Making connections with the riversof the Murray Darling Basin

Authors

Jodi Frawley, Scott Nichols, Heather Goodall and Liz Baker.

Queensland content in association with Zafar Sarac and Greg Ringwood.

Citation: Frawley, J., Nichols, S., Goodall, H. and Baker, E. (2012) Talking fish making connections withthe rivers of the Murray Darling Basin, Murray Darling Basin Authority, Canberra.

Project steering committee

Terry Korodaj (MDBA), Cameron Lay (NSW DPI), Zafer Sarac (Qld DEEDI), Adrian Wells (MDBA CommunityStakeholder Taskforce), Peter Jackson (MDBA Native Fish Strategy advisor), Fern Hames (Vic DSE) andJonathan McPhail (PIRSA).

Project Team

Scott Nichols, Cameron Lay, Craig Copeland, Liz Baker (NSW DPI); Jodi Frawley, Heather Goodall (UTS);Zafer Sarac, Greg Ringwood (Qld DEEDI); Hamish Sewell (The Story Project); Phil Duncan (NgnuluConsulting); Terry Korodaj (MDBA); Fern Hames, Pam Clunie, Steve Saddlier (Vic DSE); Jonathan McPhail,Virginia Simpson (PIRSA); Will Trueman (researcher).

ISBN 978 1 922068 56 9 (print), ISBN 978 1 922068 57 6 (online)

© Murray Darling Basin Authority, 2012Published by the Murray Darling Basin Authority (MDBA), Canberra.

Graphical and textual information in the work (with the exception of photographs and the MDBA logo)may be stored, retrieved and reproduced in whole or in part, provided the information is not sold or usedfor commercial benefit and its source (Murray Darling Basin Authority, Talking Fish Project) isacknowledged. Reproduction for other purposes is prohibited without prior permission of the MurrayDarling Basin Authority or the copyright holders in the case of photographs. To the extent permitted bylaw, the copyright holders (including its employees and consultants) exclude all liability to any person forany consequences, including but not limited to all losses, damages, costs, expenses and any othercompensation, arising directly or indirectly from using this report (in part or in whole) and anyinformation or material contained in it. The contents of this publication do not purport to represent theposition of the Murray Darling Basin Authority. They are presented to inform discussion for improvedmanagement of the Basin's natural resources.

Research and editing by the NSW Department of Primary Industries (NSW DPI) and the University ofTechnology, Sydney (UTS). The views expressed in this booklet are not necessarily those of the NSW DPI,UTS or other project partners.

The MDBA acknowledges the intellectual property rights of the people whose stories are featured in thispublication.

Note: The term Talking Fish is also being used by the Australian River Restoration Centre as away of sharing knowledge about people’s connection to fish and waterways.

Readers are warned that this publication may contain the names and images ofAboriginal people who have since passed away.

Photo credits (L R): Wentworth Historical Society (at ‘Kalcurrha’, donor: Patsy Crozier; 2007 291 8), Scott Nichols, Jodi Frawley, Trish Johnson, Scott Nichols. Fish images: NSW DPI.

AbbreviationsDPI Department of Primary IndustriesPIRSA Primary Industries and Resources SADENR Department for Environment and Natural Resources (SA)SARDI SA Research and Development InstituteLAP Local Action Planning AssociationMDBA Murray Darling Basin AuthorityDSE Department of Sustainability and Environment (VIC)

… The water was clear;we could see the fish swimming about;

the banks of the river were solid with trees.We used to fish beneath its shade.

(The Argus (Melbourne), 8 October 1937, regarding the Goulburn River)

AcknowledgementsA very special thank you to all those people who participated by sharing their stories and photographs and to historical societies and libraries for providing assistance and materials.

Coorong and Lower LakesParticipants: Brian Schulz, Terry Sim, John Yelland, Tracy and Glenn Hill, Garry HeraSingh, Henry Jones, Sally Grundy and Dean Tugwell.Advice and field support: Virginia Simpson, Phil Duncan (Ngnulu Consulting), Jonathan McPhail.

