The catchment of White's Creek is one of around a dozen located along the Great Dividing range that are known to have populations of the 'endangered' Spotted Tree frog. Studies conducted revealed that the frog is in decline. This decline has been attributed to Eductor dredging for gold in their environment. A presumption was also assumed that trout would also be predators of the tadpoles. It was also assumed that native fish would find the tadpoles unpalatable. The rapid decline in their population coincided with Eductor dredging whereas trout have been present in these streams for the better part of 100 years. Logging adjacent to the streams with subsequent run off and a mystery virus or fungus that has decimated frog populations across Australia were also presumed to be contributing factors.

The original plan called for the Native fishes to be electro fished out and returned once the trout were removed. Everyone agreed this should take place. The solution proposed for the trout was that once the natives were out of the system the stream could then be poisoned and the undesirable trout killed along with every other bit of sub-aquatic life requiring oxygen to survive. The poison was to be Rotenone, toxic to any organism that draws oxygen from water. This would render the stream totally sterile. It was then to be neutralised to remove the poison with a neutralising agent. We regarded this as excessive in the extreme, with unknown consequences for the aquatic biomass. 

This incensed anglers the state over and it being an election year the plan was halted. People came from all walks of life to prevent this poisoning taking place. Perhaps the most annoying aspect of this plan was the fact that they were going to the trouble of saving the natives yet just killing the trout. In other words if it is not native they do not care about it.

We want to see this Frog protected too but we want those in charge to value the trout for the resource that they obviously are and to try and break this underlying feeling that so many of the green movement now have that anything foreign should go. This rather narrow and totally hypocritical view of the world is rampant amongst those who fight to save native species. Their total disregard for trout and the willingness of trout enthusiasts to support the frog lobby should indicate who is more level headed on this issue. Sure the trout must go but let's do it properly and relocate the trout and not poison anything in the process. This could be achieved by electro fishing all the fish out, natives and trout, and relocating the trout below a proposed barrier to prevent further upstream migration.

This issue has again raised its head with this time a modified plan being presented to us. The idea was to build the barrier as proposed before and then electro fish both the natives and trout. The natives were to be placed back into the stream and the trout were to be relocated downstream below the new barrier. Well the construction has now been completed as can be seen in the photos attached it is only the second part of the deal that we are waiting on. 

We have been out to the site a number of times in the past week and the general feeling is that no one is sure of what is going to happen to the trout. One of the workers on the site commented that the trout should just be killed and this is exactly what we are afraid is going to happen. The amount of water they have to electro fish is just not feasible as they have not put the barrier in White's Creek (as proposed) but in the creek it joins (Still Creek) about 200 metres below the confluence. The initial plan which called for fish removal from White's Creek is now much more complicated as it includes the much larger catchment of Still Creek as well. It will take thousands of man hours to electro fish all of this additional water, something we do not believe will occur as we know they operate on a strict budget and saving trout are not number one on the agenda.

We are also afraid that if Parks Victoria have their way and all the trout are poisoned that it will have set a precedent that can be used in all the locations under the control of Parks Victoria for the poisoning removal of trout. This includes vast catchment areas of Victoria and has already been attempted in the Grampians. Their agenda is clear, despite a carefully negotiated resolution through public consultation they have sought to render the solution ineffective therefore assuming they will simply follow their own agenda anyway.

We consider the situation to be a betrayal of trust established in the negotiations and we would argue that they are required to fully comply with the agreement that was reached and supported by all parties. We think they have made a very expensive mistake in placing the barrier in the wrong position in Still Creek below the confluence of White's Creek. 

We have fully supported the protection of the spotted tree frog. We believe as do all trout fishers that protection of the environment is critical to the survival of all species including the human kind. Loss of biodiversity is a vital issue and trout fishers who are so close to nature and natural systems are acutely of these issues. If Parks Victoria do not recognise that the recreational angling economy is worth 1.037 billion dollars in the Victorian economy, and that there is a vast army of anglers that fish for trout then they are in the process of creating a social and political conflict of huge proportions. When you are to consider that the Spotted Tree Frog occurs in many of the major catchments of Victoria, we would suggest a carefully negotiated and agreed strategy needs to be implemented with good will and good faith on both sides so that the outcomes are a positive improvement in the protection of the Spotted Tree Frog. 

We cannot say at this point exactly what is going to happen as no one seems to know. We can only alert you to what appears to be going on as ask you to respond. If you have concerns as we do please email michonne.vanrees@nre.vic.gov.au and ask her to explain what is going on in relationship to the relocating of the trout. We would ask that all of you do this. For those of you who are able to go one step further you should ask if they need help (manpower) to relocate the trout as the initial plan was a small catchment but it now a much larger project with the bigger catchment of Still Creek to do as well. Let them know we are watching and are concerned as this could well be the start of something much bigger.