Update of the Flora and Fauna of Piccaninnie Ponds and Ewens Ponds (Including Eight Mile Creek)

(This article is a re-write of one published in our 2006 Journal, because it was only one of the early drafts that was published in error and some of the intended information was missing. I attempted to rectify the error by having Part 2 published in our 2007 Journal. Now, more than 15 years later, I considered that it would be much clearer for the article to be republished in the original manner intended.

I trust that this version (with new updates at the very end) clears up the discrepancies in the original Journal article, although it has been difficult to present it in the manner originally intended after some 16 years.)

After diving and snorkelling in both Piccaninnie Ponds and Ewens Ponds (including Eight Mile Creek) during the Marine Life Society’s trip to Port MacDonnell in February 2006, I wanted to list the many freshwater species of fish, plants and invertebrates that we saw there. Since I am not an expert on the identification of freshwater species, I enlisted the help of Mike Hammer, the Scientific Officer for the Native Fish Australia (SA) group.

Mike got me started by sending me an electronic copy of his report “The South East Fish Inventory: Distribution and Conservation of Freshwater Fishes of South East South Australia”.

Thanks to Mike’s help, I am able to list the many species known to occur in both ponds and Eight Mile Creek. It seems to me that I possibly saw most of these species there. Other members of our group may possibly have sighted those species that I didn’t see myself.

The Piccaninnie Ponds are within the Piccaninnie Ponds Conservation Park, which is under the control of the Department for Environment and Heritage, National Parks and Wildlife (Mount Gambier). Permits to either dive or snorkel in the ponds must be purchased from the DEH office at 11 Helen St, Mount Gambier (PO Box 1046, Mt Gambier SA 5290). Contact numbers are: – telephone 8735 1171 & 8735 1177, fax 8735 1110 & 8735 1135. Diving permits are only issued to current financial members of the Cave Divers Association of Australia who are rated at sinkhole category. (Permit conditions were changed in 2022 – see UPDATE further below)

The Ewens Ponds are within the Ewens Ponds Conservation Park, which is also under the control of the Department for Environment and Heritage, National Parks and Wildlife (Mount Gambier). Permits are not required to dive or snorkel in the ponds unless a group is larger than six divers or snorkellers. Groups of more than six divers/snorkellers must book with the DEH office at Mount Gambier. (Permit conditions were changed in 2022 – see UPDATE further below)

Fishing is not allowed in either of the two conservation parks. Removal or damage to any plants or animals, including fish, freshwater crayfish and yabbies, is prohibited.

Common Galaxias (Courtesy of Mike Hammer)

This first part of my list consists of just native species of fish known to occur in the ponds and creek: –

Variegated Pygmy Perch (Courtesy of Mike Hammer)

As I said in my article “Ewens Ponds” (MLSSA Newsletter, January1998, No.240), the Ewens (or Variegated) Pygmy Perch occurs “only in Ewens Ponds and a few minor wetlands in the lower Glenelg River system in Victoria. It is a small species which reaches only 62mm in length”. As I said in my article “Endangered Freshwater Species Protected in S.A.” (MLSSA Newsletter, July 1998, No.246), “The IUCN rated the species as “vulnerable”. It chooses to live in very dense aquatic vegetation growing in flowing water. It is threatened by: –

1. Living in only a handful of small waters
2. By introduced predators having been liberated into most of these clear-water systems
3. Its preference for what is a quite rare and vulnerable habitat

“Conservation of the Variegated Pygmy Perch – Freshwater Fish Survey of Lower South Eastern South Australia” by Hammer, Doube and Roberts, as the title suggests, describes the conservation of the species and its potential threats. The report also describes Ewens Ponds and Piccaninnie Ponds in detail and features some great maps and diagrams.

The Ewens (or Variegated) Pygmy Perch was listed in the IUCN Red List of threatened animals in 1997. The 1998 SA Recreational Fishing Guide listed the fish as a protected species, along with the Southern Pygmy Perch, River Blackfish and five other freshwater species.

Blackfish

(Courtesy of Mike Hammer)

I believe that I saw lots of River Blackfish deep within the overhang in the third pond at Ewens Ponds. I wedged myself as far into the overhang as I could and remained there for quite a while, observing them in the beam of my torchlight. I was quite entranced by them and my dive buddy, Neville Skinner began to think that I was stuck there until I backed out of the overhang. River Blackfish are endangered and protected in SA.

We saw several eels feeding out in the open at the bottom of the main pond at Piccaninnie Ponds. It was a slightly overcast morning and the eels possibly considered it to still be dawn. It seems that they generally disappear once the sun comes up. Southern Shortfinned Eels are rare in SA.

Southern Shortfinned Eel

(Courtesy of Mike Hammer)

Congolli, which are rare in SA, are also known as tupong or freshwater flathead. Hillary Hauser* said in “Exploring a Sunken Realm in Australia” (National Geographic, Vol.165, No.1, January 1984) that they occurred in Piccaninnie Ponds where they feed on the Galaxiids. Mike Hammer has confirmed the occurrence of Congolli in Ewens Ponds, Eight Mile Creek and Piccaninnie Ponds.