KatarapkoParticipants: Howard Hendrick, Barry Porter, Tracy Bye, Kingsley Abdulla, ToddGoodman, Malcolm Wilksch, Gilli and Gladys Stoneham and Peter Teakle.Advice and field support: Virginia Simpson (Rural Solutions SA), Phil Duncan (NgnuluConsulting), Jonathan McPhail (PIRSA).

Lower Darling and the Great AnabranchParticipants:William Riley, Bill Lever, Rod Stone, Jenny Whyman, Dr Clayton Sharpe,Carmel Chapman, Bill and Elaine Grace, and Trish Johnson and her family.Advice and field support: Phil Duncan (Ngnulu Consulting).

MurrayParticipants: Dr Wayne Atkinson, Gavin Vale, Dennis Lean, Wally Cooper, Marg Crago,David Green, Colin Green, Hayden Green, John Douglas, Richard Kennedy, KenStrachan, Kelli Cunningham, Merilyn Strachan, Peter Tidd, Graham Ellis, Jody andHarry Liversidge and J.O. Langtry.Advice and field support: Phil Duncan (Ngnulu Consulting), Dr Wayne Atkinson, CharlieCarruthers.

GoulburnParticipants: Dr Wayne Atkinson, Ken Gilmore, Mick Hall, Donny Richter, Kaye Gibb,Gary Gibb, Don Collihiole, Geoff Vernon, Ron Bain, Jim Hanley, Hayley Purbrick, WallyCubbin, John Douglas, Daryl Sloane and Jody Liversidge. Thanks also to Hartley andNoel Briggs, Doug and Laelia Rogers, Jenny Sheilds, John Koehn, David Chalmers, RolfWeber, Roy Patterson, Ern Holloway, Keith Jones, John Mackenzie and Ray Donald.Advice and field support: Phil Duncan (Ngnulu Consulting), Fern Hames (Vic DSE), Pam Clunie(Vic DSE), Steve Saddlier (Vic DSE).

OvensParticipants: Tom Cameron, Lyell Hogg, Ollie Evans, Gary Daws, Keith Snowden, GregSharpe, Adam Pascoe, Pat Larkin and Ron Dawson.Advice and field support: Phil Duncan (Ngnulu Consulting), Fern Hames.

Upper MurrumbidgeeParticipants: Dick and Gay Lawler, Bryan Pratt, Adrian Brown, Darren Roso and Sue and VernDrew.Advice and field support: Luke Johnston (ACT), Phil Duncan (Ngnulu Consulting), Charlie Carruthers(NSW DPI).

NamoiParticipants: Joe and Pearl Trindall, Eric and Carol Hannan, Spider Cunningham, JasonSimpson, Robert Horne, Tim and Mandy Gavin, Doug and Jacqui Jamieson and Darcy Harris.Thanks also to Helen and Gordon Cain.Advice and field support: Phil Duncan (Ngnulu Consulting), Milly Hobson (NSW DPI), AnthonyTownsend (NSW DPI).

Upper Darling: Brewarrina to BourkeParticipants: Gordon Brown, Phil Sullivan, Phillip Parnaby, Dwayne Willoughby, FeliMcHughes, Mick and Barb Davis, Alma Jean Sullivan, Cathy Simpson, Keith Coleman, MaxJeffrey, Brad Steadman and Joe Flick.Advice and field support: Phil Duncan (Ngnulu Consulting), David Cordina, (NSW DPI), AnthonyTownsend (NSW DPI).

ParooParticipants: Colin and Beryl Leigo, Douglas MacGregor, Ron Heinemann, Ron Gardiner,Colin (Tud) Murphy, Fay and Donald Cooney, Gordon Warner, Kevin Eastburn, LornaMcNiven, and Paul Wheeler.Advice and field support: Hamish Sewell (The Story Project), Greg Ringwood (Fisheries Queensland).

