BARKINDJI PEOPLE
CLONTARF ACADEMY & THE CAD FACTORY
MENINDEE COMMUNITY
Hear from Narrandera Fisheries Manager Matt McLellan as he discusses how the Menindee community members came together to assist DPI with the fish rescues.
Click on the tiles below to discover how the Menindee community worked with DPI.
February 2019: Downstream from Menindee, Barkindji elders attended the rescue of 20 large Murray Cod.
Local Barkindji representative Ash Clark (pictured on left) together with Aunty Joyce Hampton and Wiradjuri elder Michael Lyons (pictured in middle) assisted in the release of Murray Cod, Silver Perch and Golden Perch from quarantine tanks into the ponds at Narrandera Fisheries Centre.
A private ceremony was conducted to welcome the fish onto Wiradjuri land.
December 2020: 60,000 fingerlings were released back into the Darling River at Menindee. Barkindji elders Aunty Cherly Blore, Aunty Barbara Quayle and Uncle Bager Bates (not pictured) were invited to help release the fish back into the waters of the Barka.
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Extending the cultural connections with the rescued fish beyond the riverbank, Narrandera Fisheries Manager Matt McLellan began working with local arts organisation The Cad Factory and a group of Aboriginal students from Narrandera High School’s Clontarf Academy.
Since October 2020, the students have attended Narrandera Fisheries each week to tend to the fish and prepare them for their release back into the Darling River.
"The students really enjoyed the process, from starting with the collection of eggs, moving through to hatching then feeding of larvae and finally, physically transporting the fingerling fish from Narrandera and releasing them into the water, " explained Mr McLellan.
“The experience has provided them a tangible example of how many seemingly unrelated factors all affect each other and that good can come from a difficult situation."
Joined by Barkindji elders Aunty Patsy Quayle, Aunty Cheryl Blore and Aunty Barbara Quayle, the students travelled to Menindee in December 2020 and undertook a cultural release of 200 cod they had cared for.
Learn more about the Clontarf Academy’s experience.
Inspired by the rescued fish and their experiences visiting the Narrandera Fisheries Centre, the Clontarf Academy and The Cad Factory are continuing to work together, collaborating on the development of an artwork. Follow their creative development on The Cad Factory’s Facebook page.
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Video credit: The Cad Factory
The Menindee Lakes, Lower Darling River and surrounding areas are culturally rich and significant areas for the Barkindji people. Barkindji is derived from the River Barka and it means ‘river people’.
Matt McLellan explains it was important to involve the Barkindji community in the journey of the fish, as it was evident the lakes and river are vital to the Barkindji way of life.
"It was obvious the distress that the Barkindji community felt after the devastating fish kills. We could feel their anger but also their sadness. Our first priority was always to the fish but when I saw the emotional connection the Barkindji people had to these fish I knew we needed to do more and get them involved in the journey that was getting underway.”
“The whole process of saving, breeding, growing and returning progeny of the rescued fish to the Barka was a chance for healing and I wanted to try and involve the Barkindji community in that."
Fish rescues a community effort.