Weirs]]> Floods]]> Traditional ecological knowledge]]> Fishing--Australia]]> Racism]]> Cotton]]> Silt]]> Water quality]]> Water pollution]]> Cultural Flows]]> Coalbed methane]]> Aquifers--Australia]]> Cyanides]]> Riparian areas]]> Ecological sustainability]]> Environmental conservation]]> Salinity]]> Sacred sites]]> Connection to Country]]> Land custodianship]]> Aboriginal spirituality (Baiame)]]> Wiradjuri people]]> Gamilaraay / Gamilaroi / Kamilaroi language]]> Water--Symbolic aspects]]>
Phil Duncan is an Aboriginal man with both Wiradjuri and Gamilaraay heritage. He identifies predominantly as a Gamilaraay man who grew up in Moree in northern New South Wales. Born in 1963, Phil is Chair of the First Peoples' Water Engagement Council and has witnessed a number of important changes in this region regarding cotton farming, weirs and dams, and the water quality.

Phil is knowledgeable in his heritage and emphasises the importance of Aboriginal connection to Country, and caring for Country as an important responsibility for Aboriginal people. He recommends that traditional Aboriginal knowledges be adhered to regarding the conservation of Country as Western land management methods have had a detrimental impact.


Mentioned:

Turtles, sheep & cattle (farming), worms.

]]> CC BY-NC]]> Moree, NSW [populated place]]]> Terry Hie Hie, NSW [populated place]]]> Terry Hie Hie Creek, NSW [stream]]]> Mehi River, NSW [stream]]]> Boomi Nature Reserve, NSW [reserve]]]> Mungindi, Qld [farm]]]> Barwon River, NSW [stream]]]> Narrabri, NSW [populated place]]]> Gwydir River, NSW [stream]]]> Boolaroo, NSW [section of populated place]]]> Copeton Dam, NSW [dam]]]> Namoi River, NSW [stream]]]> Cubbie, Qld [homestead]]]> Keepit Dam, NSW [lake]]]> Narran Lake, NSW [lake]]]> Macquarie Marshes, NSW [marsh(es)]]]> Boolaroo, NSW [populated place]]]> Mungindi, NSW [populated place]]]>
An archival version of the Talking Fish Collection is managed by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Data Archive (ATSIDA).]]> Dams]]> Floods]]> Cotton]]> Water--Law and legislation]]> Fishing--Australia]]> Introduced fishes]]> Fishes--Migration]]> Taxidermy]]> Traditional ecological knowledge]]> Fishes--Monitoring]]> Aboriginal kinship systems]]>
Robert Horne is an Indigenous man who was born in Boggabri; a small country town through which the Namoi River runs, located in north-western New South Wales.

The interview takes place in Robert's Gunnedah office where he recalls his youth along the Namoi River. He speaks about taking on the responsibilities of an older child by being a provider and catching fish for his single mother and his family. He also shared his catches with other families and relatives; the act of which is common within Indigenous cultures that highlights the importance of family and kinship structures, while also promoting sustainability.

Robert also speaks of being taught how to catch fish and find yabbies in the most inconspicuous places. He also outlines the changes that he has noticed in the river regarding the cotton industry, the far reaching impacts of European carp, the history of the area, and fish tagging.

]]> CC-BY]]> Floods]]> Weirs]]> Dams]]> Cotton]]> Camping]]> Aboriginal spirituality]]> Water pollution]]> Introduced fishes]]> Storytelling]]>
Pearl and Joe Trindall are an Indigenous couple who have lived in the Namoi region for most their lives. Pearl was born in Boomi, while Joe was born in Narrabri and they both, along with their children, have spent a lot of time travelling around Australia droving.

Pearl and Joe talk at length about a number of topics including growing up on the river and how it was central to their lives - it was a source of food, meeting and socialising, as well as a means for passing on Indigenous knowledges by the Elders. The Elders told the younger generation that they were to practice sustainable fishing and were only to take what they needed. The Elders also taught language and spirituality, told stories and were respected members of their community.

