Driving Fish Habitat Action

Boggy Creek – Tregeagle, Northern NSW

OzFish Richmond River Chapter and Tregeagle Landcare are working together with macadamia farmers (and Landcare members) on Boggy Creek to restore at least 20m wide riparian vegetation along 800m of this plateau stream. Important to the Richmond River’s Bass fishery, the site is also in the headwaters of the Richmond River’s far famed Tuckean Swamp.

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Rocky Creek – Lismore, Northern NSW

OzFish Lismore Chapter and Whian Whian Landcare, along with Northern Cooperative Meat Company and Lismore City Council’s Landholder Initiative are working together with beef cattle farmers on Rocky Creek to provide easily accessible water for cattle to stop their access to the Creek and revegetate with natives to kick-start its restoration. Once known to be the last population of the Richmond River’s wild Eastern Cod population, it is also home to Australian Bass, Firetail Gudgeon, and Cox’s Gudgeon, and even platypus.

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Tweed River – Byangum, Northern NSW

OzFish Tweed River Chapter and Tweed Landcare Inc are working with cattle farmers on the Tweed River, near Byangum and its canoe launching point. Together they will be removing weeds and planting over 1000 trees along their riparian zone and fencing it to keep the cattle out. This reach of the Tweed River is renowned by local fishers for its Australian Bass.

Brunswick River – Mullumbimby, Northern NSW

OzFish Chapters in both Tweed and Richmond Rivers together with Brunswick Valley Landcare are working with landholders near Mullumbimby to repair the riparian area with 400 native plants along the bank of the Brunswick River. Fishers target Australian Bass and a range of estuarine species in the area.

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Manning River – Wingham, Central NSW

OzFish Manning River and Manning Landcare are working together with farmers on the Manning River to remove the weeds along their riparian zone and plant 400 native trees to support the riverbank’s recovery. The Manning River at Wingham is a hotspot for fishers targeting Australian Bass and nice sized flathead just downstream.

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Nambucca River – Taylors Arm, Central NSW

Newly formed OzFish Coffs Harbour Chapter are working together with Nambucca Valley Landcare to restore the eroding bank of Taylors Arm and Welsh’s Creek using rock revetment, rootballs and fillets plus weed control and planting a range of native plants. The area will also be home to a new soft boat ramp for canoe/kayaks and will have greatly improved fisher access. Australian Bass and Eel-tail Catfish frequent the area.

Peel River – Tamworth, North Western NSW

OzFish Northwest Chapter will work alongside Tamworth Regional Landcare Association to replant the western bank of the Peel River from Jewry St Bridge to beginning of Wallamore Annabranch. The area encompassing Jewry St weir and kayak launch area and confluence of Barnes Gully and Peel river, regularly used by recreational fishers and the general public, will have weeds removed and 1800+ native trees planted in their place. Fishos and the community are encouraged to be involved in planting and caring for this stretch of their local river. The fish will soon be enjoying clearer water, more shade and more insects falling for their lunch.

Lower Darling River – Wentworth NSW

This partnership project between Western Landcare and OzFish Sunraysia Chapter will give local communities an opportunity to take positive steps to help in the rehabilitation of the Darling River after the devastating drought and fish kills, this will be completed by installing woody habitats into the Lower Darling River at key locations that have been chosen by the key stakeholders. A series of community engagement events will also be conducted and provide opportunities to be involved.

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Georges River – Campbelltown, Sydney

OzFish are calling for Sydney members to work with Greater Sydney Landcare members to explore the Upper Georges River around Campbelltown. In a search for the illusive Macquarie Perch, Campbelltown Council will be supporting OzFish and Landcare volunteers to canoe the River in areas not normally accessed to take samples that will be tested for Macquarie Perch DNA! Once known in the area, it is unknown whether the population still exists. The partnership is also looking to install Tangle Bins to reduce fishing litter and hold a fishing spot clean-up along the Georges River in the near future.

Lake Albert – Wagga, Central NSW

OzFish Wagga and Murrumbidgee Landcare will undertake a native vegetation restoration project within the inlet of Lake Albert. This project will be designed to assist with reducing future erosion and sediment issues that Lake Albert is currently facing. The project will involve planting native vegetation at five key sites within the Lake Albert inlet creek. Native revegetation programs will assist with absorbing the force of heavy flows, therefore, reducing the water’s capacity to erode the banks.

Bottlebend – Mildura, Sunraysia NSW

OzFish Sunraysia Chapter will work alongside the Bottle Bend Reserve Committee and undertake riparian fencing across Bottle Bend Reserve to improve aquatic habitat for fish and improve water quality at key lagoons throughout Bottle Bend Reserve. The work will improve bank stability by preventing slumping and erosion. A series of community events will also be undertaken at Bottle Bend Reserve.

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Deniliquin Lagoons – Riverina Region, NSW

Landcarers and OzFish volunteers will deliver a significant fish habitat restoration project by installing woody habitats into the lagoons adding value to restoration work completed since 2013. The woody habitats will create vital homes and food sources for large and small-bodied threatened native fish species.

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Murrumbidgee River – Leeton, Southern NSW

The Bidgee Classic Fishing Competition volunteers, OzFish MIA Chapter and Murrumbidgee Landcare are working together to complete a vital restoration project within the Murrumbidgee River. The project will see up to 15 large woody habitats installed into the Murrumbidgee River at key sites. The specific sites will be chosen by the volunteer groups and the large woody habitats will be donated by the local Leeton Shire Council. The installation of the woody habitats will follow the best practice procedures for re-snagging.

Hunter River – Luskintyre, Central NSW

OzFish Hunter River Chapter is working together with Lower Hunter Landcare to restore the riparian vegetation of 500m of Hunter Riverbank, removing the problematic Balloon Vine and replacing weeds with a corridor of native vegetation set to provide shade, insects and habitat for the fish in this reach.

School House Creek, Nepean River – Penrith, Sydney

OzFish Hawkesbury-Nepean Chapter in partnership with Hawkesbury-Nepean Landcare Network are replanting the riparian vegetation and stabilising a section of creek bank and improve fish habitat along part of School House Creek. This area is typically River Flat Eucalypt Forest, it contains suitable habitat for fish, it is directly connected to the Nepean River and downstream from Glenmore Loch. There will be opportunities to collect data on local macroinvertebrate species and water quality at the creek.

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Hawdon’s Lagoon, Lake Hume NSW

OzFish members are working together with landowners and Woolshed Thurgoona Landcare Group to restore the riparian vegetation along Howdon’s Lagoon. The project will plant native vegetation corridors, install riparian protection fencing and host community planting days.

Once completed it is expected that the local ecosystem will be enhanced, water quality improved and valuable habitat for many terrestrial and aquatic species established.