Saving Our Native Species – Compelling video highlights conservation of one of Australia’s most threatened fish (Murray Hardyhead)

The Murray Hardyhead is a very small, nationally listed Endangered species that specialises in the wetland habitats of the Murray-Darling system. Altered flow regimes (river regulation), habitat destruction, and the effects of invasive fish, have all contributed to the decline of this species.

We’ve been working on this species for a few years with our cross-border partners, and in 2024 we partnered with Millewa Pumping to lead a new project funded through the Australian Government’s Saving Native Species Program. Our aim is to prevent the extinction of Murray Hardyhead by protecting the few remaining wild populations and establishing backup populations in surrogate wetlands like farm dams or constructed ponds. Back-up populations are a critical contingency when species persist at only a few sites, as the risk of extinction is high. This project includes the continued coordination of the National Murray Hardyhead Recovery Working Group, monitoring at some of the persisting wild and surrogate populations, and securing environmental water supply for known populations. The team is also identifying future translocation opportunities to reinstate the Murray Hardyhead into suitable natural sites across its former range.

We commissioned David Sickerdick (view his website here) to produce this video which highlights the wonderful conservation work happening to support Murray Hardyhead. You can view the 3 minute video below:

Click here for the subtitled version of the video.

This project is funded by the Federal Government’s Saving Native Species Program

This project is lead by NGT, and coordinated by NGT and Millewa Pumping Company,
with many other collaborating organisations contributing to the project.