NSW

Constructed during the 1980s, the Barham Lakes Complex is a 15ha site consisting of four manmade lakes and was stocked in the 1980s with native fish species such as Murray cod, golden perch, silver perch and catfish.

The fish have thrived over the years and the lakes remained one of the largest self-sustaining populations of native catfish. Now, works have begun on a combined community project funded by cluBarham aiming to restore and enhance the habitat of the Barham Lakes Complex.

The project consists of five stages, with the project team currently working through stage one. Last Friday (May 19), Year 7s from Barham High School (BHS) visited cluBarham's lakes precinct to investigate the presence of fish species and surrounding habitat. Four fyke nets were set by subject matter experts Dan Hutton and Ant Jones and retrieved with the help of BHS students and Geoff Barker from Barham Landcare.

Students learnt about habitat, identification of native and exotic species and importance of environmental water security in our community. The visit aligned with Year 7 NSW Science Curriculum - diversity, conservation and management of ecosystems.

The cluBarham Lakes project is a community project building an ongoing partnership with several community groups, including Western Murray Land Improvement Group, BHS and Barham Landcare. Students from Years 7, 9, 10 and 11 will continue to be involved in revegetation and rehabilitation over the coming months as the old 'swimming hole' is developed to be a threatened small-bodied native fish nursery.

Targeted small-bodied native fish include endangered southern pygmy perch and purple spotted gudgeon. Up until approximately 2018, Barham Lakes Complex was an area of public access for recreational fishing and 4km of walking tracks. The complex remains off limits to the general public.

Source: Koondrook & Barham Bridge, Llyod Polkinghorne

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