No more boiling and cooling, adding purification tablets or having to cart large containers of drinking water from home to the popular campsite.

On Friday afternoon, November 28, Member for Burrinjuck Katrina Hodgkinson turned on the tap and sampled the water from the new $568,700 treatment plant.

“Grabine Lakeside Holiday and Recreation Park has long been a favourite holiday destination for families and now they’ll be able to turn on the tap and know that the water is clean and fresh and meets Australian Drinking Water Standards,” Ms Hodgkinson said.

“This is a very popular weekend and holiday destination for people of the local region and further afield participating in water activities, fishing or just relaxing.

Often they arrive at the park with insufficient drinking water for their needs hoping to rely on water sourced locally, however till now supply was unreliable.

“Providing water to this standard will be greatly appreciated by the thousands of people who holiday at Grabine every year.

“The tourist economy is very important to the Crookwell region and when word spreads about this improvement to the amenity of the Lakeside Holiday and Recreation Park more people will seek out this already popular destination.

“I thank the Minister for Natural Resources, Lands and Water, Kevin Humphries for his support of this important local infrastructure project.”

The NSW Government is proud to help deliver such an important initiative in providing clean and fresh drinking water for Grabine Lakeside Holiday and Recreation Park guests.

Grabine Lakeside Holiday and Recreation Park is one of the holiday parks and reserves located on Crown Land managed by the NSW Crown Holiday Parks Trust (NSW CPHT).

I also thank the NSW CHPT CEO Steve Edmonds and his staff for their management of the project and congratulate them on a job well done.”

“AquaManage, the company responsible for the Water Treatment Plant’s construction is to be congratulated for their successful completion of the project.”

For further information about the Grabine Lakeside Holiday and Recreation Park visit www.inlandwaters.com.au.

Better fishing too

WEARING her Minister for Primary Industries hat, Katrina Hodgkinson said: “More than 5.6 million fingerlings, including a record 413,000 bass, have been released into lakes, dams and rivers across the State this year.

“There have been 2.7 million native fish and 2.9 million trout and salmon released in waterways under the NSW Government’s freshwater stocking programs.

“These fingerlings have boosted fish stocks across inland NSW ensuring our fish populations remain strong and continue to be enjoyed by everyone.”

“Wyangala Dam, which the Grabine Lakeside Holiday and Recreation Park is located on and its tributary streams have received a portion of the fish stock allocation as have other streams and dams in the Crookwell and Goulburn areas.

“I have received reports too that anglers have been catching bass as well as trout on Pejar Dam.

“There have been recent changes to recreational fishing rules, reflecting the recreational fishing community’s needs and expectations, while maintaining quality recreational fishing for the future.”

“People need to be aware of these rules before they undertake either fresh or saltwater fishing activities and they must hold a current Recreational Fishing License unless under 18 years of age or otherwise exempt.”

Regulation changes

CHANGES to bag limits, closed seasons and fishing method restrictions are aimed at ensuring sustainability of stocks for the participants in this popular sport.

Encouraging catch, photograph and release also means that fish surplus to the needs of anglers can live to continue to breed and aid in the species sustainability.

Here are some key changes to bag limits recently introduced:

• bag limit reduced from 20 to 10 for flathead species (other than dusky flathead), bream and tarwhine, tailor, blue swimmer crab, trevallies and luderick. The possession limit of 20 will remain for these species;

• spawning closure for Australian bass and estuary perch extended to four months to protect early migrating bass. Catch and release will be permitted during the closure;

• number of witches hats/hoop nets/lift nets is reduced from five to four and the number of crab traps is increased from one to two in saltwater.

• change of marking requirements of recreational nets and traps to specify trap type, fisher’s initial and surname, year of birth and postcode;

• five hoop nets are permitted to be used to take yabbies in Lakes Lyell, Lake Wallace and Googong Dam; and

• revised Murray cod minimum size of 55cm and a maximum size of 75cm.

Regarding carp and redfin

EUROPEAN carp are listed as noxious in NSW and recreational fishers are encouraged to retain and utilise landed carp rather than return them live to the water.

Fish retained should be dispatched humanely.

Redfin are Class 1 noxious and it is illegal to be in possession of live Redfin in NSW.

If anglers are retaining caught Redfin the fish must be stored dead (e.g. on ice in an esky).