Weirs]]> Floods]]> Local history]]> Droughts]]> Water quality]]> Irrigation]]> Eucalyptus camaldulensis]]> Soldier settlement]]>
Born in 1941, Carmel talks about her life growing up in Merbein, near Mildura, on the Victorian side of the Murray River. She recalls fishing with family and swimming as a teenager in the Murray, "...we used to be able to see our feet in the water...". In her youth she did research on the floods; and as an adult she communicates her extensive knowledge of the river through her employment.

In the interview Carmel discusses: local history of the Murray-Darling; water allocation and building of weirs; a cofferdam; soldier settlements in Wentworth; the 1956 flood and assistance by soldiers during this time; seasons; water volumes; rainfall patterns; dependence of the Murray River on Darling River flows.

She mentions weirs at Wentworth, Burtundy, Mildura and the unique Perry Sandhills, 400 acres of shifting dunes, marked by a Murray River Red Gum Tree (Eucalyptus camaldulensis). Called the God Tree, it is over 500 years old, and covered so much by the sand that you can stroll through its canopy.]]>
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Fishes--Identification]]> Crustaceans]]> Weirs]]> Dams--Australia]]> Fishing industry]]> Fishing nets]]> Water quality]]> Fishing regulations]]> Fishes--Migration]]> Floods]]> Droughts]]> Cotton]]> Introduced species]]> Billabongs]]>
Bill, a professional fisher since 1953, resides in the small town of Wentworth in northern Victoria. Born in 1926, his life experiences of the neighbouring areas of the Murray, Darling and the Great Darling Anabranch reveal numerous changes to the region in terms of fish, crustaceans, the fluctuating commercial demand of fish, and the health of the river systems. Bill also discusses his preferred fishing techniques, areas he likes to fish, government regulations, and the impacts on his region that are a result of irrigation and farming further up the basin.

He also talks about: yabbying in the Paroo River; finding large mussel populations in billabongs; drought and flood cycles of the 1960s, 1970s; differences in water quality and its decline since the 1950s; reduction in water quality in the Culgoa River since the St George Weir was built; the impact of European Carp on Catfish, little water snails and mussel beds.]]>
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Fishes--Identification]]> Crustaceans]]> Birds--Identification]]> Reptiles--Identification]]> Plants--Identification]]> Dams]]> Blackwater]]> Water--Law and legislation]]> Droughts]]> Weeds]]> Fish stocking]]> Billabongs]]> Introduced species]]> Water quality]]>
Born in 1955 at Mildura, Rodney grew up on the Darling. He has witnessed the changes in the native fish population, particularly relating to the arrival of the European carp; the decimation of Catfish; restocking; fish kills at Wakool; the removal of Willow trees; the disappearance of bird life following the wave of the calcivirus; blackwater and its impacts on the region; yabbying; fishing techniques; the way fish behave during droughts; the Darling floods of 1956 and 1976, and the various flora and fauna present in the region.

He also shows the research crew Fort Courage and talks about fishing at the junction of the two systems, including a description of a "mini delta" in the Anabranch when it runs.

Mention of 183 Dam and a fish species 'Minnow' (unspecified).]]>
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Fishes--Identification]]> Plants--Identification]]> Droughts]]> Weirs]]> Paakantyi / Paakantji / Barkindji people]]> Water allocations]]> Overfishing]]> Colonisation]]> Racism]]> Traditional fishing]]> Cotton]]> Connection to Country]]> Water quality]]> Introduced fishes]]> Environmental flows]]> Traditional ecological knowledge]]> Aboriginal fish traps]]>
Born in 1934, William talks about growing up in Wilcannia and Broken Hill in north-western New South Wales. He recalls being taught to fish by his Grandmother and Aunties using hand lines and fish traps. William talks about the effects of colonisation and racism on his life, and how important the river then becomes.

