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 It's World Rivers Day! A day to remember the importance of protecting our precious waterways.

During Autumn, Fosterville Gold Mine completed the first of two scheduled aquatic surveys of the Campaspe River – a vital river system, supporting agriculture, recreation, biodiversity and cultural values for our community. 

These biannual surveys, which began in 2011, allow us to monitor the health of the Campaspe River and track changes over time, reflecting our commitment to understanding and protecting river health.

About the program

Initially, FGM carried out the survey in the lower reaches of Axe Creek. However, in 2017, we engaged third-party specialist consultants, Aquatica Environmental, to undertake the surveys.

The survey assessment includes:

• Aquatic macroinvertebrates populations (These are animals without a backbone that live in water such as snails, worms, crayfish, clams)
• Aquatic macrophytes (aquatic plants)
• Aquatic fauna diversity (e.g. fish, platypus, rakali)
• Water quality parameters (Including pH levels, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids)

Survey findings

The Autumn 2025 survey revealed conditions that were consistent with the previous year, showing signs of biological recovery and increased species diversity. The monitoring data continues to indicate a healthy river system with diverse and abundant aquatic fauna.

Two new native fish species were recorded for the first time in the current program:

• Freshwater Catfish (Tandanus tandanus) - Below left
• Macquarie Perch (Macquaria australasica) - Below right

No frogs or amphibians were detected during the survey. This is likely due to the dry conditions and lower water levels of the river at the time of the survey.

The second and final survey is scheduled for Spring, after which an annual summary report will be prepared. In addition, the survey will incorporate eDNA sampling to provide further valuable insights into the presence and distribution of low-detection fauna such as platypus, Rakali, and frogs.

We look forward to sharing the results of the full 2025 survey later in the year. 

Photo credit: Aquatica Environmental