Congolli

(Courtesy of Mike Hammer)

*Hillary Hauser is the (US) author of several books about ‘skindiving’. She also wrote “Book of Fishes”, a comprehensive collection of the most common fish seen by divers. The 200-page book has over 100 colour photos.

This next part of my list covers ‘marine vagrants’ known to occur in the ponds and creek:-

* Fishing is not allowed in either Ewens Ponds or Piccaninnie Ponds conservation parks.

** Mike Hammer says that he caught a Marine Goby, Tasmanogobius gloveri, at the lower end of Eight Mile Creek.

This next part of my list covers fish species which may possibly occur in the ponds and creek but this has not been confirmed: –

*Fishing is not allowed in either Ewens Ponds or Piccaninnie Ponds conservation parks.

According to the “Native Fish in South Australia” pamphlet (mlssa 2228), which Mike Hammer sent to me, “Lampreys have amazing body features that help them migrate”. I didn’t see any lampreys in Eight Mile Creek myself. I did, however, see a school of large fish which I assumed at the time to be Australian Grayling. I don’t believe that they could have been Yellow-eye Mullet. According to “Australian Marine Life” by Graham Edgar, “Australian Grayling remain in freshwater as adults but have a marine juvenile stage which lasts until they reach about 50mm in length. This species was once very common but has declined in numbers to only a few stable adult populations, so the species is considered threatened”. I said in my article “Ewens Ponds” (MLSSA Newsletter, January1998, No.240), that the summer 1996 edition of “Southern Fisheries” magazine (Vol.4, No.4) said that Australian Grayling, Prototroctes maraena, “has only been recorded from Ewens Ponds. It has been listed as being close to extinction” (p.43).

The “Freshwater Fishes of South Eastern SA data sheet” says that “Australian Grayling have been previously recorded from the lower south east; it is either an irregular visitor or is now locally extinct”.

Mike Hammer referred to Australian Grayling in “The South East Fish Inventory”, saying that they are an additional native species which have been documented in the past, but were not captured during the inventory. Under 5.4 in his report (Mobile species), Mike said that Grayling “does not appear to occur in SA at the current time. Their presence in SA may be governed by a population sink from another source such as the nearby Glenelg River subject to migration and the health of the source population (via marine larval stage). Alternatively a small, localized sub-population may have easily become extinct due to chance or anthropogenic disturbance”.

Mike also said in his report that Shortheaded Lampreys and Pouched Lampreys have been recorded in small patches such as Ewens Ponds and Piccaninnie Ponds, but they too were not captured during the inventory. Lampreys are endangered in SA.

This next part of my list covers invertebrate species known to occur in the ponds and creek:

* Fishing is not allowed in either Ewens Ponds or Piccaninnie Ponds conservation parks.

The Spiny Crayfish, Euastacus bispinosus (bispinosa/bispinosis/bispinosus), is also known as the South East Freshwater Crayfish and the Glenelg River Crayfish. It is said to be a relative of the River Murray Crayfish, Euastacus armatus. I saw a couple of crays in Ewens Ponds, one large specimen and one small one.

The report titled “Observations on the ‘Mechanical Dragging’ of Eight Mile Creek, South-east South Australia” by Mike Hammer, our own Neville Skinner and Tim Playford (Adel. Uni.), says that “The spiny crayfish Euastacus bispinosis has a limited distribution . . . Habitat in Eight Mile Creek represents a significant portion of the species range in South Australia” and “The spiny crayfish is a slow growing species unlikely to adapt well to alterations in its habitat”.

The Spiny Crayfish (lobster), Euastacus bispinosus (bispinosa/bispinosis/bispinosus) and the Burrowing Crayfish, Engaeus strictifrons, are considered to have a high conservation significance due to their limited distributions in south-eastern Australia.

Freshwater Crayfish, Geocharax species, are said to only have a comparatively small home range. All freshwater crayfish are often referred to as yabbies. Marron, Cherax tenuimanus, have been reported as occurring in Ewens Ponds even though they are an introduced species (native to WA). They are one of the largest freshwater crayfish in the world.

“Observations on the ‘Mechanical Dragging’ of Eight Mile Creek, South-east South Australia” says that the Eight Mile Creek is the only area in the state where the Freshwater Mussel, Hyridella narracanensis, is known to occur.

A Spiny Crayfish in Eight Mile Creek (Photo by Neville Skinner)

This next part of my list covers more invertebrate species thought to occur in the ponds and creek: –

My article titled “Ewens Ponds” in our January 1998 Newsletter reported that I had seen crabs at Ewens Ponds (in July 1997). “Discover Underwater Australia” by Neville Coleman reports that both Ewens Ponds and Piccaninnie Ponds have crabs plus freshwater sponges, hydroids, shrimps, terrapins and frogs.