Pearl and Joe also speak about the changes in the region they have witnessed. They both say that the pollution from cotton farming has had the greatest impact on the deteriorating health of the river, compared to when they were younger when the water was clean enough to drink. They also mention the impacts that the installation of weirs and dams have had.

Mentioned: carp impacts, and 1956 floods.

Animals mentioned: Worms, gudgeon, goanna (neebie), black snake.]]> CC BY-NC]]> Riparian restoration]]> Lure fishing]]>
Jason Simpson and his boss Doug Jamaeson have been rehabilitating the banks of the river, planting trees, grasses and shrubs where Doug’s farms have frontage.]]> CC-BY]]> Floods]]> Siltation]]> Riparian restoration]]> Fish stocking]]> Camping]]> Irrigation]]> Introduced fishes]]> Lure fishing]]> Bait fishing]]> Family life]]> Weeds]]> Billabongs]]> Fishes--Breeding]]> Tournament fishing]]> Fishes--Identification]]>
In the interview, Jason covers the changes in the river including silting, the declining frequency of floods, his work in land care and regeneration with the Catchment Management Authority (CMA), the fishing techniques he employs, occurrences of illegal fishing and the continually changing laws, issues with Carp, and the interesting prevalence of Cod over Yellowbelly. He also discusses: the impact of irrigation on water levels, fish migration and breeding; translocating Catfish into dams and the hardiness of the species; a 'red carp' and 'mirror carp' species, the latter with large scales.]]> CC-BY]]> Floods]]> Droughts]]> Siltation]]> Introduced fishes]]> Myxomatosis]]> Rabbits]]> Fishing--Australia]]>
Of the issues facing the Namoi, Darcy feels that silting is a major problem that is contributing to the drying of waterholes. After silting he believes that carp may have also contributed to the declining fish populations.

Mentioned:
Fig trees, clover hay, red river gums, crickets, platypuses, native water rats, ducks, swans, brolgas, red-belly black snakes.]]>
A section of this interview transcript and recording has been masked at the participants request. As part of our data access requirements, ATSIDA requires an applicant to sign an undertaking before access to the full transcript or recording can be approved. These undertakings may include a request for information about the intended use of the data. The depositor and/or participant may be informed of the application.

Preliminary applications may be made to atsida@lib.uts.edu.au. ]]> CC-BY]]> Fishing--Australia]]> Fly casting]]> Fund raisers (Persons)]]> Fishes--Identification]]> Weirs]]> Dams]]> Fish stocking]]> Introduced fishes]]> Siltation]]> Cotton]]> Overfishing]]> Bait fishing]]> Fishery depredation--Prevention]]> Predatory animals--Behavior]]> Fishes--Cannibalism]]>
Don 'Spider' Cunningham is a recreational fisher who is part of the Narrabri Fishing Club and has resided in Narrabri (NSW) his entire life. He has strong ties with the area with his father also from Narrabri and his mother from nearby Wee Waa (NSW).

In this interview Spider discusses his childhood and youth around the Namoi River and also how the onset of maturity saw his views change toward the river to those of conservation and sustainability. He talks about his involvement with the fishing club and how they have been working for the past 25 years on the river. He discusses the fishing restrictions placed upon fishers, restocking efforts, fish feeding habits, the changes of the fish population and the predatory and cannibal nature of the Murray Cod.

Mentioned: Turtle, bream, trout, sparrow, starling, willow tree, azolla. ]]> CC-BY]]> CC-BY]]> Fishes--Identification]]> Floods]]> Siltation]]> Water quality]]> Fishing--Australia]]> Lippia (Genus)]]> Introduced fishes]]> Stream restoration]]> Erosion]]> Restoration ecology]]>
Eric and Carol Hannan are the owners of the Rampadelles property near Boggabri by the Namoi River and have lived here with their four children since 1973. During this time, the Hannan family have experienced numerous floods, and as a result have devised their own way to prepare for, and survive them.

The interview covers the types of fish in the area, flood patterns and frequency, life surrounding the river and its importance, changing river conditions, and recommendations moving forward.

Mentioned: Willow trees,
]]> CC-BY]]>