Water temperature]]> Fishing--Australia]]> Lure fishing]]> River engineering]]> Fishes--Migration]]> Irrigation]]> Water quality]]> Stream restoration]]> Water resources]]>
Geoff was a construction contractor but has been working with water management for twenty years. He talks about his understanding of the cross over from recreational fishing to management of water, and about Lake Makoan being decommmisioned 2009.

Geoff grew up on the Broken River. He shares his earliest memories of learning to fish with his father and sister; camping on the Murray River; his desire to pass on a sense of ownership of the rivers to his children and grandchildren; what to look for in the river when fishing for trout and Macquarie Perch; fly fishing; which parts of a snag different fish prefer; lake fishing compared to river fishing; fish behaviour depending on temperature and time of day; and what he likes about fishing. He discusses the benefits of fresh bait; where to collect scrub worms; catching yabbies; attracting shrimp with orange peel; decline of Catfish; changes to the Broken Rivers structure (de-snagging programs, the construction of the Nillahcootie 1967, the floods of 1974); fish migration and fishways; changes in fishing technology; the opening cermemony of Lake Nillahcootie; the changes in water quality due to the introduction of Carp; the Broken River Irrigators and their advocacy that a dam be build on the Broken River; the dams effect on the local ecology; Lake Mokoan water turbidity; and how the Broken River earnt its name. He goes on to discuss community engagement and the future of the River.

Mention of "Barragunda" a place at the head of the Broken River (Vic), "Green Swamp" or "Green Wetlands" near Winton Wetlands (VIC).

Mention of scrub worms, mud eyes, black crickets, grasshoppers, bardie grubs, shrimp, yabbies

Mention of Sedges, ribbon weed]]>
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Fishing--Australia]]> Water quality]]> Restoration ecology]]> Stream restoration]]> Riparian restoration]]> Introduced fishes]]> Fishes--Breeding]]> Floods]]> Fishes--Diseases]]> Fish surveys]]>
Dwayne talks about fishing with his family; tagging fish; the influence of water colour on fish colour; fish parasites; his two boats; electric motors; and his dislike of nets. He says the water takes two years to clear after a flush and mentions that lure fishing is at its best when it does. He discusses the river ecosystem; bank stabilisation; re-snagging programs; the impact of Carp; carp musters and changing attitudes towards angling (catch and release). He also talks about flooding and fish breeding habits; yabbying on the Warrego River; and mentions storing yabbies with gum leaves and sighting black Yellowbellies at a place called Black Rocks.

Mentions Darling River Weir 19A (30°13'55.0"S 145°41'49.0"E; MDBA Site ID 425037; "19-mile weir"), Ford's Bridge (NSW, -29.753215, 145.430510), Warren Reservoir (SA), Bourke Weir (-30.086914, 145.894400), Bree Weir, Black Rocks

Mention of garden worms, white sea eagles, emu, king brown snakes, carpet snakes, red belly black snakes, water lillies, gums, algae and Dace Cordina of the Cathment Management Authority ]]>
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Fishing--Australia]]> Bait fishing]]> Fishing nets]]> River engineering]]> Water levels]]> Water resources]]> Water allocations]]>
Phillip has lived in Bourke his entire life and in this interview he talks about his experience fishing while growing up in a family of eight, when fish were a large part of their diet. He explains his relationship with the river, his family history, his Indigenous Australian heritage, and how fishing and sharing go together. He talks about swimming in the weir, setting lines, using spinners, teaching his kids to fish. He mentions yabbying at Wearrego and Cuttaburra, and explains how yabbies were used as a Chinese aphrodisiac. He discusses different baits: Silver Carp, Kangaroo, Emu, worms, sand worms, Bardi Grubs, tinned tuna, mussels, and yabbies). He explains the differrence between drop nets and overnight nets, and discusses the conditions that are good for Yabby catching. He talks about the river when it dries; salt springs; algae; water allocations; river management; and weir management. He also talks about the future of Bourke and people leaving town, and his involvement with the program Australian Story - Out of the Dust.

Phillip is an entrepreneur and is the owner of the Back O' Bourke Motel, rental accommodation, and he has just purchased the local RSL club and the Memorial Hall - which he wants to redevelop into a Tavern style place to cater to the tourists that come through in the winter. He explains that there are only two eateries in town at present - Port Of Bourke Hotel and Chinese in the local bowling club.

Mention of Silver carp ("forky tails"), Bardi Grubs, worms, sand worms, Kurrajong Trees, Gum trees, algae and Bourke Weir.]]>
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Fishing--Australia]]> Water quality]]> Fish stocking]]> Traditional environmental knowledge]]> Water conservation]]> Fish stocking]]> River engineering]]> Bait fishing]]> Fish populations]]> Introduced fishes]]>
Keith grew up in Brewarrina and learned to fish with his father. He learned to swim in the river, and remembers how clear the water was - clear enough that people could go spearfishing.

Keith and Max talk about using worms, mussels and crayfish as bait and discuss variance in carp populations over time. They also observe that fishing is better in the dry when the water levels are lower. They mention Yellowbelly and Murray Cod restocking programs; talk about de-oxygenated water; changes in attitudes about sustainable fishing (catch and release); how to read the river; what they've learned from Indigenous Australians; the mass of birdlife; weir management; and water restrictions. They talk about boat trips along the river and their sighting of baby catfish in the Bokhara and Culgoa Rivers.