(It is interesting to note that the “Ewens Ponds Conservation Park Management Plan: Amendment to Plan of Management, South East, South Australia” by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources does not indicate the occurrence of most of these creatures.)

With terrapins and frogs in mind, this next part of my list covers reptile and amphibian species known to occur in the ponds and creek: –

Chelodina longicollis is known as both the Longneck Turtle and the Snake-necked tortoise. Freshwater turtles are called tortoises (or terrapins), so it seems that Snake-necked tortoise would be the correct name for them. (This matter was discussed in my article “Turtles, Tortoises & Terrapins” in our July 1999 Newsletter (No.257).)

I saw a couple of tortoises in Ewens Ponds/Eight Mile Creek. Like the crays that I had seen, one was large and the other one was small.

(I was pleased to recently read in The Advertiser (11/4/06) that the Environment Protection Authority reports that the water quality of Lake Bonney in the south-east of SA is the best that it’s been in 30 years and that Longneck (Snake-necked) tortoises had returned to the lake and threatened fish species were now multiplying there.)

The book “Biological Science – the web of life” discusses the Long-necked tortoise and its community interrelationships.

One or two members of our four-person team which snorkelled the length of Eight Mile Creek discovered small leeches on themselves. Mike Hammer confirmed that there are plenty of leeches – “small black ones that get on your lips and in between your teeth after snorkelling around at night through swampy bits!”.

Mike says that leeches belong to the Phylum Annelida (segmented worms) and Class Hirudinea. “The Web of Life” book confirms this and gives other details. When discussing the Long-necked tortoise and its community interrelationships, the book says that “Leeches feed on tortoises without killing them; they attach themselves to the tortoises and suck their blood”.

Longneck Turtle, Chelodina longicollis, found in the River Murray (Courtesy of Mike Hammer)

This next part of my list covers the common reeds and bulrush that dominate the area surrounding Ewens Ponds: –

Tea-tree thickets consisting of Leptospermum pubescens and Scented paperbark, Melaleuca squarrosa are scattered amongst the reeds and bulrush. These vegetation associations (in the upper reaches of the ponds) have root systems which stabilize the banks and prevent contamination by surface runoff.

The Biology of Ewens and Piccaninnie Ponds, South Australia” by Dr. Neil Hallam discusses the vegetation of the ponds in detail, including Leptospermum and Melaleuca species.

This next part of my list covers some of the vegetation (plant and algae species) known to occur in Ewens Ponds: –

# Dominant species found in Ewens Ponds. These species range in depth from the surface to approximately 5m. Below that level they are unable to consolidate the fine organic matter which overlies the sands. As a consequence, blue-green bacteria form dense mats.

* Blue-green bacteria present below 5m in Ewens Ponds.

The freshwater red alga, Batrachospermum species is “locally abundant”, but it is often classified as rare. It is said to be present within the small cave (overhang) at the bottom of the third pond and also beneath the landing of the first pond at Ewens Ponds.

The channels between the ponds at Ewens Ponds are said to be dominated by the watercress Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum (also called Rorippa officinalis or Nasturtium officinale or Radicula nasturtium-aquaticum), the Lesser Water parsnip, Berula erecta (or Sium latifolium) and the common spike-rush (Eleocharis acuta).

Bob Baldock from the State Herbarium says that the lesser water parsnip Berula erecta, is an introduced plant from western Europe, central Asia and North America.  It belongs to the family Apiaceae (formerly Umbelliferae). Bob explained to me that the Adelaide Herbarium still uses the old Family name of Umbelliferae. Sium latifolium may be present in SA, but there are no reliable records.

Many of the plants which are submerged in the ponds at Ewens Ponds occur elsewhere but are only partly submerged in marshes. These plants that are submerged at Ewens Ponds survive fully submerged due to water clarity. The plants are able to obtain carbon dioxide for photosynthesis from the water and essential nutrients are obtained by the roots from the soil.

The Shield Pennywort, Hydrocotyle verticillata, for example, is usually recorded as a bog species which is never submerged, but in Ewens Ponds it is only found beneath the water surface. The moss, Fissidens rigidulus, is usually found within the spray zone of waterfalls but it too is completely submerged at Ewens Ponds.

According to Hillary Hauser in her National Geographic article “Exploring a Sunken Realm in Australia” (Vol.165, No.1, January 1984), Australian Lilaeopsis is a relative of celery and Water ribbon (Triglochin) is found in fresh waters across Australia. It produces an edible, potato-like tuber which northern Aboriginals harvest. Bouquets of the River Buttercup, Ranunculus amphitrichus, climb stalks of the Water ribbon, Triglochin procerum. The red leaves of Ranunculus amphitrichus along the shoreline of Piccaninnie Ponds are frosted with wisps of algae. The slightly saline aquifer that feeds Piccaninnie Ponds seems to inhabit the spread of Ranunculus amphitrichus, which adjusts its red pigment as needed to protect against the sunlight drenching these crystalline waters.