William discusses his work campaigning for change with Northern Basins Aboriginal Nations (NBAN); he compares the 1944 and 2007 droughts and the differences in atmospheric moisture; the impact of the introduction of carp on catfish; the impact of fishing on cod populations; and the changes in water flow and clarity, exacerbated by tree roots, weeds, and chemicals from irrigators.

Mention of: plants River Red Gum, Cumbungi weed; fish perch (species undefined).




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Paakantyi / Paakantji / Barkindji people]]> Fishes--Identification]]> Crustaceans]]> Indigenous foods]]> Cotton]]> Weirs]]> Land custodianship]]> Aboriginal history]]> Cultural flows]]> Connection to Country]]> River flow]]> Cotton]]> Droughts]]> Water allocations]]> Traditional ecological knowledge]]> Nations Committee (NBAN).

Born in 1956, Jenny talks about families and growing up on the river at a camp on the Darling at Menindee; living, working and playing together. She discusses the drought years from 1985 and the blue-green algae bloom that ran from Mungindi to Menindee. Jenny also speaks about what cultural flows are, and how they are important as they are the inherent water entitlements of Indigenous Nations.

Mention of perch as a significant part of diet however species is undefined; Witchetty grubs, turtles, eagles, porcupine, kangaroo.]]>

Electronic records have been made private as per the request of Jenny Whyman. As part of our data access requirements, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Data Archive (located at the University of Technology, Sydney) requires an applicant to sign an undertaking before access to material can be approved. These undertakings may include a request for information about the intended use of the data. The depositor and/or family may be informed of the application.

Preliminary applications may be made to:
atsida@lib.uts.edu.au.]]>
Fishes--Identification]]> Plants--Identification]]> Siltation]]> Blackwater]]> Water quality]]> Droughts]]> Weeds]]> Weirs]]> Livestock]]>
Henry and Joan Cross live at Goonaroo Station, an 11,000 acre sheep and cattle property. The property is located north of Hebel on the New South Wales and Queensland borders and was purchased by Henry's father. The Bokhara River cuts through their property.

Henry was born at the property 85 years ago. In the river he has caught Catfish (5-6 lbs), Yellowbelly (3-5 lbs), and many Crayfish. One time, he was stung by a Catfish barb. Henry used to use cloth line for fishing, and would bob for fish as there were no lures back then. He could even tell the different fish species from their bites (bite impressions).

The rivers used to run clean. Big worms (up to 2 feet long) were the best bait to use for fishing, and he still sees these worms around.

'Tea Tree Hole' was the most popular place to fish before the weir was built. In the drought of 1958 the hole went dry, and he remembers pulling dying Murray Cod out, but didn't like to eat Cod as they tasted bad.

Henry spent a considerable amount of time on the river with family. Most picnics were on the Culgoa River where the fish were better, the Narran River even better than the Culgoa.

He first noticed the fishing holes fill with silt about 30 years ago. Now trees fall into the holes, which hold up the silt and built-up material. Siltation began before European Carp arrived. The river ran clear before the 1970s and 1980s. Weeds used to grow on the water, but do not any longer.

Siltation now blocks the weirs. Blackwater (black) floods take the oxygen out of the water, killing fish. Dirranbandi saw many dead fish. Thousands of fish died there, including Cod 3 feet long. Trucks were used to load and bury the fish.

Now Culgoa River gets the most water. The weed is dead and it used to have [Red Carp/Spangled Perch/'puppy dogs']. Vegetation on the river used to be River Red Gums, Coolabahs, and the occasional Tea trees and Lomandra.

Today's fishing is very poor. The river has dried out many times - three times after the weir was built in 1958, however, on the property the water is 'very good'.]]>
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Waka Waka / Wakka Wakka people]]> Mandandanji people]]> Fishes--Identification]]> Native plants]]> Land custodianship]]> Connection to Country]]> Dreaming (Spiritual)]]> Kitchen-middens--Australia]]> Water quality]]> Erosion]]> Farming]]> Deforestation]]> Aboriginal fish traps]]> Places of significance]]> Land degradation]]> Water allocations]]> Water conservation]]> Cotton]]> Water pollution]]> Salinization]]> River rehabilitation]]> Aboriginal history]]> Farming]]> Droughts]]> Introduced fishes]]> Water wells]]> Mandandanji (Australian people)]]> Sacred sites]]> Activism]]>
Robert Lacey is an Indigenous man who has resided in the St George area in southern Queensland most his life. His people are the traditional owners of the land: his mother is a Mandandanji woman, while his father is a Waka Waka man.

