General News
26 February, 2026
FLASHBACK: February 26 1976
In officially opening the Fisheries and Wildlife Division’s Warm Water Fisheries Station Pilot Project at Lake Charlegrark west of Horsham, the Minister for Conservation, Mr W. A. Borthwick, said that the project was a very important step in the Division’s plan for the rehabilitation of native fishes in Victoria.
Mr Borthwick said that most native fishes such as Murray Cod, Golden Perch, Silver Perch and Catfish had suffered greatly through man-made environmental changes in our river systems and waterways over the last half-century.
He said the future of native fishes depended on there being intensive management in much the same way as trout is produced and stocked in Victorian waters.
Lake Charlegrark was stocked with Murray Cod by the Division about 20 years ago.
The stocking was very successful and there is now a population of cod in the lake which spawn every year.
The main objective of the Division’s program in the near future is to catch many thousands of very small Murray cod from the lake and grow them using artificial foods in ponds which have been built alongside the lake.
When the fish are several inches long they will be used for stocking selected waters in the State.
This is the first time in Australia that intensive rearing of Murray cod has been attempted on this scale and the results of the work will be of great value in the ultimate planning for the Division’s warm water fisheries research station and hatchery.
Mr Borthwick said the project has the full backing of the Victorian Piscatorial Council who represents the anglers of Victoria.
He believed the ultimate success of the operation would be welcomed by all conservationists and particularly by the many Australians who consider the Murray cod to be the premier trophy fish in south-eastern Australia.