“Observations on the ‘Mechanical Dragging’ of Eight Mile Creek, South-east South Australia” says that Eight Mile Creek has a profusion of submerged aquatic plants (such as the pondweed Potamogeton pectinatus), many of which are normally only found growing emerged (e.g. the Australian lilaeopsis, Lilaeopsis polyantha, Shield pennywort, Hydrocotyle verticillata and Watercress, Rorripa nasturtiumaquaticum). The report also says that the Water ribbon, Triglochin procerum reaches an unusually large size in Eight Mile Creek. It also says that “this form of habitat and mixture of species is quite rare at the regional and state level” Aquatic plants also provide faunal refuge (shelter) from flow and predators, as well as surfaces for invertebrates to colonise (e.g. potential food source for fishes). Riparian vegetation is today of limited extent along the creek, with some overhanging cover such as grasses, emergent plants e.g. Phragmites (P.australis) and Typha species (bulrushes), and a general mix of species that help stabilize soft creek edges (at least in the upper reaches)”.

Hauser’s article “Exploring a Sunken Realm in Australia” said that “The Eight Mile Creek Swamp that once surrounded Ewens Ponds has been drained for farmland since before the Second World War. The pond water levels, now apparently stabilized, lie one and a half meters (five feet) below their original marks, and many of the plant species still found at Piccaninnie Ponds have vanished from Ewens”.

Hauser’s article also said that Galaxiids in Piccaninnie Ponds feed on algae and mosses that build into green underwater castles. Congolli hide in the tangled cloud of algae and lie in wait for feeding Galaxiids, which are one of their favourite foods.

Bob Baldock from the State Herbarium helped me out with some details about these plant species, including comments that the Aboriginal names for Triglochin procerum are “Narelli” and “Pol-an-go”. Bob suggested that I visit www.flora.saugov.sa.gov.au for more details.

(The State Herbarium maintains records of local plants, including marine species. The herbarium probably has the largest algal collection in Australia but the bulk of it has not been data based. This is a great pity because many marine projects are hampered by the difficulties in accessing data on the distribution of species from the 90,000 individual specimen sheets. A complete database would circumvent this problem. The herbarium had sufficient funding to data base all of the terrestrial collections but there was nothing left to database the bulk of the algal collections. About $400,000 is needed to be able to database the complete algal collection. Our politicians need to inject some cash into the herbarium’s work so that our plant records may finally be completed.)

WA has an Internet-based record of its marine plants, the FloraBase information system –http://www.naturebase.net/florabase. The database provides on-line access to about 1,000 species of WA’s marine macro algae and access details of some 20,000 specimens. All of WA’s marine macro algae specimens are now housed in the Department of Conservation and Land Management (CALM) Herbarium’s algal herbarium, and about 14,000 have now been entered on the database and added to the original 6,000 sheets at the herbarium.

According to the FloraBase web site: – Lilaeopsis polyantha, Ranunculus amphitrichus and Triglochin species are all herbs. Both Lilaeopsis polyantha and Ranunculus amphitrichus are perennials. The Australian Lilaeopsis, Lilaeopsis polyantha is said to grow in sandy mud at lake margins. It has purple, red or brown flowers. The River Buttercup, Ranunculus amphitrichus has yellow flowers and is said to grow in swamps and shallow water. Water Ribbons, Triglochin species, are “annual or perennial”.

I couldn’t find Hydrocotyle verticillata on the FloraBase web site, so I took Bob Baldock’s advice and visited the www.flora.saugov.sa.gov.au site where I found some details at http://www.flora.sa.gov.au/cgi-bin/texhtml.cgi?form=speciesfacts&family=Umbelliferae&genus=Hydrocotyle .

It seems that pennyworts (Hydrocotyle species) are also perennial herbs (with prostrate or ascending stems), or small annuals with erect or ascending branched stems.
As mentioned earlier, Bob Baldock explained to me that the Adelaide Herbarium still uses the old Family name of Umbelliferae for Hydocotyle and Lilaeopsis species. He also helped me out with details about some of the other plants listed above. He was able to tell me, for example, the common names, the complete (& correct) scientific names and the Family names for them all. He also explained that there are five other species of Potamogeton, distinguished by the shape of their leaves. He told me that the Watercress, Rorripa nasturtiumaquaticum is an introduced water plant and that there are four native terrestrial species as well.

The Biology of Ewens and Piccaninnie Ponds, South Australia” by Dr. Neil Hallam says that, “The dominant species before drainage was watercress, Nasturtium officinale, occurring there in great masses from deep in the (Ewens) ponds to the surface. At the present time (1983-5) it is mainly restricted to Eight Mile Creek between the ponds and along the edges of Eight Mile Creek as it flows from the third pond to the sea”.

