The Gladstone Area Water Board and NFP House have joined forces to launch the Aquaculture Gladstone Volunteer Program.
NFP House is now recruiting volunteers to support the Aquaculture Gladstone Interpretive Display and raise community awareness about hatchery operations, fingerling production, sustainable fishing, Lake Awoonga and GAWB in the process.
GAWB Chief Executive Officer Darren Barlow said the volunteer program will help grow the experience at the Aquaculture Gladstone Interpretive Display, which has already proven to be incredibly popular with the community since opening in November 2023.
“The public have really embraced the interpretive display with the number of people dropping in to the display, and requests for private tours, exceeding our expectations since launching in late 2023,” Mr Barlow said.
“The feedback from the community has been very positive about the display, especially the live fish display where visitors can see – up close – our incredibly rare Golden Barramundi and White Barramundi.
“With the help of volunteers, we will be able to open the Interpretive Display for more hours during the week and on Saturdays.
“Volunteering is a great way to contribute to the Gladstone community, so if you’re someone with an interest in fishing or aquaculture, and have some time to volunteer, please get in touch with NFP House.”
NFP House CEO Lyndal Hansen said volunteers are the lifeblood of our region.
“We’re excited to partner with GAWB on this project,” Mrs Hansen said.
“This is a fabulous opportunity to contribute to our community and volunteer at a world class multi-species fish hatchery, located right here on our door step.
“Aquaculture Gladstone provides a unique educational and recreational experience for our region and you could be part of it.
“Fishing and scientific knowledge is not compulsory, but a willingness to learn and interact with new people certainly is.”
For more information and to apply, visit the NFP House Volunteer Portal (portal.nfphouse.org.au/) or email NFP House (admin@nfphouse.org.au).
Aquaculture Gladstone volunteers must be 18-plus, fluent in English, hold a blue card and be available to work two to four-hour shifts during the week and/or on Saturdays.
Volunteers will talk to members of the public about hatchery operations including the fish breeding program, release of the fingerlings, the aquatic environment at Lake Awoonga and general information about GAWB.
The facility is a multi-species, native fish hatchery owned and operated by Aquaculture Gladstone, which is part of Gladstone Area Water Board.
Opened in November 2022, Aquaculture Gladstone has already reached impressive milestones, with one million Barramundi fingerlings bred and released into Lake Awoonga in the 2023 stocking period.
