Murrook Welcomes New Exhibition “Bidhiinja”

Oyster reefs once dominated our seascape. Stretching across estuaries and coastal waters, they formed vast underwater ecosystems that supported marine life, filtered water and protected shorelines. Today however, more than 99% of natural oyster reefs are considered functionally extinct.

Over time, oyster reefs were devastated by a combination of pressures. Intense overfishing stripped reefs faster than they could regenerate, while habitat destruction and land reclamation altered the coastal environments oysters depended on. Poor water quality from increased development and runoff further weakened remaining populations, and disease spread easily through already stressed ecosystems. By the early 20th century, what had once been thriving reef systems had almost completely vanished from our waters.

But their story isn’t over.

Murrook Culture Centre is proud to welcome “Bidhiinja”, a powerful new exhibition that shines a light on the lost oyster reefs of New South Wales and the growing movement to bring them back.

Developed by the Australian National Maritime Museum in collaboration with the NSW Department of Primary Industries, Bidhiinja explores the forgotten history of oyster reefs and the critical role they once played in coastal environments and communities. The exhibition draws together science, history and cultural knowledge to tell the story of these remarkable ecosystems and why their restoration matters.

Through storytelling, research and visual interpretation, Bidhiinja invites audiences to reconsider the landscapes beneath our waters and imagine a future where oyster reefs thrive once again.

The exhibition is both a reminder of what has been lost and a hopeful glimpse at what can be restored.

See the exhibition at Murrook Culture Centre now!