“The Biology of Ewens and Piccaninnie Ponds, South Australia” also says that pondweed “Potamogeton pectinatus is only found now (1983-5) in the lower reaches of the creek and at Piccaninnie Ponds. It also says that “Myriophyllum, once recorded for Ewens Ponds by Eardly*, is now found only at Piccaninnie Ponds. Myriophyllum elatinoides has not been seen in Ewens Ponds or Eight Mile Creek over the last five years (to 1983-5), although it was recorded by her in 1943”.

Constance Eardly carried out an ecological survey of Ewens Ponds in 1943. It seems that her results were published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society of South Australia that same year.

“The Biology of Ewens and Piccaninnie Ponds, South Australia” repeats the comment that “Potamogeton pectinatus occurs only in the lower reaches of Eight Mile Creek (beyond the third pond). It also says the same for the Sea Tassel, Ruppia maritoma.

The vegetation of Eight Mile Creek is said to be “dominated by clumps of green Nasturtium* and red purple Veronica catenata.

* The watercress Nasturtium officinale (also called Rorippa officinalis or Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum or Radicula nasturtium-aquaticum).

The freshwater red alga, Batrachospermum species is “locally abundant” but it is often classified as rare. It is said to be present within the small cave (overhang) at the bottom of the third pond and also beneath the landing of the first pond at Ewens Ponds.

The channels between the ponds at Ewens Ponds are said to be dominated by the watercress Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum, the Lesser Water parsnip, Berula erecta (or Sium latifolium) and the common spike-rush (Eleocharis acuta).

And . . .

According to Dr. Neil Hallam, the tea tree thicket Leptospermum lanigerum is said to surround Piccaninnie Ponds “and bog plants such as Typha (bullrush), Cladium and Eleocharis (sedges).”

This next part of my list covers some of the vegetation (plant and algae species) known to occur in Piccaninnie Ponds: –

According to Dr. Neil Hallam, “Large clumps of Triglochin procera also dominate the pond edges. Some of the other plants that grow at Ewens Ponds such as Ranunculus, Nasturtium  and Hydrocotyle do not grow as robust at Piccaninnie Ponds presumably because of the higher salinity. The swamp system surrounding the ponds is dominated by tussock species such as saw sedges (Gahnia spp) and rushes (Juncus and Scirpus spp).”

(As indicated in the previous Table, Gahnia spp and Scirpus spp belong to the Cyperaceae family and Juncus spp belong to the Juncaceae family.)

Dr Hallam also says that Water Milfoil, Myriophyllum propinquum, does not occur at Ewens Ponds. In Piccaninnie Ponds, however, it “grows as a submerged aquatic at the edges of the chasm, usually with filamentous algae entangled in it”.

He also says that, “The aquatic moss Distichophyllum microcarpum is another species not present at Ewens Ponds and it grows down the walls of the chasm to depths of 16metres”.

He says that, “The only other plants growing down into the chasm are blue-green algae, these purple tufts contrasting with the bright green 2-3 cm high clumps of Distichophyllum on the limestone ledges . . .”.

He also says that, “Large clumps of Lemna triscula . . . can be seen on the ledges within the chasm and in the swamp surrounding. This species is quite rare at Ewens Ponds but grows well in the harder, more saline waters of Piccaninnie Ponds”.

Many pest plants, mammals and one fish species are known to occur in the ponds at Ewens Ponds. The mammals include rats, mice, rabbits and foxes. The one pest fish that is known to occur there is the Rainbow Trout, Salmo gairdneri, which is an introduced species. The rabbits and foxes are also introduced species. These introduced species have the ability to impact on the threatened fauna found in Ewens Ponds, including native fish and crustaceans.

A fish (trout) farm adjoins the Ewens Ponds Conservation Park to the east. It extracts water via a channel from Pond 2 and discharges effluent via an outlet channel into Pond 3. The discharges from the trout farm and the water quality in the ponds is said to be monitored regularly.

According “Exploring a Sunken Realm in Australia” by to Hillary Hauser (National Geographic, Vol.165, No.1, January 1984), botanist Dr Neil Hallam, a professor at Monash University spent many years studying both Ewens Ponds and Piccaninnie Ponds. In the early 1980s Dr Hallam and graduate students from Monash University released rhodamine, a water-tracing dye, into Pond 1, the largest of the ponds, at Ewens Ponds to clock the rate of water exchange. It is interesting to note that “Dyes and other substances are not allowed to be released in the ponds whether for photography or any other purpose. They are illegal under the Fisheries Act, 1982”.

Whilst snorkelling down Eight Mile Creek, Neville Skinner and I sighted a ‘bluish’ fish seemingly hiding beneath some alga at a corner of the creek. We both commented that we didn’t recognize the species. It seemed to be bream-like but didn’t seem to be a bream. Other possible species that come to mind are Estuary Perch, Macquaria colonorum and Macquarie Perch, Macquaria australisca. This latter species is said to be coloured dark bluish-grey on its dorsal (upper) surface at times. Mike Hammer says, however, that the occurrence of Macquarie Perch in the creek is not likely. Estuary Perch, however, are usually coloured olive-green on their dorsal surface.