Culgoa BalonneParticipants: Ned and Lynette Underwood, Roy and June Barker, Keith Codrington, GeorgeThomas, Robert (Bob) Worboys, Rory Treweeke, Margaret and Peter Peterson, Robert Lacey,Michael Anderson, Pat Stephens and Pat Cross.Advice and field support: Hamish Sewell (The Story Project), Greg Ringwood (Fisheries Queensland).

Upper CondamineParticipants: Sam Bonner, Noal Kuhl, Brian Kuhn, Dessie Obst, Geoff Reilly and Oliveand Ray Shooter.Advice and field support: Hamish Sewell (The Story Project), Greg Ringwood (FisheriesQueensland).

The rivers of the Murray-Darling Basin The rivers and creeks of the Murray Darling Basinflow through Queensland, New South Wales, theAustralian Capital Territory, Victoria and SouthAustralia. The 77 000km of waterways that makeup the Basin link 23 catchments over an area of1 million km2.

Each river has its own character yet these waters,the fish, the plants and the people that rely onthem are all different.

The chapters in this book are about how therivers, fish and fishing have changed. The mainstories are written from oral history interviewsconducted with local fishers in 2010 11, and relateindividuals’ memories of how their local placeshave changed. They showcase three ways ofknowing a river: personal experience, scientificresearch and historical research.

Just as individual fishers do not always agree withone another, so their understanding might notnecessarily agree with current scientificinformation or historical records. Similarly,specific items and events might be remembereddifferently by different people. These variedperspectives show the range in views aboutfishing and the rivers, each important in its ownway.

There are many other great stories out thereabout fishing in the Murray Darling Basin. Theseare just the beginning. Figure 1: The catchments of the Murray Darling Basin.

ContentsIntroduction …………………………………………………..…. 1

The Coorong and Lower Lakes …………………………. 11

Katarapko Creek … ………………………………………….. 31

Lower Darling River and the Great Anabranch … 51

Murray River …………………………………………………… 73

Goulburn River ……………………………………………….. 95

Ovens River …………………………………………………… 115

Upper Murrumbidgee River ………………………….. 133

Namoi River …………………………………………………… 151

Upper Darling River ……………………………………….. 171

Paroo River ……………………………………………………. 191

Culgoa – Balonne Rivers ………………………………… 213

Upper Condamine River ………………………………… 235

Bringing back the fish ……………………………………. 254

References ……………………………………………………. 272

1

1. IntroductionAnnie and Jack Koolmatrie learnt to fish inthe Coorong and Lower Lakes of the MurrayRiver where they were born in the 1910s.1

They travelled up and down the MurrayRiver, picking fruit, working on farms andcamping with other Ngarrindjeri familiesbeside one of the many creeks or wetlands.

As they fished around the river, lakes,wetlands and creeks they observed thehabits of fish and the places that they lived,learning from their parents andgrandparents as they went. By watching themovement of the reeds and water plants,they learnt to spot the giant Murray codwhose tail would break the surface of thewater as it was feeding. Jack ran nets formullet and congolli with his grandfather inthe Coorong and at the end of a day’s fishingthey would sing songs for the NgarrindjeriSea Country. Together they fished for food,fun and recreation.

Another life lived on the river is Jack Ryan’s,who learnt to fish in Victoria in the 1880s.2

He trekked around the streams and rivers inhis spare time, experimenting and observingthe habits of fish and the places they lived.

He had what he called ‘blank days’ when hecaught no fish and others when he boughthome loads of fish to share with his familyand friends. By the time he mastered the artof angling he knew that to catch the illusiveBlackfish, the now rare Macquarie Perch, heneeded to use the common earthworm orthe little green mud eyes to tempt this shyfish out of hiding.

By fishing in all seasons, he learnt about thethunderstorms and floods and how therewas a distinct window that would mean hecould bring home a sugar bag full. If thewater was a little churned up one of Jack’sfavourite fish would come out in shoals. Butthe conditions had to be exactly right whena fresh came and the waters muddied notwhen the flood was raging, nor when it wasreceding.

