Oyster reef ecosystems used to form significant components of many temperate and subtropical inshore coastal systems but have suffered declines globally, with a concurrent loss of services. The early timing of many of these changes makes it difficult to determine restoration targets which consider interdecadal timeframes, community values and shifted baselines. On the Australian continent, however, the transition from Indigenous (Aboriginal) to Westernized resource use and management occurred relatively recently, allowing us to map social-ecological changes in detail. In this study, we reconstruct the transformations in the Sydney rock oyster (Saccostrea glomerata) wild commercial industry of central and southeast Queensland, and by extension its reef ecosystems, as well as the changing societal and cultural values related to the presence and use of the rock oyster through time. By integrating data from the archaeological, anthropological and fisheries literature, government and media accounts, we explore these transformations over the last two centuries. Before the 1870s, there was a relative equilibrium. Aboriginal peoples featured as sole traders to Europeans, supplying oysters and becoming a substantial component of the industry's labour pool. Effectively, Australia's commercial oyster industry arose from Aboriginal-European trade. During this initial phase, there was still a relative abundance of wild oyster, with subtidal oyster reef structures present in regions where oysters are today absent or scarce. By contrast, these reefs declined by the late 19th century, despite production of oysters increasing due to continued large-scale oyster recruitment and the expansion of oyster cultivation in intertidal areas. Production peaked in 1891, with successive peaks observed in regions further north. During the 1890s, flood events coupled with land-use changes introduced large quantities of silt into the system, which likely facilitated an increase in oyster pests and diseases, ultimately decreasing the carrying capacity of the system. Today oyster production in this region is less than one-tenth of historical peak production. Many cultural heritage components have also been lost. Indigenous management is now very minor due to the massive decimation of Aboriginal populations and their respective practices. Yet, we found strong cultural attachment to midden remains and oyster production continues within Indigenous communities, with considerable broader community support. This study highlights the value of conducting thorough analysis of early media accounts as a means for reconstructing historical resource decline and management. It further demonstrates the application of historical information and context for contemporary management, protection and restoration of much-altered coastal social-ecological systems.

牡蛎礁生态系统曾经构成许多温带和亚热带近海沿海系统的重要组成部分，但在全球范围内遭受了破坏，并同时丧失了服务。其中许多变化的早期时间使得很难确定考虑年代际时间框架，社区价值和基线变化的恢复目标。然而，在澳大利亚大陆上，从土著（原住民）到西方化资源的使用和管理的过渡是相对较新的，这使我们能够详细绘制社会生态变化图。在这项研究中，我们重建了悉尼牡蛎（Saccostrea glomerata）中的转化），昆士兰州中部和东南部的野生商业产业，并扩展其礁石生态系统，以及随着时间的流逝，与牡蛎的存在和使用有关的不断变化的社会和文化价值。通过整合来自考古，人类学和渔业文献，政府和媒体的数据，我们探索了过去两个世纪中的这些转变。在1870年代之前，存在相对平衡。原住民是欧洲人的唯一商人，供应牡蛎，并成为该行业劳动力的重要组成部分。实际上，澳大利亚的商业牡蛎产业源于原住民与欧洲的贸易。在最初的阶段，仍然有相对丰富的野生牡蛎，如今没有牡蛎或牡蛎稀少的地区存在潮下牡蛎礁结构。相比之下，尽管牡蛎的产量由于持续的大规模牡蛎招募和潮间带牡蛎养殖的扩大而增加，但到19世纪后期，这些珊瑚礁数量有所减少。产量在1891年达到顶峰，在更北部的地区观察到连续的顶峰。在1890年代，洪水事件加上土地用途的变化将大量淤泥带入系统，这可能促进了牡蛎病虫害的增加，最终降低了系统的承载能力。今天，该地区的牡蛎产量还不到历史峰值水平的十分之一。许多文化遗产组成部分也已经丢失。由于土著人口的大量减少及其各自的作法，土著人民的管理现在很少。但是，我们发现对中层遗址的文化依存度很高，并且在相当广泛的社区支持下，土著社区内的牡蛎生产仍在继续。这项研究强调了对早期媒体报道进行彻底分析的价值，作为重建历史资源下降和管理的一种手段。它还进一步说明了历史信息和背景在当代管理，保护和恢复变化较大的沿海社会生态系统中的应用。这项研究强调了对早期媒体报道进行彻底分析的价值，作为重建历史资源下降和管理的一种手段。它还进一步说明了历史信息和背景在当代管理，保护和恢复变化较大的沿海社会生态系统中的应用。这项研究强调了对早期媒体报道进行彻底分析的价值，作为重建历史资源下降和管理的一种手段。它还进一步说明了历史信息和背景在当代管理，保护和恢复变化较大的沿海社会生态系统中的应用。