Fishing and Pearling, Published 1 April 2026
Toorbul is a quiet coastal township on the shores of Pumicestone Passage, known today for its wildlife and relaxed village feel. Long before European settlement, the passage’s rich marine life…
Toorbul is a quiet coastal township on the shores of Pumicestone Passage, known today for its wildlife and relaxed village feel. Long before European settlement, the passage’s rich marine life supported a substantial Aboriginal population, with the abundant oyster beds forming a vital and reliable food source.
In the late 1800s, these same tidal flats fueled one of southern Queensland’s most successful early industries. From the 1870s to around 1920, the region became a powerhouse of commercial production for the Sydney rock oyster (Saccostrea glomerata). The industry was tightly regulated under the Oyster Act 1863, which established a formal leasing system for oyster banks. By the 1890s, the "Golden Age" of the fishery saw southern Queensland exporting an impressive 21,000 sacks of oysters annually to major cities like Melbourne, Sydney, and Perth.
Toorbul played a specialized role in this trade as a primary site for collecting "spat" (baby oysters). Oystermen would gather the young oysters from the mangroves on sticks or stones before transporting them to clearer waters near Bribie or Moreton Island to "fatten" them up for market. This sophisticated cultivation process made the Pumicestone Passage a centerpiece of Queensland’s early economy, with maritime charts from the era showing the waters carved into dozens of numbered, family-held oyster selections.
The industry eventually faced a sharp decline in the early 1900s. While over-harvesting played a part, the "death blow" was the arrival of the mud worm (Polydora websteri) around 1895, which devastated the deep-water banks. Today, Toorbul’s connection to this history remains visible in the enduring presence of wild oysters along the shoreline - a salty reminder that this peaceful community once played a massive role in one of Queensland’s most important historical fisheries.
Colourised images ca. Early 1900s - Public Domain - Image of the oyster is for illustration purposes only and may not represent the specific oyster species found in the Pumicestone Passage.
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