Having spent years fishing alone andlearning to read the river Jack joined thelocal Angling club. By 1909 he had won tengold medals and fifteen first prizes. As anolder man, he took the time to teach youngfishers what he knew about fishing and fish,and the rivers they depended on.

Fishing a river – it’s about family and culturaltraditions, catching food, relaxation and sport. Thisphoto shows Alma Jean Sullivan fishing near Bourke,NSW. Photo: Photo: Philip Sullivan.

Many people have fond memories of fishing as children.Photo source: John Douglass.

2This book is about people, like Jack andAnnie Koolmatrie and Jack Ryan, who livealongside and fish the rivers of the MurrayDarling Basin. It tells part of the story aboutthe people, fish and rivers of the Basin andhow they interact and influence each other.It’s about how rivers, fish and fishing havechanged and about how people are workingto bring the rivers back to life.

Each chapter in this book captures some ofthe observations and the memories offishers across the Murray Darling Basin. Italso draws on other types of records,including historical accounts and scientificstudies to provide both context and insightsinto the changing health of the rivers andtheir fish.

Catch and release fishing is one of the changes tofishing that people talked about. Photo source: JasonSimpson.

The Basin The Murray Darling Basin is an iconic featureof the Australian landscape. It covers aneighth of the continent, crossing the bordersof five states or territories. It is made up oftwenty three river valleys, each withtributaries, billabongs, backwaters, creeksand wetlands. There are Alpine streams thatfreeze solid every year, ephemeral desertrivers that might not flow at all for years at atime as well as rivers with deep and widechannels carrying thousands of megalitres ofwater a day.

This complexity of shape and flow providesmany different habitats. Our native fishevolved to use these habitats and flourishwith the natural extremes of drought andflood.

Despite all its diversity, the Murray DarlingBasin is a connected whole where eventsand changes in one area can havedevastating consequences on rivers, fish andpeople downstream.

Past stories tell of clear water and vastshoals of fish, such as recorded in ThomasMitchell’s diary in 1835 while on the DarlingRiver:3

The water being beautifully transparent, thebottom was visible at great depths, showinglarge fishes in shoals, floating like birds inmid air.

We don’t see this now.

Many things, from the over allocation ofwater resources, poor land managementplanning and the expansion of primaryproduction, have contributed to a decline inriver health.

What we see now is a Basin that has onlyone tenth of the fish that it once had.

One fish that people have noticed declineacross the Basin is the eel tailed catfish. Thisis one of the many fish that fishersremembered as being more plentiful beforedams were built, widespread intensiveagriculture or the arrival of carp. They alsoremember freshwater mussels, water snailsand other small creatures that they don’tsee anymore.

Silver perch wereonce common acrossthe Basin.Photo: Fisheries Victoria.

3Stories relating to twelve rivers across theBasin are profiled in this book. The chapternumber is shown in brackets. Movingupstream, the stories start in SouthAustralia: the Coorong and Lower Lakes (2),where it all meets the Southern Ocean, andKatarapko Creek in the Riverland (3).

Crossing the border into New South Wales:the Lower Darling and the Great Anabranch(4) and the mainstem of the Murray Riverbetween Corowa and Echuca (5), part of theborder between Victoria and New SouthWales. Into Victoria: the Goulburn (6) andthe Ovens (7). Then back into NSW: UpperMurrumbidgee (8), Namoi (9) and the UpperDarling between Brewarrina and Bourke(10).

North west to the Paroo (11) in Queensland,then east to the Culgoa Balonne (12) andthe Upper Condamine (13).

Where the waters of the Murray Darling meetthe sea: the Coorong, where the stories in thisbook start. Photo: Jodi Frawley.

The Upper Condamine, near Warwick, Queensland,where water starts a long journey to the sea.

Photo: Greg Ringwood.

The Paroo – only in rare, good yearswill the water enter the Darling River.Photo: Greg Ringwood.

Alpine streams add snowmelt to the waters of theMurrumbidgee.Photo: Charlie Carruthers.

