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.
This Saturday will be the first meeting of the Upper Mountains Seed Saving and Gardening Group at the Planetary Health Centre, starting at 10am. Register your interest here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/3LalNFy
It will be followed by the Planetary Health Bushcare group at 1.30pm. Register your interest here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/49k8PPo
Global poisoning by a tsunami of toxins that are flooding the planet is fast becoming the biggest threat to life on earth. Extreme weather events like fire and flood accelerate this chemical pollution. To address this the Planetary Health Centre`s Full Cycle 2025 conference from 20-22 Nov is bringing together leading experts in managing extreme weather events as well as those who are working on reducing the risk of hazardous materials like asbestos and PFAS. According to keynote speaker Julian Cribb:
"The poisoning of our planet through human chemical emissions is arguably the largest human impact of all upon the Earth. In volume, it is four to five times greater than our climate emissions (which are a part of it), and three times more lethal than the estimated climate death-toll. It is the mega-threat least understood by society, monitored by science or regulated by government. It has mainly occurred over the last 50 years, due to a massive global surge in chemical use and materials extraction.
Scientific assessment has identified more than 350,000 man-made chemicals. The US Department of Health estimates 2000 new chemicals go on the market every year and the Smithsonian says 1000 new compounds are now being synthesised every hour. The UN Environment Program warns about a third of these “are persistent, able to accumulate in humans and animals and are toxic”.
The World Health Organisation estimates that 13.7 million people — one in every four — die each year from diseases caused by “air, water and soil pollution, chemical exposures, climate change and ultraviolet radiation”, caused by human activity.
Human chemical emissions are thus responsible for the largest mass killing in history.
Learn more and register for the conference here (link in profile): www.fullcycleconference.com.au
There will be a free community expo on Saturday 22 November at the Planetary Health Centre in Katoomba.
Conference volunteers receive free registration. Email planetaryhealthevents@bmcc.nsw.gov.au if you’d like to volunteer at this critically important event.
T`ai-chi and Qigong routines can increase mobility and strength, improve immunity and help build an inner calm. To get the greatest health impact you need to practice them on a regular basis, so we`re thrilled to now be offering a 6-week block of classes to take you into summer starting 9am this Saturday 1 November and running until Sat 6 December. Bookings essential here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4qrw4Nx This Saturday, 1 November, the activity is also the first in a full day of Skill Share activities at the Centre that includes Seed Saving and Gardening from 10am, and Planetary Health Bushcare from 1.30pm. You can book in for Bushcare here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/49k8PPo Contact Lis on 0407 437 553 for more information.
Rotarians 4 Planetary Health will be meeting again at the Planetary Health Centre at 6pm on Monday 27 October. Register at this link if you`d like to attend! (link in profile) https://events.humanitix.com/rotarians-4-planetary-health-l7bb4qhr?
Thank you to everyone who popped by for the @ediblegardentrailbluemountains today! It was a great day discussing gardens, ponds, frogs, seeds, composting seats, wicking beds and how to restore the hydrological cycle! Next Saturday will be our Skill Share Saturday. We`ll be kickstarting a 6-week block of Tai Chi & Qigong at 9am, launching our Seed Saving and Gardening Group at 10am and running our monthly Bushcare Group at 1.30pm. You can book in for Tai Chi here (link in profile): https://events.humanitix.com/tai-chi-and-qigong-six-week-block-spring-2025-qaw2ts2v and to Bushcare here (link also in profile): https://events.humanitix.com/planetary-health-bushcare-spring-summer-2025
The Planetary Health Centre is on the Edible Garden Trail today! Last week we launched the Upper Mountains Seed Savers and Gardening Group. Come along to learn more, enjoy a coffee in our garden, and pick up a free Vegetable and Flower Sowing Guide. We`re open from 10am. You can find us at 33-39 Acacia St Katoomba. Tickets for the Edible Garden Trail available here (link in profile): https://events.humanitix.com/blue-mountains-edible-garden-trail-2025
