Healthy Rivers Grant

The ‘Recovering river health and native fish in the upper Murrumbidgee’ project will provide essential steps towards recovering our native fish in the upper Murrumbidgee River. Funded activities include:

• weed control to protect high quality native vegetation;

• improving instream habitat, especially areas affected by sand;

• assessing threatened species habitat and effect of natural barriers on fish movement;

• recreational fishing surveys to monitor for pest species; and

• supporting cultural water assessments.

Woody weeds such as Box elder, which is invading native vegetation along the upper Murrumbidgee will be controlled in order to protect the health of riverside vegetation.

The project is administered by Bush Heritage Australia on behalf of the Upper Murrumbidgee Demonstration Reach partnership and will work with partners such as Upper Murrumbidgee Landcare, Bredbo, Michelago and Smiths Road Landcare Groups, the ACT Government, landholders along the river, First Nations community, NSW DPI Fisheries, the University of Canberra, and local recreational fishers. The work will supplement and build on existing catchment works.

Native fish and aquatic species which will benefit from the project include Murray cod, Trout cod, Macquarie perch, platypus, Rakali (native water rat) and Murray crayfish all of which are found in the upper Murrumbidgee.

Lisa Evans, Senior aquatic ecologist, Conservation and Research Unit meeting with ACT Rangers to discuss options for habitat improvements in the Murrumbidgee River at Gigerline Gorge.

The project will run over one year and has been kicking off with partners getting together to discuss next steps. Watch this space as exciting outcomes will be seen over the next year.

The funding has been provided by the Australian Government’s Healthy Rivers Program.

INSERT LOGO BLOCK