Fishing & Aquaculture

		Angling Waters of the Maribyrnong River Basin
			MARIBYRNONG RIVER BASIN MAP (PDF 149Kb)
			BARRINGO CREEK
			BOLINDA CREEK
			BOYD CREEK
			DEEP CREEK
			EMU CREEK
			GISBORNE CREEK
			JACKSONS CREEK
			MARIBYRNONG RIVER
			RIDDELLS CREEK
			ROSSLYNE RESERVOIR
			TAYLORS LAKES
			LAMPREY

A Guide to the Inland Angling Waters of Victoria
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Maribyrnong River Basin 30
MANAGEMENT | DIVERSIONS | HERITAGE | FISH STOCKING | BEST FISHING WATERS | THREATENED FISH | ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS | LAMPREY

Maribyrnong River, Arundell Road

Flow in Deep Creek is unregulated but is usually quite low during January and February. Flow in Jacksons Creek and to some extent the lower Maribrynong River is regulated because of Rosslyne Reservoir and is normally also low during summer. Despite these flow constraints, fishing is available all year in Deep, Jacksons and Emu Creeks because of the presence of extensive areas of deep pools and permanent fish habitat. Most waterways flow through private property, and, due to settlement largely taking place before Crown Land Frontage was implemented, ownership often extends to the top of the bank or even mid stream.

There is access without permission through parks and at road crossings, however the best fishing locations will require access through private property. It is essential to ask permission before entering fenced property and walking to or along most waterways. This will usually be given. Brown trout are present throughout the system with the better areas being Riddells, Emu, and Jacksons Creeks. Catches are not large but fish are of a reasonable size. Fishing requires some effort to get to various good fishing areas and perseverance to get to know the best fishing spots.

Management

Fisheries Victoria, DPI, manages stocking and fisheries policy. The Port Phillip Fisheries, DPI, manages compliance with fisheries regulations and angler contact. The Victorian Inland Fisheries Strategy has listed Jacksons Creek as a mixed species fishery. The urban water authority for almost all waters in the Basin is Melbourne Water Corporation with some other waters managed by Western Region Water Authority. Gippsland and Southern Rural Water Authority manage rural water diversion for irrigation/stock use.

The catchment management authority is Port Phillip Catchment and Land Protection Board. A Streamflow Management Plan is being developed for the Upper Maribyrnong River (Deep Creek).

Diversions

There are 16 water diversion sites with water from Jacksons Creek stored in Rosslyne Reservoir (24,700ML) then to Sunbury. From Barringo Creek into Baringo Reservoir (105ML) then to Gisborne and also direct from the creek to Sunbury. From Willimigongon Creek into two reservoirs (28ML & 250ML) then to Macedon. From Bawden Reservoir (28ML) to Macedon. From Turritables Creek, Chapmans Creek and Willimigongon (Stoney) Creek to Mount Macedon. From Bolinda Creek to Sunbury and Romsey. From Main Creek to Sunbury and Riddell. From Charlies Creek to Sunbury. From Garden Hut Creek and Monument Creek to Lancefield.

Heritage River Areas, Natural Catchment Areas and Representative Rivers

None in this Basin.

Ramsar Sites

None in this Basin

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.

Freshwater Fish in the Basin

The most widespread angling species are brown trout and short-finned eel which occur in most waters. Redfin and tench are also widespread.

Best Fishing Waters

Threatened Fish Species

The Department of Sustainability and Environment has listed Australian grayling as Vulnerable and Yarra pygmy perch as Lower Risk-near threatened. Both species are listed under the Flora & Fauna Guarantee Act 1988.

Environmental Condition of Waterways

The Department (1990) classified most of the length of the major streams to be in moderate environmental condition with the remainder in poor condition. However, although riparian vegetation is often lacking or sparse and is usually non-indigenous, the channels are in good condition, particularly Deep, lower Jacksons and Emu Creeks. Substrate is coarse material with little sedimentation.

There is adequate water depth in pools, even at low flows. The conclusion is that these creeks still have very good instream habitat for aquatic biota. The minor streams are generally in poor to very poor environmental condition except for those in the Mt Macedon and Cobaw Ranges. Salinity levels can exceed 1,000EC in all waterways and are usually higher than the desirable levels for drinking water particularly during low flows. Water in rivers in the urban areas can have high levels of nutrients and E. coli from stormwater run-off; and there can be increases in Biological Oxygen Demand and decreases in dissolved oxygen. Sewerage treatment plants discharge into Riddells and Jacksons Creeks and the Maribyrnong River but are not significant polluters under normal flow conditions.

Platypus are common throughout the catchment and water rats are present in the lowland reaches of the streams. Riparian vegetation in these areas is a patchy, narrow strip of river red gums with an exotic understorey of tussock grass, boxthorn, tree violet, willows and blackberry. Only the wooded upland streams of the Macedon and Cobaw Ranges have relatively healthy riparian plant communities. Fishways have been constructed on 4 barriers in the Maribrynong River .

© The State of Victoria