4

Fishing Fishing has always been a common activityfor people who live in the Murray DarlingBasin. In some families there aregenerations who have spent time next to ariver, watching it, fishing and enjoying beingoutside, in nature. Hours spent comfortablyalone or with family and friends, beingtaught to fish, fishing and teaching in turn.For the Aboriginal peoples of the Basin, therivers, fish and fishing are an integral part ofwho they are and their culture.

Whether fishing for relaxation, for food or asa social activity, fishers have experiencedchange in their rivers and the fish theycatch. Some know what they catch isdifferent from what their grandparentscaught. People new to the Basin or to fishingmight not realize that what they see now isnot what the rivers were, nor what theycould be.

People featured in this book are amongthose who want to see the rivers healthyand the fish flourishing once more. Theirvisions of what the rivers could be and theirdescriptions of the sorts of things they aredoing are part of the rich story of fishingthroughout the Basin.

Pearl and Joe Trindall, with their nephew Phil(centre). Photo: Jodi Frawley

Donny Richter. Photo: Jodi Frawley

John Aston. Photo source: John Aston

The fishers you will meet in this book comefrom all walks of life. They share theirmemories of fishing and of the changes theyhave seen in the many and varied parts ofthe Murray Darling Basin.

These fishers are among the 430,000 whofish the waters of the Basin.4 Some fish forrelaxation and some for food. Others fish orfished commercially. For some, fishing ispart of who they are. Over their lives, thereasons for fishing might have changed, andwhat was once a food on the table necessityhas become a recreation. This book includespeople who fish for many different reasonsand covers a range of perspectives.

For Aboriginal peoples throughout the Basin,fishing has remained a central part ofcommunity life.5,6 The location of many ofthe missions and reserves on or near riversenabled Aboriginal people to supplementthe meagre diets and rations of thepostcolonial era. Fishing is also part ofcontinuing traditional interactions withcountry and riverbanks remain importantplaces for gathering and storytelling.

5

Growing up fishing Growing up fishing is an important part ofmany fishers’ stories. In Aboriginalcommunities, this has largely been becauseof the enduring role of women as fishers forfood, accompanied by children and teachingthem Country in the process.7,8,9

In non Aboriginal communities, womenoften had the strongest memories of fishingduring the years when their children wereyoung. The river was a cool and enjoyableplace to take children to play in the heat ofsummer, to learn to swim and to fish. Duringthis time in women's lives, their relationshipwith the river and fishing was intense, but astheir children grew then their relationship tofishing also changed.10

Growing up fishing led some of thesechildren to take up careers that kept themclose to the rivers, either as commercialfishers in the Coorong and other areas, or asscientists studying fish or ecology orconservation.

Work and the rivers Working on or near rivers contributed a lotto people’s knowledge of rivers and of theirfish … as well as providing many differentopportunities to go fishing!

Working with stock around the Paroo River meantsometimes meant ‘droving’ by boat! During thefloods in 1935 and 1936 drovers had to use boatshauled by hand across the river to get stock to safety.Knowing when and how the rivers flooded was anintegral part of living and working around theserivers. Photo source: Colin Leigo.

For some like Joe and Pearl Trindall, drovingstock for months at a time meant getting toknow the rivers and the floodplains so theycould keep the stock healthy and have fishfor dinner. As a young married couple in the1940s they learnt how, where and whenwater flowed, during drought and flood.

The Trindall’s main observation now,comparing the Namoi river system todaywith the experiences they had as youngdrovers, is that there is far less wateravailable.

The Namoi is also one of the many riversthat have had snags removed – to improvenavigation and as a misguided attempt toimprove water flow. Previously this wasaccepted practice and resnagging wasconsidered heresy. But many fishers, likeBryan Pratt whose story is in theMurrumbidgee, know that snags are a goodplace to catch fish he says:

we knew snags were important becausewhen you go fishing for Murray cod … youhome in on the snags. That’s where the fishare.