Mention of Goanna, Wallaby. frogs, blacksnakes, brown snakes, carpet snakes, mosquitoes.

Mention of Brewarrina fishing club]]>
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Fishing--Australia]]> Introduced fishes]]> Fishing rods]]> Bait fishing]]> Stream flow]]>
Gordon reminisces about the 1956 floods in Maitland. He talks about how hew learned to fish at Moruya and Coffs Harbour, and how he learned to make nets. He discusses what features to look for in the river when fishing with rods and setting nets. On netting, he says that illegal fish trapping is still prevalent. He also talks about the introduction of carp and their effect on catfish and weeds; his participation in the local Carp Muster competition; Indigenous Australians living at the Wier; bait; and making and appraising rods. Gordon says the river hasn't changed much since 1956.

Cathy talks yabbying in the Warrego River and off Ford's Bridge, and about the crabs she's seen at Gumbalie.

Mention of Cumbungi (bullrush)
Brown snakes, Black Snakes, Taipan, worms,
Gin (Aboriginal Woman)]]>
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Bushfires]]> Fishing--Australia]]> Fish populations]]> Fish stocking ]]> Fish kills]]> Fishes--Breeding]]> River engineering]]> Stream restoration]]> Fish habitat improvement]]> Water quality]]> Restoration ecology]]> Fishes--Diseases]]>
Darren has worked in the Murrumbidgee Corridor since 1988.He talks about the Murrumbidgee Rivers historical fame as a Trout Cod fishery and discusses the practice of restocking fish. He describes the decline of Trout populations, recalling a large die-off event along the Murrumbidgee, Lower Cotter and Paddy's Rivers in 1998. He also talks about Trout Cod breeding in marginal conditions.

He discusses his efforts to restore and sustain river habitats and ecosystems with the ACT Parks and Conservation Service, and National Heritage Trust (NHT). Initiatives to restore resilience to the river system included the Million Trees Program, Willow poisoning, and the construction of groynes, rock deflectors and debris clusters.

Darren also discusses the 2003 Canberra Fires, variance in water quality and some of the differences between managing mountain stream systems and flood plain systems.

Mention of Atlantic Salmon, Galaxids, Plague minnows (Gambusia holbrooki)

Mention of Fishing Act 2000 (ACT), Australian Capital Territory Parks and Conservation Service, National Heritage Trust (NHT)

Mention of Pobblebonks (Eastern Banjo Frog), Alpine Litoria lesueuri Rocky River Frogs, broad-palmed frog (Litoria latopalmata), Platypus, EHN Virus, simazine (chemical), Groynes, rock deflectors, electro fishing, Willow, phragmities, blackberries, briars, casuarinas, manna gum, cumbungi, typha, blackwoord, Red Stem Wattle, Muellerina bidwillii, Microcystis and anabaena, and spirogyra algae
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Fish populations]]> Fishes--Migration]]> Fishes--Breeding]]> Fishes--Speciation]]> Fish stocking]]> Fish kills]]> Fishes--Diseases]]> Lure fishing]]> Bait fishing]]> Fishing--Australia]]> Fishing industry]]>
Brian came to the Murrumbidgee in 1965. He talks about seasonal variations in the prevalence of fish, and their breeding and migration habits. He remarks on regional variations within species and cross-breeding (e.g. how the Clarence River Cod differs from the "Fitzroy Cod"). He discusses the annual mass death of Silver Perch and Murray Cod, speculating that its cause is a pathogenic. He also speaks about population decline, and weighing the social and ecological consequences of translocating and re-stocking fish. He offers a strong endorsement of the Native Fish Strategy and talks about his efforts to advocate for native fish in the media.

He shares his knowledge of lures; their colour, size and patterning, as well as other ways that their design replicates nature. He also talks about bait; what it's used for, where it comes from, and how it's collected.

Mention of Fitzroy Cod, Brook Trout, Atlantic Salmon, Nile Perch, Barrumundi, Midget Barrumundi, mussels, scrub worms, bardy grub, witchetty grub, wood grub (variant?), yabby, squid, pilchards, prawn, beach worms, abalone, EHN Virus, pathogens, Lernaea (parasite)

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Soldier settlement]]> Fishes--Identification]]> Droughts]]> Floods]]> Bushfires]]> Siltation]]> Grazing]]> Environmental flows]]> Introduced fishes]]> Aboriginal culture]]> Depressions--1929--Australia]]>
Dougie talks about: the effects of drought and economic depression on communities; government property ballots,1951; soldier settlements; cycles of drought, floods, and bushfires; silt build up in water holes from grazier activities, changing river and creek flows; relationship between Warrego and Paroo; periods when water ran from Paroo into the Darling (1950, 1956); Aboriginal fishing methods, catching ‘sleepy cod’; siting carp in river branches connected to the Murray; gelignite used to erect power lines throughout Paroo. Drought events discussed: 1930, ending 1947, 1957. Flood events: 1942, 1947, 1950, 1956.

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