A mature Blue Mountains Perch. (Photo: NSW Fisheries)
Story by Julie Nance
The Blue Mountains Perch may not be as adorable as a cuddly koala, but it is also an endangered animal in need of awareness and support. Populations of the freshwater fish have been hit hard by drought, fire and flooding over the past few years. A NSW fisheries study, while sobering reading, is helping experts develop a plan to save the fish.
Key Points:
The Blue Mountains Perch has dwindled in numbers and become extinct in parts of Greater Sydney, but populations are hanging on in the Blue Mountains.
We can all play a part in protecting the fish by reducing erosion on our properties and highlighting to others that it exists and it needs our help.
A couple sits on a large rock enjoying a romantic picnic beside a beautiful Blue Mountains waterhole. Little do they know they are in the presence of an ancient and beautiful animal.
The Blue Mountains Perch lies camouflaged at the bottom of creeks and deep water holes during the day. In the night-time it is active; its big eyes seeking out water bugs and smaller fish to feast on.
While a successful predator, the Blue Mountains Perch has been at the mercy of environmental forces that have treated it very harshly.
According to a NSW Fisheries study, Blue Mountains Perch populations were under immense stress from a prolonged drought from 2017 to 2019. Approximately half of their habitat was severely impacted by the 2019/20 “Black Summer” bushfires that followed.
In February 2020 heavy rains throughout the Hawkesbury-Nepean catchment caused severe runoff and hillslope erosion. Large volumes of sediment were deposited in waterways, threatening aquatic species with ongoing habitat loss. It is thought the Blue Mountains Perch was further impacted by these rainfall events.
The study, ‘Drought, fire, and flood: A population assessment of the Blue Mountains perch (eastern Macquarie perch) ….’ charts the findings of a comprehensive assessment of the distribution of Blue Mountains Perch, mainly between 2021 and 2022. A total of 88 sites were targeted within the Hawkesbury-Nepean and Hunter catchments.
The surveys involved the use of electrofishing: passing an electrical current through water, which temporarily stuns fish so they can be caught, processed and released. Netting was also used as well as environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis. This new technology finds traces of DNA in the water as a way of knowing if a species is present, without catching or disturbing it. In total, 27 Blue Mountains Perch were captured, ranging in length from a 30 mm juvenile to a 235 mm sexually mature fish.
NSW Fisheries experts electrofishing for Blue Mountains Perch. (Photo: NSW Fisheries)
Blue Mountains Perch were absent from seven of the 20 water bodies that the species was known to occur in prior to the 2017 to 2019 drought, 2019/20 bushfires and 2020 flooding. This represents the potential loss of Blue Mountains Perch from approximately 35 per cent of sampled water bodies known to previously contain the fish.
One of the Perch’s biggest advocates is Will Goodwin, a member of Blue Mountains City Council’s Healthy Waterways team.
“They are a really pretty fish; they’ve got this beautiful, mottled brown and silvery grey on the side and they live in such beautiful habitat,” he says.
“We literally have an animal named after the Blue Mountains that pretty much none of us have heard of. Many of us have come far closer than we realise at Blue Mountains swimming holes.
“We have the power to really stand up for it. We could be looking at an extinction here, but if the right things are done, we can see the Perch completely bounce back and it can be a huge success story. The biggest thing the Blue Mountains Perch needs is advocacy.”
A juvenile Blue Mountains Perch. (Photo: NSW Fisheries)
Will says the Perch study is helping Blue Mountains City Council better prioritise its conservation work, including improving waterway health. He says a Council Biodiversity Strategy will soon be on public exhibition.
“Based on the map/site coordinates in the study, I’ve been able to determine which sites fall in our LGA and I’m really happy to see that a number of them returned positive results for Blue Mountains Perch,” Will says. “Populations are hanging on in the Blue Mountains, but they need help.”
Healthy Waterways team member Will Goodwin, who is passionate about freshwater fish (and turtles). (Photo supplied)
The report says there are new threats to the Blue Mountains Perch. This includes alien species invading their habitat e.g. Redfin perch; diseases such as Epizootic Haematopoietic Necrosis Virus (EHNV); and potential habitat loss from possible raising of Warragamba Dam and mining within the Nepean River sub-catchment.
Long-term monitoring (5+ years) of the Blue Mountains Perch has been recommended in the report, as well as key habitat remediation activities including desilting, riparian improvements, bank stabilisation, and the restoration and conservation of in-stream rocky habitat.
Habitat where the Blue Mountains Perch is believed to occur. (Photo supplied)
Will: “This is a fairly healthy creek in a Blue Mountains Perch catchment. I took this underwater photo at night, using a flash.”(Photo: Will Goodwin)
The report recommends: “Urgent management actions are required to protect Blue Mountains Perch from further decline and improve the species’ resilience.”
Will says a lot of conservation activities already carried out in the Blue Mountains has indirectly benefited the species, including protecting and restoring creeks.
“In a happy accident, our existing stormwater works such as the Glenbrook raingardens project are our biggest tool in our tool belt to help the Blue Mountains Perch,” Will says. “Moving forward, we’re looking at prioritising Blue Mountains Perch catchments for future raingarden projects and funding.”