A Murray cod at home amongst the snags. Themajority of Murray cod are found within one metre ofa snag. Photo: Craig Copeland.

J.O Langtry was both a fisher and a scientist.He says that over the two years working as abiologist in 1948 49 he learnt a lot as hetalked to anyone who fished – whether theydid it as a hobby, for a living or as a poacher.

6They were all for him a source of knowledgeabout the river and how it was changing. Inparticular, he stressed that as a scientist, helearned most about fish because he DID thefishing. As he explained, emphasising somethings very strongly:11

So, the thing about it is not just to go andLOOK at the river, it’s to go and WORK it. Tohandle it, to DO it! It’s the only way.

How people fished has changed over thedecades. Many of the fishers profiled heretalked about how they, and others, havechanged the gear they use, the techniquesand their overall approach.

Handing down the stories Although the collective memory of thepeople interviewed did not reach furtherback than the 1930s, in some instancespeople told stories handed down fromgeneration to generation.

In more recent times, one of the key changesidentified by fishers is that there has been ashift in attitudes from ‘taking it all’ to ‘catchand release’. Where once it was common andunremarkable to catch huge hauls of fish, thispractice is now frowned upon by mostfishers, whether they fish the UpperCondamine at the top of the system or LakeAlexandrina, right down near the mouth.

Tethering (top) was once commonplace and commonsense in an age when many fished for food andbefore refrigeration. Catch and release (below) hasbecome much more the usual since the latetwentieth century and tethering is frowned upon.Photo, top: NSW DPI. Photo source, below: Barry Porter.

While the techniques have changed, fishingremains an important aspect of family andcommunity life. Most people we spoke tolearnt to fish as part of the life of the family.

What was surprising was that mostly it wasnot their mothers or fathers who taughtthem to fish. Instead, they learnt alongsidecousins and siblings from other members oftheir extended families: uncles and auntsand grandparents. For some fishers,grandparents now themselves, theopportunity to teach their grandchildren tobe responsible fishers is both welcome andtaken seriously.

Colin Green and his grandson, Blake. Fishing is a partof family life. Photo source: Colin Green.

7

Part of who we are Aboriginal communities in the MurrayDarling Basin have related but slightlydifferent experiences of familial relationsand extended family. Fishing and trips to theriver are interwoven with storytelling andlearning their culture and interactionsbetween elders and youngsters. Riverbanksare places where creation stories wereretold and children are introduced intoAboriginal ways and responsibilities forPlace.

This idea of being responsible for the riverand its fish is an important one for manyAboriginal people. Feli McHughes, one ofour interviewees, has said about theBrewarrina Ngemba Billabong, on the UpperDarling River:12

Our billabong is significant to our culture, ourwell being, our value, Baiame’s healing,Australia’s reconciliation healing, Australia’senvironment, Australia’s conservation andrestoration.

The rehabilitation of a place like theBrewarrina Billabong will benefit thecommunity and the fish, plants and otherliving things that live in the billabong itselfand all the waterways it’s connected to. Top: Fish traps, Brewarrina. Photo: Philip Sullivan.

Middle: Alma Jean Sullivan, a renowned local fisher.Photo: Philip Sullivan.

Bottom: Ngemba Billabong. Photo: Feli McHughes.

CarpOne of the stories that will be handed downto generations to come is the arrival of carp.

Some of the fishers interviewed couldremember rivers before carp and have vividmemories of their arrival. Others have neverknown a river without them. Several fishersobserved that the carp do well because theriver system has changed with the buildingof dams and weirs, increased siltation andless variable cycles of dry and flood. Theyalso see how carp contribute to thesechanges, through their feeding habits andcompetition with native fish.

Most lament the introduction of carp, andsome like Dougie McGregor from the Paroowould be happy to see those responsible‘shot’. Others have learnt to use them invarious ways. Baarkantji woman JennyWhyman recalls how she was taught arecipe for pickled carp from her Yugoslavuncle.

Large congregations of carp can be common afterfloods. Nathan Reynoldson.

