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.
Learn how to incorporate meditation and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction into your life at our Planetary Health Wellness Weekend on Sat 28 Feb. Experience a short interactive mindfulness activity led by Betty Ramsay, physio and health coach at The University of Sydney. She has years of experience working with people who are living with life stresses including caring roles, work demands, pain, chronic illness, depression, and anxiety. Reserve your spot for this inspiring and free event here (link in profile): https://events.humanitix.com/planetary-health-wellness-weekend
Thought about doing yoga but never tried it? Join Sheila Annis from Mountain Mist Yoga in Woodford to experience how this rich and vast practice can lead you on a path to better health, and can even be practised from a chair! Reserve your spot for the Chair Yoga session on Sat 28 Feb at the Planetary Health Wellness Weekend in Katoomba here (link in profile): https://events.humanitix.com/planetary-health-wellness-weekend
Learn more about Mountain Mist Yoga here: https://mountainmistyoga.com/
Join multi-award-winning photographer Sue Lightfoot at the Planetary Health Wellness weekend on Sat 28 Feb as she shares how taking up photography to manage her mental health after PTSD has opened up a life filled with creativity, compassion and consciousness. Living a creative life has expanded to include creating permaculture gardens from recycled materials and finding multiple ways to give back to the community. Through creativity she has learnt "to see and feel the world, to live with awe and wonder, to change lenses, shift [her] focus and embrace all forms of light … to enjoy nature and mother earth and accept we are all connected.” She’s been inspired by Miksang, Tibetan for “good eye”, which is a form of contemplative photography that is about seeing and photographing the world exactly as it is, rather than how we want it to be, focusing on colour, light, texture, and pattern. Her session is free but reserve your place here (link in profile): https://events.humanitix.com/planetary-health-wellness-weekend
Learn more about Sue and her work here: www.suelightfoot.com
We are Nature, and the more intimately we connect with the living world around us, the more alive we are. Hone your observations and connect more deeply in an inspiring nature journalling workshop led by Anna Barnes from @ArtFoodCultureNature on Saturday 28 February at the Planetary Health Wellness Weekend. Bookings essential here (link in profile): https://events.humanitix.com/planetary-health-wellness-weekend
“When we see with clear eyes, we know that we are surrounded by beauty. Let yourself fall in love with your life by paying attention”. John Muir Laws
How can we engage our hearing to connect more deeply to nature around us? Join us at the Planetary Health Wellness Weekend on 28 February and 1st March to hear from one of the most inspiring and engaging presenters we’ve ever had at the Planetary Health Centre. Author and acoustic ecologist Andrew Skeoch will guide us into hearing the languages of nature. Learn how we can develop our auditory awareness, identify species by ear, recognise behaviours and repertoire, and find empathy with the voices of other beings. Andrew’s presentations are an immersive weaving of evocative recordings, fascinating spectrogram analysis and original ideas. You’ll hear the natural environment around you in a whole new way. Each morning at the Wellness Weekend Andrew will also lead Deep Listening Immersive Field Workshops demonstrating how to increase your sensitive auditory perceptions of the extraordinary natural world around us. Tickets available here (link in profile): https://events.humanitix.com/planetary-health-wellness-weekend
This event has been made possible because of the generous support of Greater Blue Mountains Rotary and the Katoomba and Upper Blue Mountains Bendigo Community Bank.
We are looking forward to this (Em)power(ing) tools presentation being delivered by Robyn Catchlove, Sherlie McMillan, Suzie van Opdorp and Teja Brooks Pribac at our Planetary Health Day on Sat 28 Feb. It`s free but you need to register to attend here (link in profile): https://events.humanitix.com/planetary-health-wellness-weekend
This interactive presentation explores an unexpected but deeply empowering practice: using power tools. With the help of co-presenters and their favourite tools, the session demystifies DIY and shows how accessible practical skills really are. Beyond the satisfaction of building and repairing, working with power tools fosters confidence, patience, and problem-solving skills. It can also be financially empowering, reducing dependence on paid labour, and reinforces the belief that challenges—practical and personal alike—can be worked through with focus, persistence, and curiosity. This session invites participants to reconsider what empowerment can look like, and how hands-on making can translate into resilience in everyday life.
