THE Victorian Fisheries Authority stocked Kings Billabong in Victoria for the first time this week, with 20,000 Murray cod, 20,000 golden perch and 40,000 silver perch being released to improve freshwater fishing opportunities.
Kings Billabong is 8 km from Mildura and is popular with nature lovers including bushwalkers, birdwatchers, canoeists, campers and in years to come, hopefully, anglers.
Indigenous people of the Millewa Mallee region have enjoyed the billabong’s healthy wetland for thousands of years, with shell middens and scar trees indicating a lifestyle celebrated on its banks.
The 80,000 native fish were funded by Recreational Fishing Licence fees and the Victorian Government.
The fingerlings, averaging 1 gram each and 2-3 cm, will take three to four years to reach catchable size. More fish stockings are planned each summer to add depth to this developing fishery.