8The feelings about other introduced fish aremore ambiguous. Trout fishing has a longhistory in Europe and North America. Thesefish were introduced into Australia toprovide a familiar sport fishing experiencefor European migrants. In particular, flyfishing for trout was enjoyed by middle andupper class and were the focus for the firstfishing clubs and tournaments in Australia. Itwas believed that native fish were decidedlynot sporting fish. This started to change inthe mid twentieth century and now lure andfly fishers will regularly target nativespecies.

Bill Austin giving would be fly fishers a distancecasting demonstration at Eildon in 1945. He ishandling 30 yards of line with an Australian madecane rod. Photo source: Mick Hall.

Trout and other species like redfin, roachand tench have always been seen as goodeating fish and there are many people wholament the decline of redfin from the 1980sonwards.

New stories Whether it’s catfish or carp, catch andrelease or set lines, the regulation of flowsor not, the people we spoke to told storiesof changes to rivers and to the type andnumbers of fish. If we reflect on 150 years ofchange, can we imagine a Darling River clearto a depth of 30 feet? A Murray River withtens of thousands more snags, each with aMurray cod or a trout cod nearby? ACoorong teeming with mulloway, flounderand congolli?

There are fishers who remember the riversdifferently than they are today. These aretheir stories.

Top: Allowidgee, pictured fishing using a barkcanoe and reed spear in a way common toYorta Yorta men, Photo source: State Library ofSouth Australia, SLSA: PRG 422/3/704.

Middle: Fly fishing. Photo source: Jim Hanley.

Bottom: the next generation. Photo: NSW DPI.

9The Talking Fish project The Talking Fish project arose from an increasing realisationthat many different groups of people, including fishers,Indigenous communities, tourists and landholders havedeveloped unique relationships with the rivers of theMurray Darling Basin. There is also the growing recognitionthat the health of the Murray Darling Basin is at risk.

By accessing and recording different people’s stories abouttheir experiences of a river, its fish and how both havechanged will contribute to our collective knowledge and helpshape future management decisions. These stories also havethe potential to give people a sense of just what thesemagnificent rivers and their fish were once like and couldbe again with ongoing rehabilitation efforts.

The Talking Fish project focussed on 12 reaches within thefollowing rivers: Namoi (NSW), Upper Condamine River(Qld), Katarapko Creek (SA), Upper Murrumbidgee River(NSW / ACT), Culgoa Balonne Rivers (Qld / NSW), ParooRiver (Qld), Goulburn River (Vic), Lower Darling River and theGreat Anabranch (NSW), Ovens River (Vic), MainstemMurray River (NSW / Victoria), Upper Darling River (NSW)and The Coorong and Lower Lakes (SA).

The Talking Fish project is a starting point to share localknowledge and learned experience with others to improvethe health of the Murray Darling Basin. Project informationis available at: www.mdba.gov.au andwww.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries/habitat.

Aboriginal names usage noteThe attempts of early European settlers to translate the names ofAboriginal nations and language groups into English led tovariations in how these names were spelt. Local Aboriginal peopleoften prefer particular spellings. Where an interviewee has apreference, this is used in their profile.

Many special people contributed to the stories in this book and are listed in the Acknowledgements. Somewere profiled and others were not, but all contributed stories and photographs. Some of the people whoweren’t profiled are shown here.From left to right, starting at the top row: Ken Strachan, Graham Ellis, Peter Stid (Murray); Robert Horne(Namoi); Robert Lacey (Culgoa Balonne); Tim Gavin (Namoi); Bill Grace (Lower Darling); Pat Larkin (Ovens);Geoff Reilly (Condamine); Trish Johnson (Lower Darling); Gill Stoneham (Katarapko); Doug and JacquiJamieson (Namoi); Unc and Max Jeffrey (Upper Darling); Gary Sharpe (Ovens); Jim Hanley, Don Collihole, JeffVernon, Keith Jones (Goulburn); Mick and Barb Davis (Upper Darling).

10