The Gamilaroi spiny crayfish Euastacus gamilaroi

After 18 years of research by the Australian Crayfish Project ACP we have finally published a manuscript in the Journal of Crustacean Biology on the endangered intermediate group crayfish Euastacus gamilaroi. It’s a high altitude cold water species with a very restricted range along the top of the Great Divide occurring in both the Manning (more…)

Euastacus clydensis has been reinstated as a valid species.

Originally, Edgar Riek described two giant spiny crayfish species, firstly in 1956 E. spinosus from the upper reaches of the Hastings River, New South Wales, then secondly in 1969 E. clydensis, from a side stream of the Clyde River near Brooman, and paratypes from near Conjola, New South Wales. Morgan (1997) revised the taxonomy of (more…)

BLACKROCK YABBIES a NEW Yabby Farm for NSW

Michael Gosling from Blackrock Yabbies started as a client back in 2017 when we started helping him to find a suitable site to conduct yabby farming. A number of different rural properties were considered and finally in 2018 he purchased 100 acres at Bulahdelah NSW. It was a virgin block basically just 4 fences so (more…)

The Swamp Yabby Cherax latimanus – A NEW species for NSW & Vic

After 15 years of rigorous research we finally described a new species of yabby. The Swamp Yabby (Cherax latimanus) was formally described and published in the peer-reviewed international journal Zootaxa. Robert McCormack from Australian Aquatic Biological as part of the Australian Crayfish Project (ACP) and Tarmo Raadik from the Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, (more…)

Save the Spinys

Project:  100086 Saving the spinys: urgent actions to conserve the Euastacus freshwater crayfish Spiny crayfish from the Euastacus genus are an inconspicuous casualty of the widespread and enduring bushfires that profoundly impacted Australia over 2019–20. As with other freshwater animals, spiny crayfish were not only directly impacted as the bushfires swept over the landscape but (more…)

Freshwater Sponges (Family: Spongillidae)

Freshwater sponges are very primitive organisms, members of the phylum Porifera (which means “pore bearer”). They have relatively soft bodies full of channels and pores allowing water to circulate through them. Their bodies are a network of fibres and branches with needle type projections – quite weird under the microscope. I’m not a spongiologist and (more…)

AABIO 2018 another year in review

Aquaculture Consultancy Australian aquatic Biological and its subsidiary RBM Aquaculture has had another extremely busy year with numerous consultations. We designed and assisted with approval for a new Redclaw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus) Farm in Queensland this year. Interest in Redclaw aquaculture continues to grow in Queensland with continued investment. We designed a new aquaculture facility (more…)

Freshwater Mussels, Eastern NSW (2017-2018)

In 2017 the Hunter Region of NSW was suffering from the worst drought in 50 years. In late 2017 my local creek at Port Stephens dried up for the first time in the last 18 years since I’ve been here. As the water dried out, I took the opportunity to investigate all the species that (more…)

Freshwater leeches feeding on Crayfish

Freshwater blood and fluid sucking leeches can pose a serious problem for freshwater crayfish. Typically it’s the common yabby (Cherax destructor) that you find leeches attached to or they have a nasty round scar indicating a leech has had a feed. The scar remains until the crayfish moults but the scar itself can create difficulty (more…)

Second Hand Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) For Sale (July/August 2017)

SORRY – THIS SYSTEM HAS BEEN SOLD A complete fish hatchery and grow out recirculating aquaculture system is currently for sale. If you are thinking of entering the Recirculating Aquaculture Industry and can’t afford the $500K price tag for a brand new system, then purchasing a second hand system at 30% of the new price (more…)

Euastacus vesper – a NEW Euastacus for NSW

Research Project 100007 initiated in 2008 has finally been completed. This project has been ongoing for the last 10 years, but has at last culminated in the publication of a description of a NEW Euastacus species for the western drainage of New South Wales, Australia. The Cudgegong Giant Spiny Crayfish Euastacus vesper is described from (more…)

Central Highlands Burrowing Cray Engaeus affinis (Smith & Schuster 1913)

This species is endemic to Victoria with a relatively small distribution known at this time (estimated extent of occurrence of approximately 200 km2). Found in the upper Yarra, Acheron, Yea and Big Rivers. An area roughly from Kinglake to Eildon to Jamieson to Noojee to Hoddles Creek. Central Highlands Burrowing Cray Engaeus affinis has been assessed on (more…)

Lowland Burrowing Crayfish Engaeus quadrimanus

Also known as “The Mernda Land Yabby” Engaeus quadrimanus (Clark 1936) is a relatively widespread and locally abundant species. It’s a lowland species generally found under 250 m a.s.l. from just north of Melbourne, east along the Victorian coast to just before the NSW border. Engaeus quadrimanus has been assessed as Least Concern on the (more…)

A New Spiny Crayfish in Western Drainage, NSW.

Project: 100007 started back in 2008 final draws to a closure. The project that started out as an unidentified Euastacus crayfish species has been found in western drainage of NSW has been finalized with the completion of the project going to press. A scientific manuscript title; Euastacus sp. nov., a new giant spiny crayfish (Crustacea, (more…)

Disused Aquaculture Ponds Wanted to Lease

Got an aquaculture facility that’s not operational or not making the amount of money you desire. Why not lease your farm or your ponds? We have clients in desperate need of ponds now. Aquaculture is the fastest growing primary industry in Australia. Demand for aquacultured produce is skyrocketing and new production methods are increasingly improving (more…)

The Australian Crayfish Project Team Visits Tasmania

In early May four members of the ACP visited Tasmania.  We are also members of the NSW Aquaculture Association and one of the reasons for visiting Tassie was to visit Huon Aquaculture. For an article of Huon see: http://nswaqua.com.au/huon-aquaculture-sea-cages/  Whilst in Tassie we took full advantage of the opportunity and travelled the country from one end (more…)

East Gippsland Survey Season Commences 2016

The high country of East Gippsland is a difficult area to survey as the window of opportunity is small. In summer it’s too hot and subject to bushfires and road closures. In winter, it’s too cold and the crayfish have retired to their deep burrows being extremely difficult to find. This just leaves the spring (more…)

Orbost Spiny Crayfish paper finally published

Started in 2005 the quest to rediscover the Orbost Spiny Crayfish Euastacus diversus has been a long and intriguing journey cumulating in the publication of this paper. This story began back in 1959 when one of Australia’s foremost expert on freshwater crayfish at that time, Edgar Riek, discovered this small freshwater crayfish species in the east (more…)

Second Hand Yabby Hatchery, Purging, Holding and Display System For Sale

SOLD-THIS SYSTEM HAS BEEN SOLD The disposal of a complete yabby aquaculture set up has become available. This is a Yabby Hatchery/Holding/Purging and display facility. It represents a unique opportunity to purchase a complete recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) at an affordable price. Two complete rooms are available: ROOM 1 The first room consists of 12 (more…)

An expedition to Victoria –November 2015

I had the pleasure of traveling to Victoria to present a lecture on “The Freshwater Crayfish of Victoria” to the Bendigo Field Naturalists Club. They were great crowd and I had a great time chatting with them. Whilst in the Bendigo area I sampled the local creeks and streams, only finding yabbies Cherax destructor. The (more…)

2015 Expedition to Far North Queensland

Early September 2015 four volunteers on the Australian Crayfish Project (ACP) met at Townsville Queensland for a crayfish research expedition. We met at Cocoa Creek, on Cape Cleveland approximately 17 km east of Townsville. We all got there pretty much together just before sunset. Cocoa Creek is a small muddy deep water creek flowing through (more…)

Ellen Clarks Crayfish Euastacus clarkae Paper Published

Between 2005 and 2012 the Australian Crayfish Project (ACP) has been researching an IUCN listed Critically Endangered species Euastacus clarkae. Then in 2013 the ACP received a Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund (MBZSCF) grant (Project 12054688) and I am extremely grateful for their generous support. The MBZSCF is a significant philanthropic endowment established to provide (more…)

The ACP visits Tasmania

During a recent trip to Tasmania I had the pleasure of seeking some freshwater crayfish between looking at the local tourist attractions. I was there as a tourist for my first look at Tasmania but between traveling to the next tourist attraction I took some time out to look for crayfish and I wasn’t disappointed. (more…)

Aquaculture/Aquaponic Equipment For Sale

One of Australia’s premium aquaculture farms is selling excess equipment as part of a farm upgrade. Spare tanks, pumps and filters, etc., are all for sale at the right price. Save thousands on this equipment clearance sale. See attached PDF for details (Click Here). If you are starting a hatchery or in need of a tank (more…)

Translocated Cherax paper published

Based on the results of the Australian Crayfish Project a scientific paper on the translocation of the yabby Cherax destructor into eastern drainages of New South Wales, has been published in the scientific journal “Australian Zoologist”. The Royal Zoological Society publishes a fully refereed scientific journal, Australian Zoologist, specialising in topics relevant to Australian zoology. (more…)

A Day in the Swamps of Katoomba Chasing the Giant Dragonfly Petalura gigantea

In late December 2014, I met up with Dr Ian Baird one of Australia’s foremost experts on Giant Dragonflies and we spent the day together wandering selected swamps of the Blue Mountains hunting this rare and elusive species. This was an eye opener for me and I had a fantastic day learning all about Giant Dragonflies. (more…)

Super Yabbies and Yabby Farming in NSW

As an industry consultant and a member of the original CSIRO Steering committee for the CSIRO/RIRDC CSA-17A Super Yabby Research project I am still involved with requests for further information and participation in current projects relating to the CSIRO SUPER YABBIES and yabby farming generally. In addition to my commercial ventures, recently I had cause (more…)

Riek’s Crayfish Euastacus rieki (first breeding record)

The ACT Aquatic Team  from the ACT Government’s Conservation Planning and Research Unit sent me this photo of a berried Euastacus rieki and I just had to share it with you all. It’s the first female with eggs recorded and a tremendous leap towards filling the huge knowledge gaps on this cryptic species. The Aquatic Team (more…)

The Southern Lobster Euastacus yanga

We have finally finished our aquatic surveys of the lower Clyde River, NSW. It’s an exciting area with mostly pristine clear flowing streams full of aquatic life. The results of the survey have been extremely interesting and have resulted in some significant findings. We have identified 3 different freshwater crayfish species in the lower Clyde (more…)

A Guide to Australia’s Spiny Freshwater Crayfish wins a coveted Whitley Award

A Guide to Australia’s Spiny Freshwater Crayfish wins a coveted Whitley Award. The winners were announced by the Royal Zoological Society of NSW at a ceremony held in the foyer of the Australian Museum in Sydney on Friday 11th of October 2013. The Whitley Awards are for outstanding publications dealing with the promotion and conservation (more…)

Recirculating Aquaculture and Aquaponics Short Course

Updated 06/07/2013 The NSW Aquaculture Association, in collaboration with NSW Fisheries and sponored by Pentair Aquatic Ecosystems are holding a two day Recirculating Aquaculture and Aquaponic Short course in Newcastle NSW on the 21th and 22nd of September 2013. Please follow this link to purchase tickets and secure your seat. We will be covering a (more…)