The Menindee community is invited to an open day to tour the new state-of-the-art tube fishway on their doorstep, with the temporary fish passage trial now underway in the Lower Darling-Baaka.
The project is part of the $6.52 million commitment to trial new fish passage technology at Menindee until June 2027, which is a key component of the NSW Government's $25 million Restoring the Darling-Baaka River Program.
NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) Executive Director Fisheries, Bryan McDonald, says the open day will be a chance for locals to see and hear more about the project and plans for the next two years of the trial.
"The fishway has been in the Lower Darling-Baaka River since the end of January 2025, and to recognise this outcome, DPIRD is inviting community members to come along and learn more about this cutting-edge technology before it enters the off-season and what it hopes to achieve over the course of the trial," Mr McDonald said.
"A community open day will be held on Saturday 12 April to provide visitors with a site tour, including a demonstration of the fishway technology and an opportunity to participate in the art installation of painting the pipes, connecting community and Barkandji culture.
"There will also be some recreational fishing education activities, as well as a free barbecue lunch by the Baaka for the community to enjoy."
To register for the open day on Saturday 12 April 10am-3pm, or one of the site tours planned from 8-11 April, please visit https://www.eventbrite.com.a/e/lower-darling-baaka-temporary-fishway-trial-opening-events-tickets-1270107067429
Mr McDonald said the NSW Government's trial will assess whether this Australian-first fishway technology can help reduce the risks for future fish kills in the Lower Darling-Baaka.
"Our native fish require access along waterways to survive and reproduce, and the Fishheart floating fishway system is designed to help fish move past large barriers," Mr McDonald said.
"Currently we have regulators and weirs blocking fish passage and contributing to significant increases in fish biomass, especially in the Menindee town weir pool.
"This trial is a temporary option to help native fish in the region while we explore permanent fish passage solutions, but it will show us whether the Fishheart technology is effective in safely moving fish upstream from the Menindee town weir pool to complete their life cycle, helping to reduce the biomass in the reach and associated risks for water quality and fish kills."
DPIRD Fisheries staff have been working with Fishheart to assess and enhance operations as part of the first few months of the trial, focussing on training the artificial intelligence video system to correctly identify, measure and count different fish species and sizes.
"Research staff will be back on country during the open week to carry out hydraulic testing using special 'Sensor Fish', a fake fish that will record detailed data on pressure, movement and turbulence conditions real fish experience as they move through the fishway," said Mr McDonald.
"This rigorous monitoring, evaluation and research will provide insights into the effectiveness of the fishway and the implications for safely passing fish to ensure optimal operation when trials re-commence during the next migration season in September 2025."