Robert discusses the connection he has with the land and the river, he expresses the honour he feels in being trusted to take care of Country. He discusses the history of the river and its declining health; commercial use of the river; and the work he personally does on recording the sites of cultural significance and heritage sites finding over 100 in just a few years. He says that the river is a source of peace, tranquility, food, leisure - the life blood of the land.

Robert also mentions the Great Artesian Basin Sustainability Initiative (GABSI) and his elation at the 1967 Australian Referendum and what it meant for Aboriginal people, and also the political activism by his family.]]>
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Bourke was once the end of the line for most of the paddlesteamers that made their way up the muddy Darling. They sometimes had to wait for months before the waters became navigable and when the rains didn’t come, the channel dried to a series of pools.

Since the coming of Europeans, the health of the river and its fish have degraded. The paddlesteamer trade, grazing, and irrigation, all changed the rivers. Weirs were constructed, reaches desnagged, water extracted, foreign animals and plants introduced and new ways to catch fish also had an impact. These changes mean there are now a lot less fish than there were. Before the turn of the twentieth century there are stories of catching great numbers of silver perch, Murray cod, catfish and yellowbelly - and no tales of carp.

These are the traditional lands of the Ngiyampaa, Murawari and Yuwalaraay peoples. They have seen great changes to the river and surrounding waterways where they fished and hunted the wetlands.

(Source: Frawley, J., Nichols, S., Goodall, H. and Baker, E. 2011. Darling ‐ Brewarrina to Bourke: Talking fish, making connections with the rivers of the Murray‐Darling Basin. Murray‐Darling Basin Authority, Canberra.)]]>
Map image attribution: Murray-Darling Basin Authority, Talking Fish Project see details...]]> View or download from publisher...]]> http://geonode.research.uts.edu.au/layers/geonode%3Afrawley2012page178]]>
Droughts]]> Riparian areas]]> Droughts]]> Floods]]> Tobacco industry]]> Irrigation]]> Fishing--Australia]]> Fishing industry]]> Bait fishing]]> Fish kills]]> Pesticides]]> Stream flow]]> Tournament fishing]]> Fishing rods]]>
Lyall grew up in Merbien, and learnt to fish with his father. His uncle was a professional fisherman who built boats and sent his catch from Bourke to Sydney. He talks about irrigation; market gardens; how he uses different fishing techniques according to location and desired catch ('heavy gear' up at Merbein, hand lines or 'light gear' in the Ovens); catching trout cod; and fishing to eat.

Ollie grew up on the Ovens and learnt to fish with his father. He talks about the poor state of the river; and 'spinning'.

They discuss bait (yabbies, worms, bush crickets, grasshoppers); fires; 'cloud bursts' and de-oxygenated water; fish deaths; restocking; tobacco farming and the overuse of pesticides;
fish poisoning; erosion; the 1944 drought; 1956 and 1976 flood, logging; and talk about Valley Creek and Ovens River running dry; catch and release; changing motivations and philosophy (catching to feed and catching for sport); competitive fishing; transporting fish with a sugar bag; and fishing outside the local area.

Lyell also discusses making and fixing fishing rods.

Mention of Yarrawonga weir, Hume Weir

Mention of the "swimming pool", Marshall's Ridge (Lake Buffalo), "Horrie's Monshing", Healsville Sanctuary (Melbourne, Victoria) Maloney's Bridge on Buffalo Creek; Murray River Trust; Myrtleford Angling Club; Anderson’s Sawmills in Mildura; Red gum; Willow; Pelicans, Yabby, Tuna, Saltwater Perch
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