158 RESCUE OPERATIONS ON THE MURRUMBIEGEE RIVER. 



Whenever practicable, travelling was done by water for the reason that the roads were frequently 

 made impassable for the motors by rain. The boats, one loaded with men and the other with nets and 

 gear, were driven as close as possible, and the paraphernalia then carried across to the lagoon or water- 

 hole about to be worked. 



Most of these waters contain more or less fallen timber, which must, of course be removed before 

 a net can be drawn through. In many cases this can be performed with the aid of rubber high boots 

 without getting wet, but it is frequently necessary to get right into the water and attach a hauling 

 line to the logs which can then, as a rule, be easily removed. Many of the waterholes to be netted are 

 less than 20 feet wide and perhape 18 to 24 inches deep, and it is from such places that the most valuable 

 hauls of fry of edible fishes are obtained. 



Light poles, about 5 feet long, are attached to each end of the net in order to keep the wings well 

 spread. The ends of the net are now carried round the edge of the water as far as they will reach, 

 then the end poles are carried along perpendicularly with the bottom dragging in the mud close to 

 the edge of the water. This gives the net a full spread and no fish are able to double back. Mean- 

 while the sticks, leaves and rubbish are cleared away at the further end of the waterhole to make a 

 convenient landing place, and the net is slowly drawn right through and up the bank until the end 

 of the bunt is clear of the water. The canvas stretcher has been conveniently placed and filled with 

 water in readiness to receive the fish. Each man is provided with a vessel of some description full 

 of water, in which he collects all the edible fishes within his reach. The fish are then rinsed in a small 

 dip net and transferred to the stretcher. This precaution is necessary, as the net frequently comes 

 out full of silt and mud. 



From some small waterholes more than 1,000 Murray Cod and Golden Perch, up to about 3 inches 

 in length are collected, also a number of Macquarie Perch, Blackfish, Catfish, with an occasional Silver 

 Perch and some adults of each species. The first haul of the net usually collects most of the miniature 

 fishes — Gudgeons of several kinds, Pigmy Perch, Midget Perch. Smelts, Atherines, Hardyheads. Galaxias, 

 etc. The second haul usually brings forth Murray Cod and Golden Perch'. Shrimps, Yabbies. Insect 

 larva-, River Blackfish, Purple-striped Gudgeon, and Carp, and, as a rule, is the most productive of 

 edible fishes, for by this time the water is more or less discoloured and the depressions in the bottom 

 of the pond are somewhat levelled off by the weight of the net and its contents passing over them. 

 The little Murray Cod and Golden Perch take advantage of every scrap of shelter. They hide 

 under sticks, leaves, pieces of bark, in depressions made by the hoofs of stock, under roots, etc., and 

 it is practically impossible to net them all out of a pond. 



The accompanying photographs (Figs. 1 and 2) illustrate a typical waterhole which has been 

 reduced by drought from a depth of nearly 5 feet to 12 inches ol water. No. 1 — About to be netted, 

 and No. 2 — The result of the first haul of the net. This waterhole was perhaps i« ■ feet long and 20 feet 

 wide with about 12 inches of water over 18 inches of soft silt in the deeper portion, and proved to be 

 literally teeming with life. Before operations could be commenced a great heap of drift timber was 

 taken out of it. 



The first haul of the net brought out an almost incredible number of living creatures. Upwards 

 of 1,000 fish of edible kinds were counted from the net, and several hundred common Carp were thrown 

 out on the bank. The whole contents of the net were then carefully lilted into a stretcher containing 

 water, carried across to the Murrumbidgee River and liberated there. The whole catch would have 

 easily filled 10 kerosene buckets, and two trips had to be made with the stretcher to convey all the 

 fish to the river. 



It will be readily understood that only a small percentage of the edible fish brought up in such a 

 haul of the net could be collected for transplantation. The gr2atest expedition must be used in getting 



