Murray hardyhead is a critically endangered native fish endemic to the southern Murray–Darling Basin. A tolerance for elevated salinity provides a competitive edge over competing species (including Carp) in certain habitats. Prior to river regulation, Murray Hardyhead were widespread throughout lowland reaches of the Southern Murray-Darling Basin (MDB), flourishing in disconnected waterbodies that progressively salinised between large flood events, which provided opportunities for natural dispersal and genetic mixing. Due to the impacts of human water use and pest fish, today the species has a fragmented distribution, persisting in a handful of waterbodies in the Southern Murray-Darling Basin, in most cases supported by environmental watering. Meaningful recovery of this species will be achieved through managed reinstatement of enough populations throughout its historic range such that future flood events facilitate natural dispersal, connectivity between populations and recolonisation of former habitat.
With funding from the Australian Governments Saving Native Species Program, Nature Glenelg Trust and Millewa Pumping lead a project to conserve Murray hardyhead and progress recovery of the species. As the saying goes, "it takes a village to raise a child," and in that spirit, we’ve assembled a collaborative ‘village’ consisting of private, government and Traditional Owner partner entities from NSW, Victoria and South Australia The project also receives support from the Murray–Darling Basin Authority, the Commonwealth Environmental Water Office, and the Victorian Environmental Water Holder.
Key objectives are to secure known wild sub-populations, creating contingency against extirpation by establishing back up ‘surrogate’ populations in small manageable waterbodies (dams, tanks), and support range extensions through translocations aligned with broader water management.
A critical component of the project is the coordination of a National Murray Hardyhead Recovery Working Group. This group builds on long-standing partnerships and knowledge-sharing initiatives to ensure continuity in recovery efforts. The Group includes experts and representatives from state agencies across the species known historic distribution, ensuring activities align with state and federal recovery and action plans.