Rocky Creek Fish Habitat Restoration

Kick-starting restoration

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 which will improve water quality for native fish and other aquatic critters.

Rocky Creek is well loved by rec fishos and known as one of the last areas of the Richmond River that the local wild population of Eastern Cod were found. Pressures like dynamite fishing to feed workers during railway construction, subsequent land clearing and over-fishing meant that by the 1970s, this species was lost in the majority of the Richmond River system.

The creek is known to be home to Australian Bass, Firetail Gudgeon, and Cox’s Gudgeon are found in the waters around Rocky Creek Dam. They share their River home with Saw-shelled Turtles, Water Rats, Eastern Water Dragons, and Platypus. It’s a really beaut spot!

A healthy ecosystem

The cattle were using the creek as a direct source of water and that’s not good for them or for other species that use the waterway as their home. The cattle now have an easily accessible water source in the paddock and the creek, can now recover from years of use by cattle that has caused erosion.

The fish habitat has been further assisted by revegetation in the bare areas with natives that will shade and protect the creek in years to come. When there is good habitat, little erosion, and a healthy ecosystem, industries will flourish, particularly farming and recreational angling. This project has all those elements and is a credit to the local farming community.