Hilliards Creek Today

[Marlin_Mike]

Mike, where is the foot bridge that you are referring to, if you don't mind me asking?
I'd love to have a crack at some Tilapia in the bored times.

Angry

The parking area is just down from the little round about that takes you into Ormiston College. Go over the little bridge, then turn left into the dirt car park. Only a 50-0 metre walk to the little foot bridge. You can walk the banks, plenty of room to throw a line, the fish are everywhere.

Mike

See attached map

[Angryant]

I know exactly where you mean - I'll have to check it out.
Thanks

[Marlin_Mike]

Mate, we could have a M&G at Hilliards, give the Tilapia a flogging.............LOL

[kingcray]

Head down to Lake Samsonvale around the Samford side. There is an old cemetary down one of the streets leading to the lake. Go to the end, walk through the cemetary down to the water. I guarantee you will see at least 5-10 asian fellas hauling in tilapia by the bucketful. Most fish around the 30-40cm mark. Small sinker and some garden worms = TILAPIA.

[Triple]

Had a long chat with fisheries officer regarding tilapia today, lovely lady called Dani. Clarified that possession is "any part of the fish" whole fish/frame/eye/skin/fillets etc. You may only have a noxious species in possession awaiting disposal , example: Caught from a boat, knocked on the head and waiting to return to shore for burial or bin (she stated that if it is on ice in an esky it may have the officers asking more questions so it's better to chuck em in a bucket in the sun).

She agreed that they are here to stay as they are now in 17 of qld's 76 waterways (first found in the 1970's) and they know they cannot get rid of them (unless poisoning the whole waterway) but can only try to stop them spreading and due to their limited budget they are relying on public knowledge and awareness (and a bit of common sense). Blanket rule for NO possession is the only way to do this as once their is a price on them (ie:fillets, personal consumption or otherwise) people will place them in their own dams or local creeks and it will increase chance of spreading. Northern QLD has tried using bass/barra but it only slows the breeding cycle down.

I knew they can live in salt water but had yet to hear of anyone catching them in salt but she informed me that there have been confirmed reports of people catching them in the middle of the bay.

[rayken1938]

Had a long chat with fisheries officer regarding tilapia today, lovely lady called Dani. Clarified that possession is "any part of the fish" whole fish/frame/eye/skin/fillets etc. You may only have a noxious species in possession awaiting disposal , example: Caught from a boat, knocked on the head and waiting to return to shore for burial or bin (she stated that if it is on ice in an esky it may have the officers asking more questions so it's better to chuck em in a bucket in the sun).

She agreed that they are here to stay as they are now in 17 of qld's 76 waterways (first found in the 1970's) and they know they cannot get rid of them (unless poisoning the whole waterway) but can only try to stop them spreading and due to their limited budget they are relying on public knowledge and awareness (and a bit of common sense). Blanket rule for NO possession is the only way to do this as once their is a price on them (ie:fillets, personal consumption or otherwise) people will place them in their own dams or local creeks and it will increase chance of spreading. Northern QLD has tried using bass/barra but it only slows the breeding cycle down.

I knew they can live in salt water but had yet to hear of anyone catching them in salt but she informed me that there have been confirmed reports of people catching them in the middle of the bay.

Looks like you achieved in a day in what I have been trying to get for a couple of months.
You actually got the biologist in charge of pest fish who was able to give the correct answer. I finally got the same info in writing today.
Cheers
Ray