Conservation Hatchery
Our new Conservation Hatchery at Snobs Creek, near Eildon, is purpose-built to breed, restock and recover threatened freshwater species in south-eastern Australia.
- McDowall's galaxias (Galaxias mcdowalli)
- Moroka galaxias (Galaxias sp. nov. 'Moroka')
- Flathead galaxias (Galaxias rostratus)
- Glenelg freshwater mussel (Hyridella glenelgensis)
- Murray spiny freshwater crayfish (Euastacus armatus) and South-Gippsland spiny crayfish (Euastacus neodiversus)
- Freshwater blackfish species (Gadopsis spp.)
- Southern purple spotted gudgeon (Mogurnda adspersa)
Equipped with state-of-the-art technology, the facility allows for monitoring and control of water and air temperature, light intensity and photoperiod, flow patterns, and automated feeding equipment. This gives us the flexibility and precision required to breed a wide range of species in need of a helping hand, from small-bodied native fish to mussels and crayfish.
Funding for the Conservation Hatchery was provided by our project partners at the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA), Victorian Environmental Water Holder, and the Commonwealth Government (DCCEEW).
As the only fish conservation hatchery of its kind in Australia, it provides our expert Snobs Creek hatchery staff, alongside research institutes, Traditional Owners, and industry partners, the means to improve the genetic diversity of species whose ranges have historically declined.
The hatchery, which opened its doors in May 2024, is a key component of the 10inTen plan, a collaboration with our research partners at the Arthur Rylah Institute (ARI, DEECA). 10inTen aims to reduce the risk of extinction for our threatened species, by establishing new populations of at least ten threatened species in as many years. For the complete list of species, click here.
These breeding and re-introduction efforts strengthen populations for greater stability of target species in the face of climate change. The facility will also allow for ex-situ management of some of Australia’s most threatened animals, further guarding against catastrophic events such as fire or flooding. They complement broader river and wetland rehabilitation initiatives, including revegetation and the securing of environmental water.
The Conservation Hatchery will facilitate the collection of data on species which have no prior history of captive breeding. Husbandry manuals are formed from this data and shared with other Government agencies, researchers or Traditional Owners looking to establish populations of these same species for conservation.
The Conservation Hatchery strengthens the position of our Snobs Creek hatchery site as a global leader in fish husbandry and conservation, continuing its strong history which includes early captive breeding trials of Murray cod and trout cod and the current construction of a Macquarie Perch Captive Breeding Centre.