The nearest ocean is 100 kilometres away from Martin Zhang's prawn farm, so he has brought a little bit of it to inland Queensland.
Starting with the small town of Esk, the entrepreneur who made his fortune in aquarium filters is determined to prove he can successfully farm seafood anywhere in the world.
If his venture works, he believes it will open up more possibilities for food production, while offering environmental benefits.
"It's not a gamble. I need to find a solution for this planet," Mr Zhang said.
"We use a lot of crude oil [in food production]. If instead we use a lot of salt water to create the foods, it will make the environment better."
The magic ingredient
Mr Zhang has shipped salt water from the ocean to temperature-controlled indoor ponds at Esk, in south-east Queensland.
There is minimal evaporation, to minimise topping up.
He has spent three years setting up the facility and has just produced his first batch of prawns.
He said he was using expertise gained from working with aquarium filters in China.
"I have ... nearly 18 years working with salt water. I'm a researcher of salt water," he said.
"During my research, I understand salt water is actually not a pollutant. We can keep on reusing it."
Run-off from his ponds is used as fertiliser in an experimental orchard Mr Zhang and his son Martin have planted.
Mr Zhang’s technology and methods have not yet been proven by an independent study. But he is hopeful science will back up his claims.
He has thrown out the invitation to experts to visit his inland prawn farm.
"I want to find a professor or scientist to help us," he said.
"I've made the project to prove I'm right."
What the scientists say
University of Queensland scientist Andrew Barnes, who works in the School of Biological Sciences and Centre for Marine Science, is interested in Mr Zhang’s plan.
"I like the idea, but practical implementation inland is not straightforward. He [Mr Zhang] may have it solved but I'm not sure it will make money," Dr Barnes said.
"There is no such thing as a zero-waste process. We all obey the laws of thermodynamics."
Money is important to Mr Zhang, but so is the bigger picture of sustainability.
"I do want to make money, to make a large business," he said.
"If there's a competitor, I think we should work together ... because we need to use salt water to make a better future for everyone."
Mr Zhang does not want to be a prawn farmer. But he does want to prove that inland aquaculture is possible and can be profitable.
Now it is up to science to say whether or not it works.
To learn more about Martin Zhang's work and other innovative stories, watch Movin' to the Country on ABC TV, Fridays at 7.30pm or any time on ABC iview.
