Carmila Creek Fishway Monitoring, great results!
May 20, 2026
Recent monitoring at the novel nursery-slot fishway on Carmila Creek has confirmed the design is delivering outstanding results for native fish passage.
The innovative fishway features a series of small 10 mm stepped increments within each ridge, creating shallow reduced-velocity zones that help weaker-swimming and small-bodied fish move upstream more effectively. A shallow film of water interacts with the pre-cast concrete nursery slot, reducing water velocity and improving passage conditions.
Carmila Fishway CS EnvironmentalOver just four days of monitoring:
🐟 11 native fish species were recorded ascending the fishway
🐟 Catch rates increased to 384 fish per day
🐟 Fish ranging from 20 mm to 850 mm successfully moved upstream
Before construction, monitoring recorded only one fish species, with a catch rate of just 1.49 fish per day.
Electrofishing surveys also showed a significant increase in barramundi upstream of the fishway, from zero individuals recorded before construction to 17 individuals post-construction.
These results highlight the success of the nursery-slot fishway design in restoring connectivity and improving access to upstream habitat for native fish species.
A huge thank you to project partners Reef Catchments NRM, the QLD Department of Water, Local Government, Water and Volunteers, Isaac Regional Council, and the Koinjmal People for their collaboration and support in delivering this innovative project.
Check out this short video highlighting the results: