Trout Ponds

Author

Shire of Manjimup

Place Number

18895

Location

Pumphill Rd, Pemberton Pemberton

Location Details

Local Government

Manjimup

Region

South West

Construction Date

Constructed from 1936

Demolition Year

N/A

Statutory Heritage Listings

Type Status Date Documents
(no listings)

Heritage Council Decisions and Deliberations

Type Status Date Documents
(no listings)

Other Heritage Listings and Surveys

Type Status Date Grading/Management
Category
Municipal Inventory Adopted 28 Aug 2008 Category C

Statement of Significance

Aesthetic, Representativeness and Scientific

Physical Description

• A series of troughs inside the main building for the earliest stages of the hatching process; • Outside , a series of holding ponds, some under cover, for the larger trout; • These are monitored and cleaned regularly, and; • Remains of the original 1936 ponds still evident.

History

Trout were first introduced into Western Australian rivers in the Pemberton area after 1931 by C A (Sticky) Glew, headmaster of Pemberton School. 10,000 ova were donated by the Victorian Fisheries Department. Unfortunately the first batch hatched prematurely on the journey, but a second attempt was successful and 20,000 ova were hatched at the back of the Pemberton School House in water from the unreliable town water supply. Probably 12,000 to 15,000 reached the fry stage and were planted in local waters. There was little evidence of success. However, in 1936 a large trout was reported in a pool in a pool in the East Brook. In that same year under the auspices of the Fish and Game Society of Perth, 100,000 brown and rainbow ova were brought from Ballarat, and hatched at the experimental station which had been set up at Big Brook. A series of holding ponds had been built for the purpose. The 60,000 survivors were released in Pemberton and elsewhere. It soon became evident that ova would need to be obtained a different way. A trapping and breeding programme was set up successfully in the 1940s. Water was drawn from the Hydro Electric Power Scheme for a modern hatchery funded by the State Government. Further holding ponds were built and the water supply and temperature was carefully regulated and monitored. The process of hatching and then holding the hatchlings until they grew into fingerlings, then yearlings was scientifically managed. Selecting and raising brood stock was an important part of the process. More than fifty years later the Trout Hatchery at Pemberton has played a vital role in distributing trout to many other rivers in Western Australia , including Gingin, Albany, Denmark, Bridgetown, Capel and Pinjarra, among others. The hatchery also supply fingerlings for commercial trout farms and tourist facilities.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: Good Authenticity: Good

Condition

Good

References

Ref ID No Ref Name Ref Source Ref Date
Pemberton Trout Acclimatisation Society Souvenir brochure:"Trout in the Karri Country". Pemberton Trout Acclimatisation Society and the State Tourist Bureau 1949

Place Type

Other Built Type

Uses

Epoch General Specific
Present Use INDUSTRIAL\MANUFACTURING Other

Construction Materials

Type General Specific
Other CONCRETE Concrete Block
Roof METAL Corrugated Iron

Creation Date

09 Mar 2010

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Approved

Last Update

01 Jan 2017

Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.