Updated designs on the table for Western NSW fish passage

Residents in Central Darling, Bourke, Walgett and Moree Plains are invited to attend community town halls this month to learn more about revised designs for NSW fish passage projects that will support better river health while retaining critical town water security.

Following extensive feedback from stakeholders last year, the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) has undertaken a thorough review and revised the original fishway design to find another way forward that delivers fish passage while addressing local concerns about water security.

The Fish Passage: Reconnecting the Northern Basin Project makes use of Commonwealth funding to reconnect waterways, allowing native fish to migrate and flourish by installing rock-ramp fishways on sections of existing weir sites at Louth, Banarway, Calmundi and Tilpa.

This would reinstate more than 500 kilometres of water ‘highways’ on the Barwon-Darling River system, significantly boosting native fish breeding opportunities and ecological outcomes for the region.

After carefully listening to the community, we are now proposing a much smaller reduction in weir height. A small section of each weir would be reduced by only 100mm instead of the 400mm previously proposed – noting that lowering is necessary to enable the fishways to function.

We are also investigating building additional off-river raw water storages at Louth and Tilpa to offset potential impacts on raw water availability during dry times.

This is the safest and most effective way to allow native fish to pass while balancing water security, the needs of other water users, and the environment.

We made a commitment to speak to the community face-to-face once the review and design was complete, and this work is well underway.

We have been reaching out to directly impacted landholders, Aboriginal groups, local councils, MPs and the Louth Chamber of Commerce over the past few months and are now coming to the community with the revised designs.

Upcoming community town halls will be held on:

• Tuesday 29 July 2025, from 10.30am to 12.30pm, at the Tilpa Community Hall (1 Darling St, Tilpa).
• Wednesday 30 July 2025, from 10.30am to 12.30pm, at Louth Tennis Club (30 Bloxham Street, Louth).
• Thursday 31 July 2025, from 9am to 11am, at PCYC Walgett (65-71 Dewhurst Street, Walgett).

For those who can’t attend in person, we will also hold a webinar on Wednesday 6 August 2025 from 5:30pm to 6:30pm. Registration is required.

This work is funded by the Australian Government under the $180 million Northern Basin Toolkit supporting a 70 GL reduction in water recovery targets under the Murray-Darling Basin Plan.

To view the updated fishway design and learn more, please visit: Fish Passage: Reconnecting the Northern Basin project

NSW DCCEEW Director Infrastructure Delivery Sarah Horne said:  

“We heard loud and clear from residents along the Barwon-Darling that our original fishway design didn’t hit the mark, which is why we went back to the drawing board to revisit the plans and come up with a better solution.

“It is important to remember the original weirs were built way back in the 1950s and are leaking, resulting in billions of litres of water being lost over their lifespans, which is why this project also involves partially remediating the weir to bring water loss down.

“We’re looking forward to talking with locals face-to-face to walk them through the updated designs and proposed plans and to give them an opportunity to ask questions.

“At the end of the day, this project is about improving river health, which is going to have huge benefits for everyone including farmers, Aboriginal communities and the towns that live and rely on the Darling-Baaka.”