adds resilience to our supply base, and supports the steady, disciplined growth we’re building across the business,” said Watson.
The Australian oyster industry harvests an average of 70 million oysters per year at an approximate annual value of $100 million – $175 million. New South Wales dominates the sector with 230 oyster farms across 30 estuaries accounting for about 40 percent of the country’s total supply, of which roughly 90 percent are Sydney Rock Oysters.
Unlike the Pacific Oyster, which is produced globally, the Sydney Rock Oyster is grown almost exclusively in New South Wales, and is known for its complex flavor profile developed over the course of its notably long growth cycle of 2.5-3 years, and its ability to stay alive out of water for up to 14 days.
For AOC, the acquisition of the Pambula farm follows a period of growth underpinned by Roc Partners, who supports the company’s focus on building a resilient, vertically integrated oyster business spanning sustainable farming, processing, branding, marketing, and the support of regional coastal communities.
And as the company continues to advance along this trajectory, AOC stated that further announcements can be expected regarding investments in farming capability, additional farm acquisitions, and supply chain resilience later in 2026.
