This is a very large flat drainage basin located mainly in South Australia. The small area extending into Victoria consists of unconsolidated deposits extending north to Booroopki, then a northern area of sand dune complex. The southern area has some farmland and scattered low forest while the dune area is covered with mallee/saltbush and heathland scrub.
Mean annual rainfall in the north is 400-500 mm increasing to just over 700 mm in the south. Surface water consists of a large number of shallow, brackish lakes and swamps and the upper reaches of Mosquito Creek. However only a few waters are suitable for angling. Murray cod and golden perch have been introduced into a number of waters.
Freshwater Fish in the Basin
- (Large fish): Murray cod and golden perch.
- (Small fish): Flathead gudgeon, * unspecked hardyhead, Australian smelt, southern pygmy perch and Yarra pygmy perch.
- Brown trout, rainbow trout, goldfish, redfin and tench.
Native species in bold are protected in this Basin. Introduced species in bold are declared noxious.
* Recorded in 1971 but some doubt as outside natural range (Murray system).
See Introduction for information on management agencies and programs.
The Victorian Fisheries Authority
- manages stocking, fisheries policy, compliance with fisheries regulations and angler contact
- Fisheries Management Plan (FMP) (a recent project that provides recreational anglers, government agencies and other stakeholders with clear guidance on fisheries management issues with a regional area over a five year period).
A FMP has been declared which covers some waters within this Basin. Fisheries Victoria Report Series. Wimmera Fishery Management Plan. No 68. November 2009.
- Stocking Program (stocking plans for desirable species are based on an approved Victorian Fisheries Authority stocking policy and are reviewed annually via Vic Fish Stock). Native fish are stocked into Bringalbert Lake, Carpolac Lake, Charlegrark Lake and Miga Lake. Brown trout and/or rainbow trout are stocked into Wallace Lake. All stockings suspended in 2008/09 because of lack of water.
Up to date information on numbers and size of each species stocked can be found under Fish Stocking in the Fisheries and Aquaculture section of this website or in the annual Vic Fish Stock Report published by the department.
- Family Fishing Lakes Program (an ongoing project of stocking small waters within urban areas with larger trout, for junior and disabled anglers. See Introduction for further information). There are none in this Basin.
- Victorian Stream Classification (a project that was completed in November 2010, which classifies each water as a native, salmonid or mixed fishery). Classifications relevant to this basin are:
- Trout- Wallace Lake.
- Native- all other waters.
Glenelg Hopkins/Wimmera Catchment Management Authority
- are responsible for catchment management and the Victorian River Health Program.
- Victorian River Health Program (an on-going state government initiative to achieve healthy rivers, streams and floodplains). No activities in this Basin.
Grampians Wimmera Mallee Rural Water
- manages irrigation, domestic and stock and some bulk water supply services; also development of Stream Flow Management Plans.
- Stream Flow Management Plans (an ongoing project in which various agencies and water user's develop a flow sharing arrangement which ensures an adequate environmental flow allocation for each river in Victoria). None in this Basin.
Best Fishing Waters
|Lake Charlegrark||Murray cod|
|Booroopki Swamp||Murray cod|
|Lake Wallace||Redfin & salmonids|
Threatened Fish Species
Three species in this Basin (Murraycod, unspecked hardyhead and Yarra pygmy perch) are threatened species in Victoria. The list of Victorian threatened species, with their national conservation value, scientific names and explanation of their conservation status category, is available on the DSE web site (Department of Sustainability and Environment [DSE] Dec 2007).
Species in bold type are also listed under the Flora and Fauna GuaranteeAct1988.) and cannot be taken or kept without an order, licence or permit. Such an order by the Governor in Council allows the taking of Murray cod.