Estuary Perch, Macquaria colonorum (Courtesy of Mike Hammer)

About the time that I was completing this article, Mike Hammer sent me lots more reference details, including several reports on a CD. “The South East Fish Inventory: Distribution and Conservation of Freshwater Fishes of South East South Australia” is on the CD along with “Conservation of the Variegated Pygmy Perch – Freshwater Fish Survey of Lower South Eastern South Australia” by Hammer, Doube and Roberts (2000), “A Catalogue of South Australian Freshwater Fishes, including new records, range extensions and translocations” by Hammer and Walker, Transactions of the Royal Society of SA (2004), 128(2), 85-97 and “Observations on the ‘Mechanical Dragging’ of Eight Mile Creek, South-east South Australia” by Mike Hammer, Neville Skinner and T. Playford.

Southern Pygmy Perch

(Courtesy of Mike Hammer)

The CD also includes lots of fish photos, some of which feature in this article. The CD has been placed into our library (mlssa 8024).

Mike also sent me a data sheet on freshwater fishes of South Eastern SA (“Freshwater Fishes of South Eastern SA data sheet”. This has been placed in a file along with other information used for this article. This file has also been placed into our library (mlssa 2228).

The “Freshwater Fishes of South Eastern SA data sheet” gives details about lampreys, Congolli, River Blackfish, Shortfinned Eel, pygmy perch, galaxias and other freshwater fish species. It also features many (most) of Mike Hammer’s fish photos featured in this article.

Trevor Watts from SARFAC also sent me a CD of Mike Hammer’s report titled “The Eastern Mount Lofty Ranges Fish Inventory – Distribution and conservation of freshwater fishes of tributaries to the Lower River Murray, South Australia”. This CD has also been placed into our library (mlssa 8025).

Spotted Galaxias

(Courtesy of Mike Hammer)

This next part of my list covers some of the bird species known to occur in the ponds and creek: –

Many aquatic birds, however, are said to be frequent visitors to the Ewens Ponds Conservation Park.

Many thanks go to Mike Hammer for both his many photographs and considerable assistance with the above details. My thanks also to Trevor Watts from SARFAC, Bob Baldock from the State Herbarium, Christopher Deane and Neville Skinner.

REFERENCES:

“Ewens Ponds” by Steve Reynolds, MLSSA Newsletter, January 1998 (No.240).

“More About Ewens Ponds” by Steve Reynolds, MLSSA Newsletter, March 1998 (No.242)

“Endangered Freshwater Species Protected in S.A.” by Steve Reynolds, MLSSA Newsletter, July 1998 (No.246).

“The Freshwater Ponds At Port MacDonnell” by Steve Reynolds, MLSSA Newsletter, June 1999 (No.256).

“The Flora & Fauna of Ewens Ponds” by Steve Reynolds, MLSSA Newsletter, September 1999, No.259.

“MLSSA’s 2006 Trip To Piccaninnie Ponds, Ewens Ponds And Eight Mile Creek – The Unofficial Report” by Steve Reynolds, MLSSA Newsletter (2006?)

“Dredging of Eight Mile Creek” Parts 1 & 2, by Neville Skinner, MLSSA Newsletters, January & February 2005 (Nos.317-8).

“Eight Mile Creek Report” by Neville Skinner, MLSSA Newsletter, January 2006 (No.328).

“Fair go for endangered eight” by Bryan Pierce (SARDI Aquatic Sciences), Southern Fisheries magazine, Vol.5, No.1, Autumn 1997.

“South Australian Recreational Fishing Guide” 1998 – Freshwater, Endangered Species.

“South Australian Recreational Fishing Guide” 2003 – The River Murray, Protected Species.

“Exploring a Sunken Realm in Australia” by Hillary Hauser, National Geographic, Vol.165, No.1, January 1984.

“Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia” by Rudie H Kuiter, Gary Allen P/L, 2000.

“The Marine and Freshwater Fishes of South Australia” by TD Scott, CJM Glover and RV Southcott, Government Printer, 1980.

“Biological Science – the web of life” by the Australian Academy of Science, 1981.

“The South East Fish Inventory: Distribution and Conservation of Freshwater Fishes of South East South Australia” by Michael Hammer, 2002. A CD copy of this report has also been placed into our library (mlssa 8024). The CD also includes lots of fish photos, some of which feature in this article.

“Conservation of the Variegated Pygmy Perch – Freshwater Fish Survey of Lower South Eastern South Australia” by Hammer, Doube and Roberts (2000). A CD copy of this report has also been placed into our library (mlssa 8024).

