68 HUNTER AND IIAWKESBrRY raVERS OYSTER FISHERIES. 



HUNTER RIVER OYSTER FISHERIES. 



ISTot many years since the beds in this river were amongst 

 the most prolific in the Colony. They yielded on an average 

 from 150 to 200 hags per Aveek. At one time, when they 

 were worked under license by dredgers, there were won from 

 them no less than 2,056 bags, each containing 3 bushels, in 

 the short space of two months. The beds principally worked 

 were what are known as the Bay Beds. In the still earlier 

 days, when oysters were burnt for lime, as many as 400 and 

 500 bags were collected weekly from these beds, the Beacon 

 Bed and the Sclmapper Beds. The Bay Beds are in water 

 from 1 foot to 10 or 12 feet. The several beds in the bay are 

 distinguished as the Green Shells, the Middle Bank, and the 

 Sclmapper Bed. Of these, the best is the Middle Bank. 

 Sclmapper Bed is 500 yards long by 100 yards wide, covered 

 by about 5 feet of water. The Beacon Bed, in the main 

 channel, is 600 yards long by 200 yards wide. It had a great 

 repute in former years, and grew a large brown-shelled 

 oyster. The Green Shell Bed produced a superior oyster, 

 which always commanded a higher market price than anv of 

 the others.. The Bluff Bed is about 300 yards long by \00 

 yards wide, and is covered l)y a depth of water varying from 

 1 foot to 20 feet. Hughes' bed, in the Back Channel, is 

 moderately prolific. It was here that the worm first made 

 its appearance, from Avhence it extended all over the river. 

 Spawn set several times in quantity, but on each occasion it 

 was overcome by the pest. The Back Channel Beds are now 

 recovering, and there is a slight improvement in the Bay 

 Beds. The succession of floods which has occurred in this 

 river has completely -smothered some of the beds with 

 deposits of mud and rubbish. 



HAWKESBURY RIVER OYSTER FISHERIES. 



In this river the grounds generally seem distinctly 

 separated into two classes — those suitable for culture and 

 those for breeding ; the former embrace the shores of the 

 creeks and upper parts of the main river ; the latter the 

 lower parts of the main river and the mouths of the creeks. 

 The culture or fattening grounds, as a rule, improve as they 

 reach towards the oyster-bearing limit. The ostreal value of 

 the waters may be classed in the following order : — Mooney, 

 Berowra, and Marra Marra Creeks ; Porto Bay, the foreshores 



