Helicopters, floods and customer promises. Dan Richards reveals how Humpty Doo Barramundi became Australia’s largest barramundi producer through relentless innovation.
What’s happening: Dan Richards has grown his family’s Humpty Doo Barramundi from a few kilos weekly to 130 tonnes, making it Australia’s largest barramundi farm producing over half the nation’s farmed barramundi. The business has expanded 580% in the past decade.
Why this matters: As Australia’s aquaculture sector reaches $2.31 billion in value, family-owned operations like Humpty Doo demonstrate how regional businesses can scale sustainably while creating jobs and pioneering industry practices that competitors follow.
The flood waters had risen so high that a river literally ran through the front gate of Humpty Doo Barramundi. Most businesses might have called customers with apologies and delays. Dan Richards chartered two helicopters.
“We ended up chartering two helicopters to get the fish out of the farm and loaded onto trucks waiting five kilometres away so it could be delivered around the country, on time and with the same high-quality and freshness that our customers expect from us,” Richards recalls of the 2018 flood that tested his Northern Territory operation.
That helicopter rescue has become company legend, but it perfectly captures the philosophy that’s driven Humpty Doo Barramundi from humble beginnings to Australia’s largest barramundi farm. What started with Richards’ father Bob hand-delivering a few kilos of fish weekly to Darwin restaurants in 1993 now harvests 130 tonnes per week and employs over 150 people.
Starting small, growing smart
The transformation began on the site of an abandoned 1950s rice project, halfway between Darwin and Kakadu National Park. Bob Richards, a third-generation Territorian, saw potential where others saw failure.
We had seen a lot of failed large scale agricultural and commercial ventures in the NT, and we realised that starting big wasn’t necessarily a recipe for success,” Dan Richards explains. “We had a philosophy of starting small so we could grow at a reasonable pace from what we learned.
That measured approach proved prescient. While other ventures crashed and burned in the Territory’s unforgiving conditions, Humpty Doo Barramundi steadily expanded, reinvesting profits into better systems and deeper expertise.
Richards joined the business full-time in 2007, but only after his father insisted he start from the ground up. “I spent the first 18 months fully immersed in all the operational elements of growing, harvesting and getting our fish to our customers,” he says. “That hands-on experience has been fundamental to my perspective and approach as CEO.”
The strategy has paid off spectacularly. In the past decade alone, the business has grown 580% as Australian consumers increasingly seek locally-produced, sustainable protein. Australia’s aquaculture sector is projected to grow to $2.21 billion by 2028–29, with Humpty Doo producing more than half of the nation’s farmed barramundi.
Building sustainable systems
Innovation drives much of Humpty Doo’s success. The company’s award-winning closed loop water recirculation system, designed in-house, allows them to grow fish in land-based saltwater ponds that mimic natural barramundi habitat.
“We grow our fish in land-based saltwater ponds with low stocking density to mimic the natural habitat that barramundi thrive in,” Richards explains. “Our award-winning closed loop water recirculation system means we can grow healthy, happy fish and avoid the environmental and animal welfare challenges that can be associated with sea-based farms.”
Richards’ commitment to continuous learning has been crucial. As a 2016 Nuffield Scholar and graduate of the Australian Centre for Business Growth, he’s travelled to 20 countries studying leading agricultural practices. His father completed a Churchill Fellowship in 2002, while Richards’ wife Tarun is currently undertaking her own Nuffield Scholarship, exploring funding models to help farmers support Indigenous community development.
“We go out with a viewpoint to not assume that we know everything, so committing to a learning journey is key,” Richards says.
The helicopter rescue
That learning mindset proved essential during the 2018 flood that made Richards’ helicopter rescue necessary. Rather than viewing the crisis as a setback, the team saw it as a test of their values.
“It’s one of those stories that has become legend around the business because of how everyone came together to find a solution and get the job done,” Richards reflects. “It’s also reflective of this unwavering commitment to customer service that we pride ourselves on.”
The commitment has earned trust from wholesale partners and chefs at Australia’s top restaurants. Recently, Sushi Izu launched barramundi products across 230 stores Australia-wide, marking the first time barramundi has featured in a national sushi retailer.
Territory tough lessons
Operating from remote Northern Territory brings unique challenges, but Richards believes the isolation has strengthened the business. The Scale Em Up program trains young people for aquaculture careers, while partnerships with neighbouring communities and Traditional land-owner groups create broader opportunities.
“It’s really fulfilling being able to see the opportunities that we can create for people in our regional communities, especially young people,” Richards says. “I might be having a hard day, but knowing that we’ve made a big difference and positive impact in a person’s life journey is really motivating.”
For entrepreneurs considering their own ventures, Richards emphasises knowing your value proposition and embracing continuous learning. “In business you are frequently going to face roadblocks, so it’s important to be committed to the learning process,” he advises.
While 51% of Australian family businesses are still managed by first generation owners, Humpty Doo’s multi-generational approach has created lasting competitive advantages through deep institutional knowledge and patient capital investment.
The resilience his father demonstrated through early setbacks remains central to the business philosophy. “He would get up, dust himself off and reframe what he had to do,” Richards recalls. “Those philosophies remain with me today – we’re a business with an entrepreneurial spirit.”
That spirit has transformed an abandoned rice project into Australia’s barramundi capital, proving that sometimes the best growth strategy is simply refusing to give up, even when the floods rise and helicopters become your delivery method.
Keep up to date with our stories on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
