Meet Tarun Richards from Humpty Doo Barramundi

From the ‘Top End’ to down south in Victoria, our Australian barramundi farms are based in some of the most pristine places in the country.

Our Australian barramundi farmers strive to raise the highest quality barramundi to the plate using sustainable and environmentally friendly practices.

To discover more about the Aussie barra on our plates and where it is from, we spoke with Tarun Richards from Australian barramundi farm, Humpty Doo Barramundi.

Humpty Doo Barramundi farm is in the Northern Territory, the spiritual home of our native fish. It is an Australian family-owned and operated farm and leading producer of premium Australian saltwater barramundi, loved by chefs and home cooks alike.

We sat down with Tarun to chat about what it’s really like working on a barra farm!

INTERVIEW WITH TARUN RICHARDS, HUMPTY DOO BARRAMUNDI

AB: How does your farm's unique location shape the way you grow barramundi?

Tarun: ​Our farm is in the barramundi's native environment, on the floodplains alongside the tidal Adelaide River in the Northern Territory. We believe that growing barramundi in saltwater, and in the tropical climate where they naturally thrive, ensures a healthier, happier fish, and premium quality flavour. We are surrounded by incredible national parks, reserves and stations. It's not unusual for us to see buffalo wandering past, or wetland birds like jabiru and sea eagles overhead. It's a remarkable place to farm, and this environment plays an important role in the quality of the fish we produce. 

AB: How do you balance growing great tasting barramundi with looking after the environment for the future?

​Tarun: We are a fifth-generation Territory family and we have been blessed with the unique environment surrounding us. Protecting it is a responsibility we take very seriously. Over half of our farm is wetlands and we've developed a closed-loop recirculation system to clean and recycle the water used on our farm. Water leaves our ponds and is gravity fed through out wetland system where native saltwater grasses naturally remove the nutrients so the water can be reused on the farm again and again. This allows us to maintain a high-quality saltwater environment for our barramundi and reduces the need to discharge water off the farm. 

In December of 2025 our approach to responsible aquaculture was recognised with Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) certification, one of the world's most rigorous standards for farmed seafood. Achieving ASC certification reflects the care we put into environmental stewardship, fish welfare, and transparency across our entire operation. 

AB: What's something that surprises people when they taste your fish?

​Tarun: People are often surprised by just how refined the flavour and texture of our fish is. Our barramundi has a unique intermuscular marbling which, along with the fact that it is grown in saltwater, gives it a clean, mild flavour, and a firm yet buttery texture. Both chefs and home cooks love our barramundi for its consistent quality and great taste.

It's also incredibly versatile and suits a wide range of cuisines. Barramundi is naturally high in good fats and low in salt which not only makes it a healthy source of protein but also means it's hard to over-cook, even for people who aren't confident cooking fish. Our barra fillets holds together beautifully regardless of whether you fry it, bake it or even use it in a curry. In mid-2025, we partnered with Sushi Izu to launch a range of barramundi sushi and sashimi, really showcasing the quality and versatility of Humpty Doo Barramundi. 

AB: Finish this sentence: Working on a barra farm in the Top End is...

​Tarun: Incredibly rewarding. It can also be very hot, but fortunately for us the barramundi love it!

We are blown away by the incredible dedication of our team. Their commitment and care are absolutely reflected in the premium quality of our fish.

We're also committed to making a positive difference in our local community. In 2022 we began our Scale 'Em Up training program, which trains young people across various areas of the business and supports them to find something they are passionate about. 15 of 16 participants stayed on with us after completing the program. We've also been engaged in a two-way learning partnership with the remote First Nations community of Wadeye since 2024, focused on growing skills and knowledge to help them develop their own small-scale aquaculture enterprise. 

AB: What are barramundi fed?

​Tarun: We believe you are what you eat applies to our barra too! We feed them a diet as close to nature as possible. Our fed doesn't contain antibiotics or artificial growth promoters, and the fish content of the feed is harvested from sustainably-certified fish stocks. It's all part of providing a healthy environment for our barramundi to deliver the premium quality people expect from our product. 

To learn more about our Australian barramundi farms that you can trust for premium quality barramundi, click here.