The Planetary Health newsletter is now out. Read about three days of innovation at the upcoming Full Cycle Conference in Nov, the Edible Garden Trail this weekend, and a six week block of Tai Chi and Qigong classes at the Planetary Health Centre (link in profile): https://bit.ly/47jbFBz
Today is an Extreme Bushfire Danger Day! Have you heard about the extraordinary fire resistant paint developed by Professor Yeoh and his team at UNSW? Professor Yeoh will be presenting at our Full Cycle Conference on Thurs 20 November. He is world renowned in the field of fire safety and his innovations are helping to keep people and property safe. Importantly among these innovations has been the development and commercialisation of FSA FIRECOAT paint (sold at Bunnings), which creates a protective insulating ‘char’ on a building when it’s exposed to flames. It is water based and non toxic. Watch it in action in this video (link in profile): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkA1RlxMjWQ
Join us at the Conference to learn more about Professor Yeoh’s work during three days of innovation and exploration in which leading speakers from around Australia will share how we can reduce the risks of natural hazards and hazardous materials. Places are limited so register here now (link in profile): https://www.fullcycleconference.com.au/
With new modelling suggesting a hot summer with increasing fire risk it`s worth making time now to learn more about how we can reduce the risk of disaster by registering to attend the Full Cycle Conference that`s bringing together the Bushfire Building and Asbestos & Hazardous Materials Management Conferences in Katoomba on 20-22nd Nov. Group discounts apply if you register now here (link in profile): www.fullcycleconference.com.au
• Emma Whale from the NSW Reconstruction Authority will discuss how state-wide and place-based disaster adaptation planning is helping reduce risk;
• David Sanderson, the inaugural Judith Neilson Chair in Architecture at UNSW, will share the results of a landmark enquiry on how our response to disasters requires a change in housing policy and local government empowerment;
• Owen Price, Director of The Centre for Environmental Risk Management of Bushfires at UOW will compare the patterns of housing loss in the NSW and Californian wildfires;
• Guan Heng Yeoh from UNSW will share how he developed the award winning FIRECOAT fire resistant paint;
• Everson Kandare from RMIT University will discuss the development of fireproof cladding made from molasses-cultured mycelium - a fungal biomass;
• Alan Green from the Sustainable Buildings Research Centre UOW will introduce Heatwave and Multi-Hazard Resilience Star Rating Tools for retrofitting houses;
• Emma Bacon from Sweltering Cities and Dr Kim Loo from Doctors for the Environment will discuss heat waves and social justice;
• Andrew Bovis from Integrated Water Solutions will discuss the potential use of treated blackwater as an independent water source for landscape hydration and fire fighting;
• Sara Jane Wilkinson from UTS will launch the Bushfire Retrofitting Toolkit for older Australians and do a session on green roofs and walls to reduce disaster risk and increase biodiversity;
• Melissa Knothe Tate will discuss research on tackling PFAS contamination;
Thank you to everyone who participated in our inaugural Blue Mountains Food Security Fair today. It was an inspiring and thought provoking day with lots learnt, many connections made, amazing food consumed and stunning weather! We look forward to doing it again next year!
The inaugural Blue Mountains Food Security Fair kicks off at 9am today at the Planetary Health Centre in Katoomba. Pop in to listen to a talk, watch a demo, grab a coffee and sweet treat from Good Fat Pastry, a delicious lunch from Bibi`s Kitchen, fresh mushrooms from EarthRising Mushroom Farm, locally acclimatised vegetable seeds from Mid Blue Mountains Seed Savers, and edible native plants from Muru Mittigar Ltd You can view the full program here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4nOSJle The Planetary Health Centre is at 33-39 Acacia St (former Katoomba Golf Course).
The Fair is a World Animal Day event and has been supported by a sEEd grant from the Australian Association of Environmental Educators.
A huge thank you to Richard Burrell from Muru Mittigar Native Nursery who delivered us the following edible natives to sell at our Food Security Fair on Saturday 18th October:
Apple Berry Finger Lime Mat Rush Lomandra longifolia Midgen Berry Native Leek Native Parsnip Native Raspberry Female and male Pepper Berry Vanilla Lily Yam Daisy
You can view the full program for the Food Security Fair here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4nOSJle
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.
