South Australia
The cockle was primarily used as bait in South Australia and it was not until Italian immigrants introduced vongole into restaurants in the 1990s that prices increased to where they became viable for commercial fishing. In 2004, regulations regarding the human consumption of cockles were included into the 1982 Fisheries Act and 32 licenses to harvest unlimited quantities were offered at $150,000 each. Imported Asian cockles have since largely replaced the Goolwa cockle as bait due to the lower cost.
The Cockle Train, the oldest steel-tracked railway in Australia, was built in 1854 from Port Elliot to Goolwa in order to transfer cargo from ocean going vessels to river boats. The train acquired it name due to its extensive use by colonists to collect cockles from beaches near the River Murray Mouth. Originally 11 km (6.8 mi) in length the line was extended to Victor Harbor in 1864 and is now a popular tourist attraction
Read more about this topic: Plebidonax Deltoides
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