Paradise Dam

[Eagle]

I was chatting to a lady from Mundubbera about the rainfall out there. She told me it was slim to none and mentioned that what water was left in the town supply was also being shunted off to Paradise Dam. Well I dont know about the local politics over there but my ears stood up when she mentioned that the dam was a new one. I looked on the map and no sign of a dam so I did a Google on it and found a photo of the dam near Biggenden, SW from Bundie on the Burnet River. This looks like a potentialy great place. So now I have lots of questions.
Is fishing in the dam alowed?
If a fishing permit required?
Are power boats alowed?
Are there any RED CLAW in the dam? (the most important question).
Is there a boat ramp? ie, no mud or gravel.
How deep is the water?
Any Barra or Bass?
Camping facillities?
Is there enough water in it now (13% full) to do any of the above.
And last question, Why wasn't I told about this new dam, ???:-X :'( ;D
Let's hope it becomes as great as Awoonga :D

Eagle

[Awoonga]

Gee l posted lots of info about it photos too but cant find them on this site anymore....

[aussiebasser]

As far as I can ascertain, at the moment, no fishing, no boating, no stocking, no nothing!!!! The dam was only finished last year, and work is probably still going on, but I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for it to turn into a recreational fishery.

[Feral]

I have a copy of the management plan from towards the end of the construction somewhere on pdf (We worked on the wall).

It certainly says it is to be stocked, with boat ramps and recreational areas assigned. I think the problem is not much is happening in the rain department, it had an initial inflow, which was almost immediately drawn down for the local farmers.

[Luc]

Yep, have read that plan. Will be great when it's all done. Even if it fills in the next few weeks/months, there'll still be a lead time of a couple of years from stocking to catchable sizes.

Hopefully, bass, barra, goldens, cod, jacks ans saratoga will all be candidates.

Luc

[McCod]

Bit of reading for ya...... it will be stocked as soon as the DPI give the go!

The plan so far is GP, Bass , Barra


http://www.sunwater.com.au/pdf/BurnettWater-Archive/paradise_rec_doc_Scoping_Study_Final_Report.pdf


Cheers Les

[Bearclaw]

Yes Awoonga's report was a good one, I just looked and can't find it either.
Once filled and they decide on a stocking program, this will be a dam to watch in the future.

[aussiebasser]

Thanks for that Les. Some interesting reading in the SEQW corp's response. Sadly, when Wivenhoe was first built the same sort of facilities were promised. I think certain parties within the Paradise Dam precinct are now concerned about the impact of stocking on the local Lungfish population. A lot has happened in the 3 years since that proposal was put forward.

[Mike Delisser]

Could be wrong but I think they have been stocking the Burnett River upstream of Paradise Dam for years, barra- bass and yellows I think.

[Bearclaw]

M62 I have read that also but also they said that this doesn't guarantee they would stock them anymore upsteam of the dam or the dam if the lung fish would suffer.

[Luc]

Yea like the lungfish have suffered in all the other dams.

That argument does'nt hold water.

Luc

[Bearclaw]

Yeah Luc, know what you mean, you couldn't say they are endangered in Lake Samsonvale, but I think the Burnett is it's home ground.

[Fitzy]

Have it from an unofficial source that Paradise has a leak in the substrate.
Water is appearing out of nowhere downstream while water is disappearing from the lake. 1 + 1 = 2

May never stay full for long if this is the case.

I would expect a fish restocking program to go forward as planned & publicised. However it will take time for the fishery to develop.

Cheers,

fitzy..

[Feral]

That is not uncommon in new dams, usually what they do when this occurs is drill in and pump in bentonite into the area. Although if not getting any bigger they will often allow the natural sedimentation process to caulk it up.

[roydsy]

Like you guys need more great recreational fisheries up there! You are spoilt for choice as it is!

Looks like it may be time to pack up and start enjoying some of the great water up your way.

Yes we all need more water, but build it near me . :P

[Awoonga]

Found the photos

[McCod]

Was talking to 2 blokes at Monduran boat ramp a few weeks ago and one of em was in the stocking group or committee "something like that" and is a local from Biggenden.... said that a stocking plan had been put forward to DPI and went something like this..... 60% GP, 20% Aus Bass, 20% Barra... I may have got the GP & Bass % back to front?? But i remember the 20% Barra thing. Fair chance it will get knocked back he said and they may not allow 1 of the 3 species.... I guess ya gotta start somewhere though! Been around half a million spent on infrastucture and recreation facilities at the dam already as seen in Trevs above photos.... there's also been heavy Bass stocking in the weir above the dam..... should be able to walk across it was the words he said. Could be another great little fishy spot with in a few or 5 years if all goes well.

Cheers Les

[Luc]

I have read an article that the shires around the dam were very keen to develop the tourist potential for the dam as a way to get money/jobs into the area.

It'll just take a few years for it the facilities to be built.
The current low water level would be a good time to build ramps etc.

Luc

[davez104]

Visited the dam, just for a look, just before Christmas. No boat ramp there yet, but it is on the plans. A good fourby would get a tinnie in and out no probs though. There have been Bass, Barra, Yellowbelly, Silver perch and Saratoga stocked upstream of Paradise for a lot of years. I reckon a lot of these fish will find there way into the dam after a decent bit of rain. The Barra should head that way for sure once the upstream wiers are flowing over. Redclaw have never been "stocked" in the Burnett as far as I know, although I have caught small ones in shrimp traps in the river at Mundubbera, so they are in the system. Looks like it should have good amenities when they are finished, but lots of work to do yet.

Dave.