By Derek Schlennstedt
In a Victorian first, Quarry Lake in Ferntree Gully has been stocked with hundreds of rainbow trout, Murray cod and golden perch.
Over the last 10 years Knox Council has worked tirelessly to rehabilitate the vegetation in the area to make it suitable for fishing.
Avid fishermen can now expect to wrangle a rainbow trout and some favourite natives including the Murray cod and golden perch.
Member for Eastern Metropolitan Shaun Leane said the fish were all catchable size, which delivers on a key commitment of the State Government’s $34 million Target One Million plan to get more people fishing, more often.
“An instant fishery is being created today so youngsters and families can come down, cast in a line and have a good chance at landing a fish,” Mr Leane said.
“The Knox Shire and local angling clubs are to be congratulated on their hard work and should be proud of giving Ferntree Gully such a magnificent natural asset.”
“This is all part of our plan to get more people fishing, more often and will mean families and die-hard anglers can get out and cast a line in more places across Victoria.”
This is the third urban waterway in Melbourne to be stocked with catchable size native fish this year following in the footsteps of Karkarook Lake in March and Casey Fields Lake in April.
More rainbow trout are expected be stocked for the June and September holidays, consistent with dozens of other Family Fishing Lakes across Melbourne that provide fishing opportunities close to population centres for the school holidays.
Australian bass fingerlings will also be released in December when they become seasonally available from the hatchery, though they will take three to four years to reach catchable.
The stocking mix of trout and native fish will provide year-round fishing opportunities with the cooler months better suited to trout and summertime better for native fish
