Photo caption: Another huge funding win for the Mehi River at Moree, OzFish River Repair Team Leader Jay Barnett, Moree-based OzFish Cultural Officer Michael Kirk and Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall survey the Mehi Riverbanks.
Tuesday, 7 February 2023
MOREE’S mighty Mehi River is set for a major transformation over the coming months, following the announcement by Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall today of a $230,030 State Government grant for OzFish Unlimited to clean up and revegetate its banks at the most popular spots in town.
Mr Marshall said that the funding would be a huge shot-in-the-arm for OzFish, which was already doing a lot of work in and around Moree to restore and protect local waterways and habitat for fishing and community access.
“This is wonderful news for the Moree community, especially those who love to walk along the banks of the Mehi, drop in a line or go for a swim,” Mr Marshall said.
“OzFish will use the funding to engage local young people and clean up sections of the riverbanks along a three-kilometre stretch in the heart of Moree.
“Those involved will be busy planting indigenous vegetation, designing and creating fish motels for threatened species, restoring wetlands, collecting rubbish and designing and implementing litter prevention projects.
“The young people will learn more about the health of our rivers, while having a lot of fun and learning new skills.
“All the work will be carried out by locals and the community should start seeing the benefits immediately as work is scheduled to start in a matter of weeks.
“The Mehi is an important part of Moree’s culture, history and its future and I’m looking forward to seeing the results of this new project.”
OzFish Senior Program Manager for the Murray Darling Basin Braeden Lampard said the project would offer a fun, inclusive and practical way for young people to get involved in helping rivers and the wildlife they support.
“This hands-on project will provide experiential learning and work-readiness skills, while also empowering young people to make positive changes to their local environment and provide a sense of belonging to the community,” Mr Lampard said.
“The project will see four of our energetic groups working alongside each other across NSW to achieve a common goal, improving the health of NSW and Australian waterways.
“OzFish has grown to be Australia’s peak fishing conservation organisation and are perfectly placed in the delivery of this program,” he said.
The project will be delivered using locally employed project managers, River Repair Bus Co-ordinators and local contractors.