New ecological discoveries have the power to change how people visualise past ecosystems, interpret current ones, and imagine future environments. Discoveries of naturally recovering habitat are particularly valuable for engaging society in conservation and guiding restoration efforts of vulnerable ecosystems. Australian shellfish reefs formed by native Flat oysters (Ostrea angasi) are a prime example because they were completely eradicated from the Australian mainland by colonial oyster fisheries. This has reduced societal awareness on their importance and scientific knowledge on where these habitats could be restored and what ecological interactions should be prioritised for recovery. In this talk, I will describe the recent recovery of a multi-species shellfish reef underpinned by O. angasi habitat recovering after a century of functional extinction. The significance of this recovering reef is underscored by its extreme rarity; it is the only known naturally recovering O. angasi reef on mainland Australia and the only example of these oysters forming large intertidal reef. Positive interactions among several habitat-forming shellfish allude to the facilitative processes that enabled the relatively rapid intertidal spread of this ecosystem across hectares. Yet, these interactions also threaten the reef as the associated bivalves are the focus of recreational harvesting by people. Thus, a socio-ecological approach is required to manage this vulnerable system. Nevertheless, by emerging after a century of functional extinction, this recovery alludes to the potential productivity and adaptive resilience of coastal ecosystems where they have a chance to recover.