News and Events

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.

A new chain of hotels has just been established in Tumut, but their guests will be fish!

We have been working with the Brungle Tumut Local Aboriginal Land Council (LALC) within the Riverina Highlands. Take a look at the recent activities that have been undertaken and the resulting impact on the local environment to improve the health and biodiversity of waterways.

As 2025 comes to a close, we’re proud to share some amazing achievements in the Riverina Highlands target area:

Join our staff these school holidays for a hands-on workshop where kids become wildlife heroes!

Join Riverina Local Land Services and Landcare for a hands-on workshop and explore the intriguing world of tree hollows and their importance to wildlife.

We have some fantastic events coming up for the Upper Billabong Refreshing Rivers BioBlitz! These are all free events and everyone is welcome!

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 us for an evening wetland walk, talk and free bbq dinner. Friday March 8th 2024 5.30 pm - 8.30 pm Topics include: aquatic and riparian vegetation, environmental water in the Yanco Creek System, wetland fish, bats and rakali, frog identification and spotlight

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.

In the upper reaches of the Mountain Creek, habitat restoration for the endangered Southern Pygmy Perch also has many benefits for landholders, revitalising much-loved and valuable creek systems.

A single Southern Pygmy Perch was netted in Little Billabong Creek today! The species was initially detected using eDNA sampling of the creek in February 2024, and a new population of this endangered fish species has now been fully confirmed.

Come say "Hi" to the Refreshing the Upper Billabong project officer, Peter Rowland, at the Holbrook Landcare Network's Ag-Tech Expo, being held at Little Billabong Hall on Thursday 13th February 2025

In February, we did some snapshot eDNA sampling at water quality sites across the Upper Billabong as part of Refreshing Rivers Program

We're doing some work on the Ten Mile Creek in the Ian Geddes Bush Reserve. Our Community Working Bee will be on on Sunday 11th August 2024 from 10-12pm. It will be just a low key morning of a little bit of planting on the creek bank and some bush regeneration-style weed control

Through the Refreshing Rivers Program, we are looking for landholders with farm dams, gravel pits or wetlands, who are interested in establishing refuge "arks" for this rare species of fish.

During the January school holidays, our next generation of citizen scientists came together at the Landcare Nursery in Tumut for a hands-on workshop all about the importance of hollows for native wildlife.

As 2025 comes to a close, we’re proud to share some amazing achievements in the Riverina Highlands target area:

Join our staff these school holidays for a hands-on workshop where kids become wildlife heroes!

Join Riverina Local Land Services and Landcare for a hands-on workshop and explore the intriguing world of tree hollows and their importance to wildlife.