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Barwon River Habitat Restoration

The Barwon River and Estuary flows through the heart of Geelong and is a popular fishing destination from the banks or a kayak, chasing the elusive estuary perch and bream.

Flowing down into Lake Connewarre, the Barwon then expands again into the inlet and the mouth where it reaches the ocean at Barwon Heads.

OzFish are partnering with the Corangamite CMA and VRFish to enhance woody habitat in a stretch of the Lower Barwon between Buckley Falls and Lake Connewarre within the Port Phillip Bay (Western Shoreline) and Bellarine Peninsula Ramsar site.

Local OzFishers along with Traditional Owners will be undertaking on-ground works such as instream habitat creation, riparian habitat restoration, weed management and rubbish removal as well as monitoring and evaluation activities.

Did you know snags and woody structure are vital fish habitat?

Check out our unpack habitat to understand more about why they are important to fish.

FIND OUT MORE

Throughout the project, we will be running engagement and education events to provide project updates, help the community better understand the benefits of Woody habitat and highlight how you can get involved. You can find out about our upcoming activities on the OzFish events page.

Latest News

21 June 2021 | New Life For The Barwon River And Curdies Estuary

Native fish habitat will breathe new life into the Barwon River and Curdies Estuary thanks to two new projects under the Australian Government’s ‘Fisheries Habitat Restoration Program’. The Barwon River and Curdies Estuary Habitat Restoration Projects will improve riverine and estuarine habitat for native fish, including angling species such as Black Bream and Estuary Perch. They will do so by installing snags or ‘fish hotels’ (as recreational fishers commonly call them) in both waterways. The new fish hotels will also provide habitat for threatened Australian Grayling and other aquatic wildlife, including frogs, platypus, water rats, insects and birds.

Find Out More

The project is supported by the Corangamite Catchment Management Authority through funding from the Australian Governments’ Fisheries Habitat Restoration Program.