“A Catalogue of South Australian Freshwater Fishes, including new records, range extensions and translocations” by Hammer and Walker, Transactions of the Royal Society of SA (2004), 128(2), 85-97. A CD copy of this report has also been placed into our library (mlssa 8024).

“Observations on the ‘Mechanical Dragging’ of Eight Mile Creek, South-east South Australia” by M.Hammer, N.Skinner and T.Playford, report to the South Eastern Water Conservation and Drainage Board. A CD copy of this report has also been placed into our library (mlssa 8024).

“Native Fish in South Australia” pamphlet (mlssa 2228).

“Freshwater Fishes of South Eastern SA data sheet” (mlssa 2228).

“The Eastern Mount Lofty Ranges Fish Inventory – Distribution and conservation of freshwater fishes of tributaries to the Lower River Murray, South Australia” by Mike Hammer, September 2004. A CD copy of this report has also been placed into our library (mlssa 8025).

“Australian Marine Life – The Plants and Animals of Temperate Waters” by Graham Edgar, published by Reed New Holland, Sydney, 2000, ISBN 1 876334 38 X, (mlssa 1053).

“The Marine and Freshwater Fishes of South Australia” by Scott, Glover and Southcott, Government Printer, 1980 (mlssa 1009).

“Turtles, Tortoises & Terrapins” by Steve Reynolds, MLSSA Newsletter, July 1999  (No.257).

“Marine Turtles in SA” by Steve Reynolds, MLSSA Newsletter, June 1992  (No.179).

“More About Turtles” by Steve Reynolds, MLSSA Newsletter, July 1993  (No.191).

“Turtle Article” by Steve Reynolds, MLSSA Newsletter, August 1995  (No.214).

“1995 Year of the Turtle”, Editor Steve Reynolds, MLSSA Newsletter, August 1995  (No.214).

“Ewen (sic) Ponds Conservation Park Management Plan: Amendment to Plan of Management, South East, South Australia” by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. South-East Region, Natural Resources Group, ISBN or ISSN: 0730858219.

‘The Biology of Ewens Ponds and Piccaninnie Ponds, South Australia’ by Dr. Neill Hallam Senior Lecturer in Botany Monash Uni. February 1985 in Habitat Vol.13 No 1.

“Save Ewens Ponds” by Gerard Carmody, MLSSA Journal No.16, December 2006.

The web site for Native Fish Australia (SA) – www.nativefishsa.asn.au .

For more details about freshwater turtles visit http://www.anbg.gov.au/cpbr/WfHC/Chelidae/index.html .

For more details about crayfish visit the following crayfish web sites (& web pages): –

http://www.fish.wa.gov.au/docs/pub/IdCrayfish/IdCrayfishPage01.php?0304

http://www.crayfishworld.com/pictureindex.htm (Crayfish Photo Index)

http://www.crayfishworld.com/geocharax.htm (Geocharax species)

http://www.crayfishworld.com/spinya2.htm (for more details about the Spiny Crayfish, Euastacus bispinosus (bispinosa/bispinosis/bispinosus) )

UPDATE

As I wrote in my “Southern Waters” column in the December 2022 issue of Dive Log magazine:

Ewens Ponds are closed each year from 1^st September to 30^th November for an annual spring break “to give the unique aquatic plant life a chance to rest and recover ready for visitors over summer. Diving and Snorkelling activities are not permitted during this closure.”

Further, It now costs $16 per person to dive or snorkel in Ewens Ponds for just 1 hour, but a permit must be purchased to cover 2 divers. An annual permit costs $62, but a permit must be purchased to cover 2 divers – see details at https://www.parks.sa.gov.au/parks/ewens-ponds-conservation-park/booking/91777 : –

“A (*$16) permit is required to snorkel and dive at Ewens Ponds. Permits are issued to individuals on an annual or a single basis (fees apply).” Two dive slots (i.e. 2 hours) are allowed by paying double the hourly fee.

“Divers must meet the minimum standard of ISO 24801-2 (Autonomous diver) which is equivalent to PADI Open Water Diver, CMAS one star, SSI Open Water Diver or NAUI Scuba Diver.”

Meanwhile, it costs $16pp to snorkel in Piccaninnie Ponds and $43pp to dive (for just 1 hour for either. Two dive slots (i.e. 2 hours) are allowed by paying double the hourly fee.). “Snorkellers must wear a full length wet suit and snorkel equipment. No weight belts to be worn (as per indemnity).” Bookings need to be made via https://www.parks.sa.gov.au/parks/piccaninnie-ponds-conservation-park/booking/72030 .

“Divers must be a financial member of the Cave Divers Association of Australia and complete an indemnity.” Bookings need to be made via https://www.parks.sa.gov.au/parks/piccaninnie-ponds-conservation-park/booking/65339 . There doesn’t appear to be an Annual Permit for diving in Piccaninnie Ponds any more.

