60 people attended the 2 day event held in March at Griffith, NSW. We were fortunate to have sponsorship from the Griffth Ex-Servicemen’s Club (Exies) who provided an exceptional venue in their function room. Day 1 was all lectures with presentations by John Townsend, Rob McCormack, Paul Van der Werf, Matt Ryan and Graeme Bowley. Power point presentations will be added into the members library for all members to view. The first day was followed by a conference dinner where we all got together for a good feed, drink and chat.

Day 2 was farm tours that started with us all meeting at the Bagtown Inn Motel and then heading off to the first farm “Silverwater Native Fish”

Attendants arriving at Silverwater Native Fish
Field Day Attendants arriving at Silverwater Native Fish
Ian Charles from Silverwater Native Fish addresses attendants
Ian Charles from Silverwater Native Fish addresses attendants
Ian Charles scooping Murray Cod fingerlings from a holding tank
Ian Charles scooping Murray Cod fingerlings from a holding tank
Murray Cod fingerlings
Murray Cod fingerlings
Silverwater Native Fish floating cod cages
Silverwater Native Fish floating cod cages
Ian scooping Murray Cod from a floating cage
Ian scooping Murray Cod from a floating cage
Ian showing his Murray Cod to attendants
Ian showing his Murray Cod to attendants

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Our thanks to Ian for opening his farm and sharing his wealth of information with the attendants.

After Ian’s farm we headed off to the NSW DPI’s, John Lake Centre – Narrandera Fisheries Centre at Narrandera. Opened in 1962 as a research centre to study the breeding biology and ecology of inland aquatic systems. Since then, NFC has been the centre of inland freshwater fisheries research in NSW, and has also developed into a productive hatchery, providing fingerlings of Murray cod, Trout cod, Golden perch and Silver perch, to improve freshwater recreational fisheries and conservation initiatives. Les Rava was our guide and attendants got to see the centre, the ponds and we also had a great lunch there.

NSW DPI Fisheries - John Lake Centre
NSW DPI Fisheries – John Lake Centre

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Les in the centres lecture room informing delegates of the centres function and facilities
Les in the centres lecture room informing delegates of the centres function and facilities
Inspecting the ponds
Inspecting the ponds

After Lunch at the John Lake Centre we moved onto the next farm. I and a group of us missed that farm, we were all waiting out front whilst everyone else slipped in the backway – woopsie.  Nevertheless we met up again on the way to the next farm.

Riverina Aquaculture, as part of Murray Gold Cooperative at Bilbul. Matt Ryan was our host and showed us all his aquaculture facility. Matt has an intensive high density aquaculture operation, culturing Murray Cod in floating cages within an irrigation dam.

 

Matts, floating cages within a dam
Matts, floating cages within a dam
Floating Murray Cod cages
Floating Murray Cod cages

A great time was had by all and we hope to have future events in the region.

Cheers
Rob