It`s one of many events during our Planetary Health Wellness Weekend at the Planetary Health Centre in Katoomba on 28 Feb and 1 March and has been organised in collaboration with Rotarians 4 Planetary Health and Greater Blue Mountains Rotary
Medicine and healthcare is changing. Join Dr Madhu Tamilarasan, a Lithgow based GP and sports medicine doctor on Sat 28 Feb at our Planetary Health Day and Wellness Weekend, for a conversation about Lifestyle Medicine. The tagline for her practice is "General practice done differently". The practice is encouraging physical activity in the community because research clearly shows that going from no exercise to just 10 minutes of physical activity per day is where the biggest health benefits come from. Any patient who attends an appointment by "active transport" - such as walking, running, cycling - instead of by motorised transport, receives a small discount on their consultation fee that day. Lifestyle medicine focuses on treating the root causes of disease rather than just managing symptoms. Register here to attend Dr Tamilarasan`s session to learn more about its benefits for individuals, community and globally (link in profile): https://events.humanitix.com/planetary-health-wellness-weekend
Places are booking out quickly for the inspiring talks and workshops at the Planetary Health Wellness Weekend in Katoomba on Sat 28 Feb and Sun 1 March. View the full program and register to attend here (link in profile): https://events.humanitix.com/planetary-health-wellness-weekend
Each morning, you have the chance to join Andrew Skeoch, renowned wildlife sound recordist and author of `Deep Listening to Nature`, for an immersive workshop and walk to hear the intricate conversations happening in the natural world around us.
There will also be: • nature journalling • mindfulness • creativity • (Em)power(ing) tools • Ikebana • Shared Reading • Tai Chi and Qigong • Chair Yoga • Mental Health First Aid • exercise, sleep and your health • how to share loss and grieving for and with animals • and a celebration of the many faith-based groups in the Blue Mountains focused on healing our land, healing ourselves.
A huge thank you to Greater Blue Mountains Rotary and Katoomba and Upper Blue Mountains Bendigo Community Bank for sponsoring this wonderful weekend.
We’d love you to join the Planetary Health Centre for an inspiring Planetary Health Wellness Weekend on Saturday 28 February and Sunday 1st March in Katoomba! We’ve collaborated with Rotarians 4 Planetary Health (part of Greater Blue Mountains Rotary) and the Blue Mountains Interfaith Group, to create a program focused on the many ways we can improve our physical, mental, spiritual and emotional health in a weekend of community and nature connection, talks, workshops, stalls and delicious food.
The weekend kicks off with our third Planetary Health Day on Saturday and finishes with an Interfaith Gathering on Sunday.
Each morning, you have the chance to join Andrew Skeoch, renowned wildlife sound recordist and author of `Deep Listening to Nature`, for an immersive workshop and walk to hear the intricate conversations happening in the natural world around us.
View the full program and register to attend here (link in profile):
• Deep Listening immersive field workshops • Mental Health First Aid • nature journalling • mindfulness • creativity • (Em)power(ing) tools • Ikebana • Shared Reading • Tai Chi and Qigong • Chair Yoga • exercise, sleep and your health • how to share loss and grieving for and with animals • and a celebration of the many faith-based groups in the Blue Mountains focused on healing our land, healing ourselves.
A huge thank you to Greater Blue Mountains Rotary and Katoomba and Upper Blue Mountains Bendigo Community Bank for sponsoring this wonderful weekend.
We had a thoroughly enjoyable final Skill Share Saturday for the year yesterday with Qigong, Fashion Upcycling, Seed Saving and Bushcare! We shared seeds from local gardens and harvested carrots, as well as Mizuna, Broad Bean, Daikon and Land Cress seeds from the Planetary Health garden. We then packaged up (and shared) our first Upper Mountains Seed Savers packs for our fledgling Seed Bank. In Bushcare it`s very exciting to see whole new areas of the Planetary Health Precinct open up as we remove invasive weeds. It`s been a year of great progress as we`ve restored habitat for wildlife and given local native plants the opportunity to flourish and re-establish on the site.
Join the Planetary Health Centre this Sat 6 Dec for the last Skill Share Saturday of the year: Qigong at 9am, Seed Saving & Gardening Group at 10am, and Bushcare at 1.30pm. One perfect day with great company, great coffee and food, and great steps for living a healthy balanced life, while also contributing to the health of our planet for present and future generations. All ages welcome!
Registration links in profile and below.
Register for Qigong here: https://bit.ly/48wlHjD Register for Seed Saving & Gardening here: https://bit.ly/4prcRe7 Register for Bushcare here: https://bit.ly/4oAFDrz
We have a rare opportunity to learn about the newest and best possible ways to support family and community members struggling with mental health issues, at a free talk and afternoon tea provided by Upper Blue Mountains Sunrise Rotary at the Planetary Health Centre at 2pm this Saturday 29 Nov. Hear from Peter Joseph AM, Chair of the Black Dog Institute, and Professor Helen Christensen AO, Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science and former Executive Director and Chief Scientist at the Black Dog Institute. They`ll be in conversation with journalist Emma Rossi. Dr Christensen is a pioneer in using the internet to reach young people struggling with depression. Her digital mental health interventions are used by millions globally, delivering evidence-based therapy for depression, anxiety, and suicide prevention. Her research uses data from smartphones and wearables – like movement, screen use, and sleep – to detect early signs of mental health issues. Bookings essential here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4oOnYxz
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.
Blue Mountains Planetary Health Centre will host the Disaster Risk Awareness Expo and Family Day on Saturday, 22 November, offering a fun and informative day focused on building safer, healthier and more resilient communities.