Since republishing the above details from our 2006 & 2007 Journal, I have watched video footage of ABC TV’s 1981 documentary “The Land That Sank” featuring Reg Lipson. It gives good details about the flora and fauna to be found in Piccaninnie Ponds and Ewens Ponds.

Mentioned during the documentary are creatures such as caddisfly larvae, freshwater shrimp, spiny crayfish, flatworms found on the crayfish, caterpillars, (red-backed) mites, birds such as cormorants & egrets, hydroids and fish such as congolli, galaxias, river blackfish, short-finned eels, and Yarra Pygmy Perch. The occurrence of seaurchins in Piccaninnie Ponds was also suggested.

According to Wikipedia, caddisflies (order Trichoptera) are a group of insects with aquatic larvae and terrestrial adults. The aquatic larvae are found in a wide variety of water habitats. Caddisflies are said to be useful as bio-indicators because they are sensitive to water pollution and are large enough to be assessed in the field.

Leeches are flattened, segmented worms (phylum Annelida) with a sucker at each end of its body. Bloodsucking leeches use these suckers to cling to their victims. Most leech species live in water, mostly in freshwater, mostly in quiet pools and slow-flowing rivers.

Mentioned during “The Land That Sank” documentary is flatworms living on spiny crayfish (Glenelg spiny freshwater crayfish, Euastacus bispinosus). According to https://museum.wa.gov.au/explore/blogs/andrew-hosie/friendly-flatworms-temnocephalida#:~:text=Known%20as%20temnocephalids%2C%20these%20belong%20to%20a%20group,crayfish%2C%20and%20can%20be%20found%20around%20the%20world , “Known as temnocephalids, these belong to a group of mostly free-living, non-parasitic flatworms known as the rhabdocoel turbellarians. Unlike the free-living flatworms, the temnocephalids have a sucker located on the underside of the body. They are known to attach to freshwater crustaceans, particularly crayfish, and can be found around the world. …. They attach themselves to the crayfish with their surprisingly strong sucker, usually under the tail and use their finger-like tentacles to capture food. They aren’t feeding on the crayfish but are opportunistic, feeding on other small organisms, like nematode worms and protozoans, that get stirred up by the crayfish. When they’re on the move, they use their ‘hand’ to reach out and pull themselves along.”

According to https://www.environment.sa.gov.au/topics/water/wetlands/piccaninnie-ponds#:~:text=The%20site%20supports%20seven%20nationally%20or%20internationally%20listed,Prassophyllum%20frenchii%207%20Swamp%20greenhood%20-%20Pteostylis%20tenuissima , “The (Piccaninnie Ponds) site supports seven nationally or internationally listed species of conservation significance:

Yarra pygmy perch – Nannoperca obscura

Dwarf galaxias – Galaxiella pusilla

Orange-bellied parrot – Neophema chrysogaster

Australasian bittern – Botaurus poiciloptilus

Glenelg spiny freshwater crayfish – Euastacus bispinosus

Maroon-leek orchid – Prassophyllum frenchii

Swamp greenhood (orchid) – Pteostylis tenuissima

The site also provides habitat for 79 bird species including 24 species listed under international agreements, and 50 Australian migratory or marine species.”

All of the above mentioned species, apart from the Glenelg spiny freshwater crayfish, Euastacus bispinosus, would be new additions to my original lists of species. I have therefore updated my lists and reproduced them below: –

NATIVE SPECIES OF FISH KNOWN TO OCCUR IN THE PONDS AND CREEK

‘MARINE VAGRANTS’ KNOWN TO OCCUR IN THE PONDS AND CREEK

FISH SPECIES WHICH MAY POSSIBLY OCCUR IN THE PONDS AND CREEK (BUT THIS HAS NOT BEEN CONFIRMED)

INVERTEBRATE SPECIES KNOWN TO OCCUR IN THE PONDS AND CREEK

MORE INVERTEBRATE SPECIES THOUGHT TO OCCUR IN THE PONDS AND CREEK

REPTILE AND AMPHIBIAN SPECIES KNOWN TO OCCUR IN THE PONDS AND CREEK

COMMON REEDS AND BULRUSH THAT DOMINATE THE AREA SURROUNDING EWENS PONDS

Tea-tree thickets consisting of Leptospermum pubescens and Scented paperbark, Melaleuca squarrosa are scattered amongst the reeds and bulrush. These vegetation associations (in the upper reaches of the ponds) have root systems which stabilize the banks and prevent contamination by surface runoff.

THE VEGETATION (PLANT AND ALGAE SPECIES) KNOWN TO OCCUR IN EWENS PONDS

THE VEGETATION (PLANT AND ALGAE SPECIES) KNOWN TO OCCUR IN PICCANINNIE PONDS

SOME OF THE BIRD SPECIES KNOWN TO OCCUR IN THE PONDS AND CREEK

INSECT SPECIES KNOWN TO OCCUR IN THE PONDS AND CREEK