NATIVE fish are thriving in the large water catchment area at The Rail.
In April last year, Natural Resources South East and Mount Gambier City Council trans-located 200 Southern Pygmy Perch from Pick Swamp at Piccaninnie Ponds Conservation Park to the former railway precinct.
NRSE wetlands conservation ecologist Steve Clarke said the project aimed to take a sterile pond and make it function as a native ecological system.
“Using suitable native fish and aquatic plants was a big part of the process,” he said.
“NRSE provided suitable plants, which were nurtured over a year until they were ready to go into the pond.”
Once the habitat was in place, the fish were moved to their new home and a year later the results could not be better.
“We are happy to report more than a year later the fish are thriving and breeding in their new habitat, which is a great outcome,” City of Mount Gambier environmental sustainability officer Aaron Izzard said.
Both parties involved in the project believe it has been an important step in the right direction to create a new home for the protected fish
species.
“One of the bonuses of having fish in the pond is they will control the mosquitoes,” Mr Clarke said.
Mr Izzard said the project had been a great partnership between the council and NRSE.
