27 November 2025
A native fish species that was declared locally extinct in Victoria 27 years ago is now calling Merrigum’s Dunyak Moira Fishing Ponds home.
Goulburn Valley Water and Burnanga Indigenous Fishing Club have partnered with the Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority, North Central Catchment Management Authority, RiverConnect, Victorian Fisheries Authority and SEALIFE Melbourne Aquarium to provide a sanctuary for 370 Southern Purple-Spotted Gudgeon fish that have been bred at the aquarium in the last six years.
They were released at the Dunyak Moira Fishing Ponds last week, cementing the recreational fishing facility’s reputation as one of regional Victoria’s most innovative community assets.
Dr Steve Capewell, Managing Director of Goulburn Valley Water, said the release demonstrated the unique role the site plays in conservation.
“Dunyak Moira is more than a fishing spot – it’s a place where conservation, recreation, and community come together,” Dr Capewell said.
“The release of endangered species shows what can be achieved through collaboration and highlights the importance of protecting biodiversity for future generations.”
“This project sets a benchmark for how we manage water assets for the benefit of people and the environment. It shows that even small sites can have a big impact when partners and communities work together.”
Dunyak Moira is now home to not only the Southern Purple Spotted-Gudgeons – known as the “Zombie Fish” due to the fact it appears to have come back from the dead – but also another endangered species, the Southern Pygmy Perch (or Pyg).
The ponds provide ideal conditions for the fish, which will one day help repopulate waterways across Victoria. Another of the endangered species - the Flathead Galaxias – will join the site in coming months.
This week saw a visit from the Victorian Fisheries Authority Recreational Fishing Licence Advisory Committee to the ponds, which earlier this year committed $25,000 for three new fishing pontoons. There are now seven pontoons at the site, including a wheelchair-accessible option.
For more information about Dunyak Moira, including opening hours, facilities and fishing rules, visit www.gvwater.vic.gov/dunyak-moira.
