News and Events

Coleambally Central School students embraced muddy boots and big smiles as they joined YACTAC on November 27th to plant native wetland species at the Leeds property, “Broome”, on the Yanco Creek. The students planted jointed twig rush, spike rush, and sedges to restore a backwater habitat.

YACTAC, with Refreshing Rivers and DPI Fisheries grants, released 25,714 golden perch fingerlings. Golden perch, also known as yellow belly, are a native species of the Murray Darling Basin. Once abundant, populations have suffered due to habitat degradation, invasive species and river regulation.

The Black Summer Bushfires had a huge impact – including on the iconic Platypus. Populations may have declined by up to 18%, but work is underway to understand Platypus population health and restore habitat.

Over the course of several events in late 2022 and early 2023, significant work has been undertaken to restore fish habitat on the Colombo Creek. Schoolkids helped plant trees, while a separate event was held to reduce carp numbers through electro-fishing.

You know you've hit on something big when farmers stop what they are doing, in one of the busiest months of the year, to keenly participate in a workshop. Interest in the African Boxthorn biocontrol pilot program demonstrated just how much of a problem Boxthorn is.

In this hands-on workshop, aimed at the mature age group, you will learn how to record nature observations and contribute to an international biodiversity data base. Each participant will also receive free plants and resources to improve nature in their own back yard.

Join the Friends of Ian Geddes Bush Reserve. Everyone is welcome! We meet once a month to look after the Ten Mile Creek and Ian Geddes Bush Reserve in Holbrook. Bring something to share for afternoon tea and have a cuppa.

Join us these school holidays for a hands-on workshop where kids aged 7-15 will become citizen scientists and explore the fascinating world of tree hollows.

Join us these school holidays for a hands-on workshop where kids aged 7-15 will become citizen scientists and explore the fascinating world of tree hollows.

Join us for a Working Bee at Ian Geddes Reserve - Sunday 10th August 10 am - 12 pm

YACTAC were out in the New Year on the Billabong Creek, Conargo, releasing 27,273 golden perch (Macquaria ambigua) fingerlings as part of the Refreshing Rivers Program which aims to improve local waterway health.

A final day of electrofishing targeting carp (Cyprinus carpio), on a five kilometre stretch of Billabong Creek, Conargo, occurred on December 20th, 2023. Carp once again proved to be the dominant fish with a tally of 266 kgs for one day on a 5 km stretch of creek.

An instream planting event occurred in early November at Conargo TSR. Past Central Billabong environmental action has been about securing water and willow removal. Planting for purpose and instream restoration is being showcased as methods to use broadly.

YACTAC and Refreshing Rivers were at the Jerilderie Fishing Club’s Kids Fishing Day supporting a creative activity with a waterway theme. The chosen focus species was the eel-tailed catfish.

Citizen science afternoon at Colombo Creek, Morundah, looking for the elusive platypus with YACTAC and Murrumbidgee Landcare Inc.

This weekend if you're keen on getting out and about, Kylie is running a follow-up community working bee at the Ian Geddes Bush Reserve. This is a great opportunity for locals to get involved in Landcare and work on a really valuable space in our local community. Sunday, 29th September - 10am to

We have been working on the Ian Geddes Bushwalk as a demonstration site for waterways for our Refreshing Rivers program - 2 community working bees doing bush regeneration style weed control and replanting.

In December 2024 Kylie Durant met up with local landholder and small-bodied fish breeder, Lachie Nevison, to plant some water plants in the Ten Mile Creek in Ian Geddes Bush Reserve, Holbrook NSW. We followed up in February to see how they were doing after a hot, dry summer...

Woomargama Station recently hosted the LaTrobe University group who are working on a Farm Scale Natural Capital account framework

What an enormous weekend! The HLN Bioblitz team (Peter, Kylie and Jo) spent Friday to Monday blitzing the Upper Billabong.

In this hands-on workshop, aimed at the mature age group, you will learn how to record nature observations and contribute to an international biodiversity data base. Each participant will also receive free plants and resources to improve nature in their own back yard.

Works have began to restore Morleys Creek which runs through the town of Gundagai.

Join us these school holidays for a hands-on workshop where kids aged 7-15 will become citizen scientists and explore the fascinating world of tree hollows.

Join us these school holidays for a hands-on workshop where kids aged 7-15 will become citizen scientists and explore the fascinating world of tree hollows.

Refreshing Rivers has recently completed works focussing on the critically endangered Tumut Grevillea (Grevillea wilkinsonii). This Grevillea is one of the regions rarest plants with just over 1,000 individuals surviving along a 6km section of the Goobarragandra River in eastern Riverina.