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" Working towards the equitable, efficient and sustainable use of water, land and other environmental resources of the Queensland Murray Darling Basin "

Demonstration Reach

Demonstration reaches are large scale river reaches, or wetlands, where a number of management interventions are applied to showcase the cumulative benefits of river rehabilitation on native fish populations.

When carried out in isolation, the effects of rehabilitation activities may only be small in scale and limited to a few species. Demonstration reaches are designed to showcase the benefits when all river-rehabilitation works are integrated and focused in one place. Read more about Demonstration reaches...

The Native Fish Strategy

Demonstration reaches are a component of the Murray-Darling Basin Commission’s Native Fish Strategy, which is a response to the decline of native fish in the Basin from key threats, such as flow regulation, habitat degradation, barriers to the movement of fish, and introduction of alien fish species.

As a result of these threats, current populations of native fish communities across the whole Basin are estimated to be at about 10% of pre-European settlement levels. The goal of the Native Fish Strategy is to rehabilitate native fish communities in the Basin back to 60% of their estimated pre-European settlement levels within the next 50 years.

For more information on the Murray-Darling Basin Commission's Native Fish Strategy, visit the website, or download a summary of the strategy.

Border Rivers Demonstration Reach

QMDC has taken a lead role in implementing the Native Fish Strategy and establishing a demonstration reach in the Border Rivers catchment. The Border Rivers Demonstration Reach includes:

• the Dumaresq River downstream of Glenlyon dam (on Pike Creek);

• the Macintyre Brook downstream of Coolmunda dam;

• the Macintyre River downstream of Pindari Reservoir (on the Severn River); and

• waters extending to Boomi.

However, as this reach is quite long, a priority area has been chosen, which will be the initial area for activities. This area will become a demonstration tool for the wider community, showcasing how multiple interventions can be implemented. A map of the priority area, which includes the Macintyre River between Bogabilla Weir and Talwood, will be uploaded to this page shortly.

The role of the community

The community plays a major role in the development and maintenance of demonstration reaches. There are many opportunities for hands-on participation, and may include involvement in:

• The planning phase of the project, including site selection and management;

• Undertaking management interventions, such as rehabilitation of riparian zones; and 

• Monitoring of fish number before and after management interventions take place.

Typical management interventions

Typical management interventions that are undertaken within demonstration reaches may include:

• Rehabilitating riparian vegetation: involves both the protection and enhancement of vegetation within riparian areas, or areas of land that adjoins or directly influences a body of water.

• Re-snagging: involves replacing snags, such as branches and fallen logs, which have been removed from many of Queensland's rivers.

• Controlling alien species: activities undertaken aim to reduce the impact of alien fish, such as European Carp, Goldfish and Mosquito fish.

• Improving water quality: healthy fish populations rely on good water quality, so activities can be undertaken, such as improved agricultural management practices, to encourage improvements in water quality. 

• Improving fish passage: structures, such as dams, weirs, floodgates, culverts and roads can prevent the movement of fish up and down a river system, impacting on breeding, feeding and other movements necessary to their survival. 

More information

• Find out more about Demonstration Reach projects.

• Read the Executive Summary of the "Characteristics of fish fauna of the Macintyre and Dumaresq Rivers and Macintyre Brook" report, completed by the Department of Natural Resources and Water. 

• Find out about the 'Study of an Icon: Murray Cod' project.

• Find out more about the Intergrated Pest Management for Carp project.

Contacts

Demonstration Reach Project Officer
Queensland Murray-Darling Committee
07 4671 7900

Native Fish Strategy Coordinator, Queensland
Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries
07 3224 2164

Water Projects Officer
Border Rivers Gwydir Catchment Management Authority
02 6721 9810

This project is being delivered in partnership with the Queensland Murray-Darling Committee, Border Rivers Gwydir Catchment Management Authority and the Murray-Darling Basin Commission, and is supported by the Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre, The University of New England and Landcare.

Information on this page has been adapted from the Murray-Darling Basin Commission's Native Fish Strategy.