The Blue Mountains Perch was long thought of as a variation of the Macquarie Perch, a freshwater fish native to cooler, mid-altitude areas of south-eastern Australia. However, past studies, both genetic and morphological (looking at the form and structure of an organism or any of its parts), are providing strong support for it to be classified as a separate species.
“That’s part of the problem and part of the mystery of the fish – it used to be considered Macquarie Perch. Because it doesn’t officially scientifically exist as its own species, it is difficult to protect it.” – Will Goodwin
When you listen to Will enthusiastically talk about the Blue Mountains Perch, you can see why he has such a strong desire to help it. He highlights their “clever strategy” to keep their eggs safe, laying them at the top of a fast-flowing stream.
“As the eggs bounce along in the current, they get wedged amongst the rocks and pebbles,” Will says. “The rocks keep predators out, and the constant flow of water keeps them clean and well oxygenated.”
Will says unfortunately there is now far too much sediment in our streams.
“It comes from our backyards and construction sites, but also from the erosion of creeks as they get blasted with urban stormwater,” he says.
“Even the fast-flowing sections of streams get covered with this blanket of sand on the bottom. Without that rocky habitat, there’s no way for this fish to breed”.
Known Blue Mountains Perch habitat that has been blanketed by sediment. It’s a fast-flowing riffle, so it should naturally have a nice rocky bottom. All the little cracks have been filled in. (Photo: Will Goodwin)
So how can we help?
Will says individuals shouldn’t feel powerless to assist the Perch. He cites advocacy for koalas and the Regent Honeyeater as examples of people power making a positive difference.
“It’s about recognising the beauty of this fish and getting people behind it,” Will says.
“No one is going to protect something they haven’t even heard of, and the Blue Mountains Perch has missed out on much needed protection because of that. Just by spreading the word, you can make a huge difference for this fish.”
Take Action:
Try to reduce erosion: look out for any bare earth on your property, and keep it covered with plants or mulch.
Tell someone: the more people that know about this species, the more protection it will get. Sharing this story, or just mentioning it to a friend or family member is one of the best things you can do for it.
Read about a stormwater treatment initiative at Glenbrook featuring the type of raingarden that is ultimately helping the Blue Mountains Perch: It Takes a Village to Care for a Creek.
This story has been produced as part of a Bioregional Collaboration for Planetary Health and is supported by the Disaster Risk Reduction Fund (DRRF). The DRRF is jointly funded by the Australian and New South Wales governments.
Our new Planetary Health Newsletter includes the Blue Mountains Peace Symposium, School Holiday Workshops, today`s Planetary Health Bushcare, a story about a Men`s Group in Lawson, a workshop on Designing Your Future Home, and information on how to prepare for Bushfire Season with Council`s chipping service. You can read it here: https://bit.ly/3TkWGRj (link in profile) #planetaryhealth #peace #peacesymposium #bluemountains #schoolholidayworkshops #hope #solutions #mensgroup #katoomba...
The Community Tree Planting Day for the Glossy Black Cockatoo is on this Saturday 5 July near Cowra! Learn more about how you can help grow connected landscapes to save the Glossy Black, including more about the Community Tree Planting Day, by fast forwarding to 48mins in our video "Falling in Love with Glossy Black Cockatoos" here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCERdF21Ud0&t=2075s
Register your interest to join everyone at the Tree Planting Day here:
Join us for this fabulous workshop: Designing Your Future Home on Saturday 19 July (10am-12 noon) Create a Healthy, Comfortable and Energy-Efficient Home
Join local Passive House Designer Karina Rafailov from Earthy Haus for a relaxed, interactive, and inspiring workshop. Whether you’re planning a new build or thinking about a renovation, this session will empower you with the knowledge to create a home that’s healthier for your family and kinder to the planet.
Places are strictly limited in this hands-on workshop so bookings essential here (link in profile): https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/workshop-designing-your-future-home-tickets-1417752157869
As an increasing number of people are being affected by winter viruses, we’re offering a free session of Tai Chi and Qigong on Saturday 5 July in the warmth of our beautiful Frogs of the Blue Mountains exhibition. Places are limited so book in early here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/40fnGW2 Learn more about these Chinese medicine movement practices in the video interview with Virginia Field on our YouTube channel (link in profile) and read about how Chinese medicine helped her overcome illness as a young woman in our story: Healing Body, Mind and Spirit with Tai Chi and Qigong here (link in profile): https://www.katoombalocalnews.com/tai-chi-and-qigong/
If you’re interested in learning how to propagate native plants and are keen to help our bush regenerate, the Bushcare Seed Collectors meet on the second Tuesday of the month. Check out how they cook Banksias to release their seed and learn more about the group, and native seed collecting, in Katoomba Area Local News here (link in profile): https://www.katoombalocalnews.com/bushcare-seed-collectors/
If you’d like to join the group, contact the Bushcare officer Tracy Abbas on 4780 5623 or email tabbas@bmcc.nsw.gov.au
Littlejohni, the Rare and Endangered Northern Heath Frog, photographed in Woodford!
