In 2012, the previous gravel and rock crossings at McQuades Bend and Frost Crossing were impacted by flooding and blocking the migration of native fish along Boundary Creek, an anabranch of the Ovens River.

North East Catchment Management Authority senior project officer Andrew Briggs said fish passage barriers adversely impacted native fish by interrupting spawning or seasonal migrations, restricting access to preferred habitat and food resources and limiting opportunities for fish refuges during drought conditions.

“Developing solutions for fish passage has been identified as one of the key factors for success in the recovery of native fish populations,” Mr Briggs said.

“The Boundary Creek anabranch runs about 15km along the Ovens River. It’s important for native fish because it connects to floodplain habitats which, when inundated, provide an abundance of resources such as food and habitat shelter, and prevents predation and competition.

“The bridges provide vehicle access into the national park and are designed to pass most flows and tolerate being submerged in flood situations.

“As fish are often reluctant to swim into a dark tunnel, the bridges have been designed with perforated metal grates to let light penetrate to the water below.

“As water rises the speed of the creek increases, so we’ve installed cement baffles (stumps) underneath the bridges to help break the flow of water to create eddies and refuges for fish to access and have a rest.”

About 15 species of native fish occur in Boundary Creek, including Murray cod and golden perch.

“Fish refuges are especially important for smaller species which don’t cope well with fast flowing water.”

Parks Victoria area chief ranger Andrew McDougall said completion of the new river crossing was a win for people and the environment.

“The crossing provides important access for emergency management vehicles during wildfire and flood management, and it also opens up new opportunities for fishing, camping and tourism in this section of the Warby-Ovens National Park,” Mr McDougall said. 

“Significantly, the clever engineering of the crossing will improve the health of the waterway, native fish breeding, and natural water flows.”

This project is part of the Victorian Government’s $222 million investment over the next four years to improve catchment and waterway health across regional Victoria.

The project was delivered by North East Catchment Management Authority with support from Parks Victoria, on the traditional lands of the Yorta Yorta Nation. It is one of six fishways projects in progress in north-east Victoria.