Port Douglas’ prawn farm is no more. Earlier this year leading barramundi supplier MainStream Aquaculture announced they had entered into an asset acquisition agreement with Gold Coast Marine Aquaculture to purchase the company’s operations in the greater Port Douglas area.

Launched in November 2018 and on the Mossman Road, Gold Coast Marine Aquaculture quickly established itself in the region as Australia’s foundational prawn aquaculture businesses with the Port Douglas site one of Australia’s preeminent aquaculture sites.

MainStream Aquaculture is a proudly Australian global leader in the supply of Barramundi and is the world’s largest integrated producer of the species. The addition of the Port Douglas asset to MainStream’s portfolio adds an additional 60 hectares of production ponds holding 1 billion litres of water with production capacity exceeding 2,500 tonnes per annum.

“This acquisition is a key part of our Far North Queensland expansion strategy. The purchase will result in considerable investment in the region and create a large number of jobs for the local community.

“When combined with MainStream’s existing farms in Far North Queensland, our operations in the State will produce over 5,000 tonne of premium Australian Barramundi every year. We are committed to leading the way in feeding Australia with premium Barramundi, produced using class leading aquaculture technology while demonstrating best practice sustainability credentials,” said MainStream’s CEO Boris Musa.

MainStream Aquaculture will be working with the existing personnel on site to ensure a seamless integration strategy as the site transitions from a prawn to barramundi farming operation.

Jess Tale, the company’s marketing manager, said operations will begin later this year, but no date has been set.

“We purchased the farm because it is in line with our growth strategy and the farm is ideal from a layout and size perspective,” he said.

Peter Regeling, former Project Manager of the prawn farm, said the timing was right to sell and it was becoming increasingly hard to maintain it.

“It was also difficult to have two farms – the other is on the Gold Coast – so we made the decision to move on and sell,” he said.

MainStream Aquaculture was founded in 2001 by two mates inspired to feed the world with delicious, sustainably produced fish.

One a doctor, the other a plumber, they put the last of their combined savings into finding the perfect water source and after several years they found what they hoped would be the ideal location.

Since they first opened the tap, crystal clean, warm spring water has continued to flow allowing the Barramundi to thrive.

They have since formed a fantastic team around them who continually push the boundaries of traditional farming, growing fish in geothermally heated, pristine spring water drawn from the ancient aquifer.

Located just outside of Melbourne and boasting the world’s largest warm water aquaculture farm of its type, they now are also the largest fingerling supplier in both Australia and the world.

More information can be found on the Mainstream Aquaculture website.