When the Frogs of the Blue Mountains exhibition opened at the Planetary Health Centre in March it featured photos of 20 different local frogs. We were thrilled, however, when Andy Klotz and other members of the Hawkesbury Herpetological Society recently managed to photograph another frog in Woodford: the rarely seen and endangered Litoria littlejohni, also known as the Northern Heath Frog or Orange-bellied Tree Frog. We’ve added a photo of that frog to the exhibition and created a new Frogs of the Blue Mountains video in which you can listen to its call on our YouTube channel. We interviewed Andy to learn more about the Littlejohni and how they managed to find its small local population. You can read this story in Mid Mountains Local News (link in profile). #biodiversity #bluemountainsfrogs #northernheathfrog #litorialittlejohni #bluemountains #woodford #planetaryhealth #hawkesburyherpetologicalsociety...
Our newsletter is now out! Read about how you can contribute to @bluemountainscitycouncil`s Biodiversity Conservation Strategy; watch our video on Falling in Love with Glossy Black Cockatoos; see the new photos of the rare Northern Heath Frog; watch how the Bushcare Seed Collectors cook banksias to release their seeds; learn more about Tai Chi and Qigong, the Chinese medicine movement practices; and take part in our next workshop on Designing Your Future Home with Passive House Designer Karina Rafailov from @earthy_haus
Read it here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/40e4GHr
Our video on Falling In Love With Glossy Black Cockatoos is now up on our Planetary Health YouTube channel (sorry, it`s too big to share here but there`s a link in our profile).
Jayden Gunn finishes his presentation by saying:
"Care is like a snowball. The more people you tell the bigger the snowball gets, and the further it goes. And the more we know, the more we care. And the more we know, the more we`re able to help."
The video is of our fabulous Forum on Growing Connected Landscapes for the Glossy Black Cockatoo, and includes presentations by Jayden Gunn, BirdLife Australia, Amanda Foxon-Hill from Mid Lachlan Landcare, and STEM teacher Samantha Bowden from Glenbrook Public School. There`s a link with the video on how to register for the Community Tree Planting Day in Goologong on 5 July (and it`s also in our profile). Video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCERdF21Ud0&t=13s
Today we`re enjoying eating ripe medlars! Medlars are attractive cold climate fruit trees that were popular in Medieval gardens. They`re one of the few fruits that can be harvested in late Autumn and eaten in early Winter when they`re fully ripe. This is a great time of year to plant them for a future harvest. Check out our short video on how to eat them! #coldclimategardens #ediblegardens #medlars #growyourown #planetaryhealth #bluemountains...
We`re thrilled to share that last night @BlueMountainsCityCouncil`s Planetary Health Centre won the Innovative Leadership Award (Population Under 150K) in the 2025 NSW Local Government Excellence Awards. What a great end to World Environment Day! 🌏 This award celebrates how local government can lead transformative change for a more sustainable future. Thank you to everyone who worked so hard with us to make our vision a reality. You can read more about what we`re doing at our website (link in profile): http://www.bluemountainsplanetaryhealth.com.au/ @ph_alliance #planetaryhealth #worldenvironmentday #localgovernmentleadership #nswlocalgovernmentexcellenceawards...
Blocking out a couple of hours a week to step off the treadmill and give ourselves time to nurture our relationship with the earth and ourselves, is one way to keep our creative spirit and ‘lust for life’ alive. If you haven’t done so yet, one opportunity over the next week is to spend some ‘slow’ time in the 2024 Wynne Prize exhibition at the Blue Mountains Cultural Centre before it closes on 15 June. Read more in Katoomba Area Local News here (link in profile): https://www.katoombalocalnews.com/the-2024-wynne-prize/ @bluemountainsculturalcentre @artgalleryofnsw #wynneprize #landscapes #bluemountains #katoomba #artexhibition #planetaryhealth...
Recognising how violence and war impact the health of the planet, the Blue Mountains Planetary Health Initiative has become a member of the Blue Mountains Peace Collective. On Sunday 25th May, we attended a presentation by Dr Keith Suter on Making Peace in the World Today at the Leura Uniting Church. In this powerful presentation Dr Suter questions why we learn about war rather than successful peace negotiations! View the video of his presentation below and read our full story in Katoomba Area Local News here: https://bit.ly/3Fl4WgQ (link in profile)
Julie Nance is a community storyteller with the Blue Mountains Planetary Health Initiative. In her coverage of the Lower Mountains area, she brings 30 years’ experience in communications, publishing and journalism.
After specialising in health and social issues as a journalist, Julie led creative teams in the government and not-for-profit sectors including the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, YMCA NSW, Cancer Council NSW and The Children’s Hospital at Westmead.
Julie is passionate about empowering people with quality information to help them make informed choices.
Rain gardens are a brilliant way to manage water runoff. Recently Council teams and contractors collaborated with Sydney Water to create three different types of native rain gardens at Glenbrook Visitor Information Centre, showcasing how sustainability and beauty are the natural features of these innovative but simple water management solutions.
