(Information taken from the Victorian Fisheries Authority)
Check this out! The Dunyak Moira community fishing ponds at Merrigum, on Yorta Yorta Country, are now open to the public.
Dunyak Moira, meaning [‘fishing lagoon’], features two previously decommissioned lagoons at the Merrigum Water Treatment Plant, near Shepparton. Thanks to Goulburn Valley Water and the Burnanga Indigenous Fishing Club Inc., these once-dry lagoons have been transformed into public fishing ponds, complete with floating fishing platforms and root ball fish habitat donated by Emergency Recovery Victoria.
The lagoons are home to big Murray cod – some measuring nearly a metre in length – and massive yellas that we relocated from Greens Lake and irrigation channels near Shepparton last year.
This recreational fishery is privately co-managed by Goulburn Valley Water (GVW) and the Burnanga Indigenous Fishing Club. It celebrates our wonderful native fish and the rich culture that has sustained them for thousands of years.
To ensure it remains a fantastic native fishery for future generations, GVW and the club have a catch-and-release policy. This means any cod and yellas caught here must be handled carefully and returned to the water (after a quick pic, of course).
For tips on best-practice handling of native fish, check out https://vfa.vic.gov.au/education/codhandling.
For more information on Dunyak Moira, including opening hours, a map and rules, visit https://www.gvwater.vic.gov.au/dunyak-moira.