Proud: Goulburn Valley Water manager operations Steve Nash, Goulburn Valley Water managing director Steve Capewell, Bushfire Recovery Victoria chief executive officer Mariela Diaz and Burnanga Indigenous Fishing Club president Corey Walker
Merrigum will soon have new recreational fishing opportunities for residents and visitors as a new project has been announced to transform unused water lagoons in Merrigum into fishing lakes.
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The project has been developed in collaboration between Goulburn Valley Water and the Burnanga Indigenous Fishing Club, with local contractors and businesses helping turn the site into a fish haven.
The Dunyak Moira (means fishing lake in Yorta Yorta laguage) Project will create opportunities for two decommissioned empty lagoons at the Merrigum Water Treatment Plant.
One is a 10-megalitre lagoon and the other 50 megalitre, which will be stocked with native fish.
It will take about two weeks for the entire lagoon to be filled before they begin transporting local fish into the man-made lake.
Goulburn Valley Water managing director Steve Capewell said it was a great opportunity to showcase to the rest of Victoria the opportunities for re-imagining uses for decommissioned assets.
“Like the two lagoons here in Merrigum and turning them into accessible community spaces to encourage people to connect with nature and enjoy local activities” Mr Capewell said.
“It’s fantastic for the Merrigum community to be able to have this on their doorstep.
“To be able to come here anytime year-round to have picnics, connect with family and friends and put a line in.”
He said it would provide children with a great resource of education showing the connection between water and the community.
Burnanga Indigenous Fishing Club president Corey Walker said the fishing lagoons would create opportunities for Burnanga to have a dedicated hub for social and educational activities.
“It will help with our purpose to care for country and culture through fishing and help to decrease social isolation and improve mental health and wellbeing across our community,” Mr Walker said.
“There was a need to set it up for our community and the youth to pass on our traditional knowledge and culture.”
Mr Walker said caring for country and culture through fishing was the motto of the Burnanga Indigenous Fishing Club.
“Our main objectives is getting our young people back on country. Learning about the environment and especially our culture,” he said.
“Having our elders passing on their knowledge base systems.”
Sustainability is one of the big factors in this project as fishing platforms will be constructed with recycled materials from projects at Goulburn Valley Water sites as well as other recycled and donated materials used in other areas of the construction.
Bushfire Recovery Victoria has donated rootballs from trees that were damaged in the 2021 storms.
Bushfire Recovery Victoria chief executive officer Mariela Diaz said they had thousands of trees that were destroyed or toppled on properties.
“Bushfire Recovery Victoria established a processing site where majority of the trees here came from the Central Highlands,” Ms Diaz said.
“All trees that have been contributed to community projects either in local parks or to community groups who want to reuse the materials such as men’s sheds.
“We are very proud of the use of these rootballs.
“It’s a great way to give back to the community. It’s a good example of a community, government and private sectors in collaboration.”
Bushfire Recovery Victoria also gave concrete pipes that will be turned into “fish hotels” to create habitats for the fish on the lagoon’s flat floor.
Passionate: Burnanga Indigenous Fishing Club President Corey Walker.
Progressing: Starting to fill the lagoon with water
