Fishing & Aquaculture

		Angling Waters of the South Gippsland West Basin
			SOUTH GIPPSLAND WEST BASIN MAP (PDF 128Kb)
			BASS RIVER
			BERRYS CREEK
			ELIZABETH CREEK
			KORUMBURRA RESERVOIRS
			LANCE CREEK
			LEONGATHA RESERVOIRS
			LITTLE BASS RIVER
			POOWONG RESERVOIR
			POUND CREEK
			POWLETT RIVER
			SALTWATER CREEK
			SCREW CREEK
			SWAN LAKE
			TARWIN RIVER EAST BRANCH
			TARWIN RIVER WEST BRANCH
			WATKINS CREEK
			WILD DOG CREEK
			WILKUR CREEK

A Guide to the Inland Angling Waters of Victoria
Home | River Basins Map | Angling Waters A-Z

South Gippsland Basin 27 West
MANAGEMENT | DIVERSIONS | HERITAGE | FISH STOCKING | BEST FISHING WATERS | THREATENED FISH | ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

Bass landing looking east

This section of the Basin is almost entirely cleared farmland with very small patches of forest north west of the Bass River and in the upper reaches of the Tarwin River West Branch. The terrain is all steep hills except in the central area including the catchments of the Powlett River and the lower Tarwin River, which is flat farmland with unconsolidated soils. A dune complex exists south of Andersons Inlet. Mean annual rainfall is from 700-1,000mm and catchment yields are high (250-300 ML/sq.km.) resulting in a reliable flow regime in the rivers.

The Tarwin River is the largest river and has the best fishing with brown trout in the upper reaches, river blackfish in the west branch and estuary perch in the lower reaches. The other rivers have limited fishing value. There is a good population of the threatened Australian grayling in the upper reaches of the Tarwin River West Branch. There are only two larger estuaries (Tarwin and Powlett Rivers) and these contain similar estuarine fish species as in the eastern section of Basin 27.

Management

Fisheries Victoria, DPI, manages stocking and fisheries policy. Gippsland Fisheries, DPI, manage compliance with fisheries regulations and angler contact. The Victorian Inland Fisheries Strategy classifies the Tarwin River as a mixed species water. The West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority is responsible for land management in the eastern area of the Basin and the Port Phillip Catchment and Land Protection Board is responsible for the Bass River catchment. Gippsland & Southern Rural Water Authority control irrigation and rural diversion. Urban water diversion is controlled by the South Gippsland Region Water Authority in the east and Westernport Region Water Authority west of Wonthaggi.

Diversions

Water is diverted from Bellview Creek into Korumburra Reservoir (400ML) then to Korumburra. From Little Bass River into Poowong Reservoir (270ML) then to Poowong, Loch and Nyora townships. From Tennant Creek into Candowie Reservoir (2,270ML) then to Westernport. From Lance Creek into Lance Creek Reservoir (1,920ML) then to Inverloch and Wonthaggi. From Battery Creek to a 27.3ML reservoir then to Fish Creek township. From the East Tarwin River to Dumbalk. From East and West Tarwin to Meeniyan. From Coalition Creek tributaries into a 240ML reservoir then to Korumburra. From Ruby Creek into four Leongatha Reservoirs (total 2,155ML) on the creek, then to Leongatha.

Heritage River Areas, Natural Catchment Areas and Representative Rivers

None present.

Ramsar Sites

None present

Fish Stocking

The Department of Primary Industries' (DPI) fish stocking program is designed to enhance recreational fishing opportunities for:

• Desirable introduced species such as brown trout, rainbow trout, Chinook salmon and Atlantic salmon, and
• Desirable native fish species such as golden perch, Murray cod, Australian bass and silver perch.

Stocking Plans for desirable species are developed annually as part of the regional consultation process involving VRFish representatives and various arms of DPI including Fisheries Victoria and Primary Industries Research Victoria (PIRVic).

Up to date information can be found on the Fish Stocking section in Fisheries and Aquaculture.

Best Fishing Waters

Threatened Fish Species

The only threatened fish species in the Basin is Australian grayling which is listed by the Department of Sustainability and Environment as Vulnerable and it is also listed under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988.

Freshwater Fish in the Basin

Environmental Condition of Waterways

Most waterways in this section of Basin 27 are in poor to moderate environmental condition with some sites in very poor condition. The Bass River is in generally poor condition with willows or cleared banks, bank erosion and shallow water because of sedimentation. The lower reaches of the Tarwin River are in moderate to good condition with stable banks and good riparian vegetation. Conditions upstream vary from good to poor condition depending on the condition of the riparian vegetation and bank stability.

© The State of Victoria