One fish, two fish, 35,000 fish: Rainbow trout released for school holiday anglers
They wiggled and squirmed as thousands of them splashed their way to freedom.
Big white buckets full of rainbow trout were hauled into Karkarook Park Lake in Melbourne's south-east on Saturday by keen fishermen and women.
Two thousand of the fish species found their new home in Heatherton's icy lake. They are among 35,000 fish being added to 70 lakes across Victoria, with the aim of getting kids off their screens and into the great outdoors during the school holidays.
The ready-to-catch rainbow trout – which are ideal for beginner anglers and can be caught with lures cast from the shore – are part of the $96 million Go Fishing and Boating plan. Victoria stocks more fish than any other state or territory.
Steve Dimopoulos, the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events, said the fish were being distributed in time for the school holidays.
'We are saying come to your local waterway, you don't need an expensive boat, you just need a rod,' he said.
'You'll catch a fish in Victoria more than anywhere else in Australia.'
The release follows on from former premier Daniel Andrews' 2022 pledge of $1.5 million over four years to give 95,000 free fishing rods to year 5 students, and all students at specialist schools. That program had varying levels of success: while some were excited to take up fishing, the ABC reported a number of students tried to re-sell the rods online.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Age
6 hours ago
- The Age
One fish, two fish, 35,000 fish: Rainbow trout released for school holiday anglers
They wiggled and squirmed as thousands of them splashed their way to freedom. Big white buckets full of rainbow trout were hauled into Karkarook Park Lake in Melbourne's south-east on Saturday by keen fishermen and women. Two thousand of the fish species found their new home in Heatherton's icy lake. They are among 35,000 fish being added to 70 lakes across Victoria, with the aim of getting kids off their screens and into the great outdoors during the school holidays. The ready-to-catch rainbow trout – which are ideal for beginner anglers and can be caught with lures cast from the shore – are part of the $96 million Go Fishing and Boating plan. Victoria stocks more fish than any other state or territory. Steve Dimopoulos, the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events, said the fish were being distributed in time for the school holidays. 'We are saying come to your local waterway, you don't need an expensive boat, you just need a rod,' he said. 'You'll catch a fish in Victoria more than anywhere else in Australia.' The release follows on from former premier Daniel Andrews' 2022 pledge of $1.5 million over four years to give 95,000 free fishing rods to year 5 students, and all students at specialist schools. That program had varying levels of success: while some were excited to take up fishing, the ABC reported a number of students tried to re-sell the rods online.
Sydney Morning Herald
6 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
One fish, two fish, 35,000 fish: Rainbow trout released for school holiday anglers
They wiggled and squirmed as thousands of them splashed their way to freedom. Big white buckets full of rainbow trout were hauled into Karkarook Park Lake in Melbourne's south-east on Saturday by keen fishermen and women. Two thousand of the fish species found their new home in Heatherton's icy lake. They are among 35,000 fish being added to 70 lakes across Victoria, with the aim of getting kids off their screens and into the great outdoors during the school holidays. The ready-to-catch rainbow trout – which are ideal for beginner anglers and can be caught with lures cast from the shore – are part of the $96 million Go Fishing and Boating plan. Victoria stocks more fish than any other state or territory. Steve Dimopoulos, the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events, said the fish were being distributed in time for the school holidays. 'We are saying come to your local waterway, you don't need an expensive boat, you just need a rod,' he said. 'You'll catch a fish in Victoria more than anywhere else in Australia.' The release follows on from former premier Daniel Andrews' 2022 pledge of $1.5 million over four years to give 95,000 free fishing rods to year 5 students, and all students at specialist schools. That program had varying levels of success: while some were excited to take up fishing, the ABC reported a number of students tried to re-sell the rods online.
ABC News
11-06-2025
- ABC News
Rescues at Mt Hotham after snow strands holiday-makers
On today's show: A cold snap has hit the Victorian Alpine region and the Central Table lands of New South Wales bringing with it snow. Emergency crews are on call to rescue anyone stuck in the freezing conditions after heavy snow hit the area over the weekend. The conditions proved tough for rescuers who pulled 13 people out of the snow - who were trapped in their cars - near Dargo High Plains Road at Mount Hotham in the Victorian Alpine region. Reporter: Ashlee Aldridge (Wodonga) A popular tourist town in Western Australia's south says visitors are likely to face increased costs, due to power shortages. Bremer Bay business owners say buying expensive diesel generators appears to be the only option available to avoid blackouts, as rolling outages plague the tourist town. Reporter: Andrew Chounding (Albany) Queensland's tropical island resorts were once the playgrounds of the rich and famous, but now, many are falling into ruin. The State Government is moving to take back control from owners who have neglected the valuable tourism assets. Reporter: Kristy Sexton-McGrath (Cairns) Farmers across southern Australia are counting the cost to their mental health as one of the worst droughts in living memory persists. With parts of South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales experiencing record-dry conditions over the past year or more, the battle to keep livestock alive and grow crops without decent rain has taken its toll on farmers and their families. Advocates say while some regions are finally starting to see some rain in winter, mental health in the farming community could take years to recover. Reporter: Selina Green (Mount Gambier) A resident near Kempsey discovered 30 snakes in the shed and a large number of spiders when she returned home after flooding. Mould is another issue facing flood-affected residents, who are encouraged to ventilate their homes as much as possible. The NSW Reconstruction Authority is working to help about 150 households still in emergency accommodation return home. Reporter: Emma Siossian (Port Macquarie)
