Western Murray Land Improvement Group Inc

CluBarham Lakes Planting Day with Schools

Terrestrial vegetation plantings in collaboration

Community Participation - LEP_023_LLC

The issue

100 terrestrial plants were gifted to the project by Ricegrowers Association, along with the offer of Deniliquin High’s experienced Wellbeing students to provide labour. Since funding for the project from the Tri-State Murray NRM Regional Alliance had been exhausted, sourcing tree guards, mulch, aquatic plants and funding to ensure Traditional Owner attendance and the overall success of the donation was a challenge.  

Traditional Owner involvement was of paramount importance for the overall project, which is to create a native fish nursery of endangered small-bodied fish for Traditional Owners to release into the wider Edward-Wakool River system. Further, undertaking field work alongside TOs builds capacity and relationships.

The solution

Barham and Deniliquin High School students attended Barham Lakes to complete revegetation work. Both terrestrial plants grown at Tulla Natives and aquatic species transferred from within the local area were planted, assisted by Western Murray Land Improvement Group (WMLIG), Traditional Owners from the Moama Local Aboriginal Land Council, Deniliquin Landcare and volunteers. Students from Year 8 at Barham High School and from Year 10 at Deniliquin High School worked hard to plant, mulch, guard and water the plants, which included ground cover Eremophila and native tussock grasses. Aquatic plants such as water ribbon, water primrose, milfoil and rush were transferred as all-important emergent and submerged vegetation for fish habitat.

  1. Donations of tree guards and mulch were sought from WMLIG’s contacts, which was successful. A local volunteer provided advice regarding where to source aquatic vegetation, which was done with permission from the site’s owner.
  2. WMLIG applied for funding from cluBarham community grants program to pay facilitate TO attendance and was successful.

The impact

This project focuses on Lake 3, which was stocked in 2024 with 1000 Purple Spotted Gudgeon fingerlings, a threatened small-bodied fish species local to the area.

Vegetation cover, particularly submerged and emergent, is crucial to creating habitat for and ensuring the success of a native fish nursery. Vegetation provides substrate for egg-laying, protection from predators including larger fish and birds, maintains water temperature and health, and provides a feed source for fish. Additional threatened species will be released into the nursery once vegetation cover is adequate. As these fish mature, they will be introduced into the Edward-Wakool system, contributing to the health and diversity of the ecosystem.

Terrestrial vegetation provides additional benefits to the site, including bank stabilisation, habitat for diverse creatures, and an improvement in the visual and recreational amenity of the site.

Community involvement in the project provides for education and a sense of pride and ownership.

Author: Roger Knight

Key facts

  • Total 44 participants
  • 33 volunteers:
  • 7 x Year 10 Students from Deniliquin High School Wellbeing Program
  • 25 x Year 8 Students from Barham High School
  • 1 x Deniliquin Landcare Volunteer (vegetation Subject Matter Expert)
  • 11 paid participants:
  • 3 x WMLIG staff
  • 2 x Traditional Owners from Moama Aboriginal Land Council
  • 2 x Deniliquin High Staff
  • 3 x Barham High Staff
  • 1 Ricegrowers Association Landcare staff
  • 100 x terrestrial plants planted

Project Partners