State Library of South Australia

Turner's Oyster Farm [B 73712/4] • Photograph

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Summary

Mitchell Cummings and Scott Jackson loading the boat with oysters from the long lines at Turner's Oyster Lease, Franklin Harbour. The photographer describes Oyster farming, "after spending two weeks working around Whyalla trying to record street culture, it was a breath of fresh air to head down the Peninsula to the small country town of Cowell. When you first enter the town on your left hand side is Turners Oyster Farm, which is one of Cowell's biggest draw cards. Oyster farming is a massive industry on South Australia's West Coast and as such I needed to have a closer looking at the day to day life of an Oyster famer, this is how I first met Simon Turner, a second generation Oyster farmer who has a number of Long Line leases out in Franklin Harbour. The Turner Family is one of the original farms, Simon's father was one of the founding partners in the B.S.T. long line oyster growing system, which is now used world wide. Over a three day period I had the pleasure of going out into Franklin Harbour as his three co-workers went about their day to day duties of harvesting and growing oysters. The day I made these five images was the first day in a week that the wind had abated enough for them to go and work the long lines. I was amazed at the clarity of the water in the harbour as I walked around waist deep photographing the workers hanging out hundreds of baskets of oysters. Simon told me that I was lucky to pick that day to go out with him because when the wind blows the boats can't get between the long lines because of contact damage to the lines. He also said that as the year goes on the waves can be over your head making it a continual battle with the elements to go about your daily work, over a length of time spending hours in the freezing cold water takes a heavy toll on your body.

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Physical description

1 photograph : colour

Dates / Publication details

February 2012

Photographer

Clark, Darren

Collections

Part of Darren Clark Collection
Part of Ceduna Collection

Subject

Cummings, Mitchell
Jackson, Scott
Oysters -- South Australia -- Cowell
Cowell (S.A.)

Catalogue record

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Digitisation information

Date

23/05/2012

Format

image/tiff

Resolution

4,256 x 2,832 pixels (12.1 MP)

Size

72.35 MB

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