Fish Hotels: Giving back to the river
Published: 6 October 2025

Why Murray Cod need our help

The Murray Cod is a true icon of Australia’s longest river. Growing to over 100 kilograms and living more than 100 years, it has been central to Aboriginal dreamtime stories, a food source for European explorers and settlers, and remains a prized catch for recreational fishers today.

But in South Australia, this legendary species is officially listed as Vulnerable. Over the past century, cod populations have suffered from:

  • dams and weirs blocking migration routes

  • reduced floods limiting breeding opportunities

  • invasive species like European carp

  • commercial over-fishing

  • and, most dramatically, the large-scale removal of habitat.

From the 1850s to the 1920s, paddle steamers carried goods along the Murray, but to keep channels open, millions of logs were dredged from the riverbed. Those submerged forests were once prime Murray Cod habitat — and their loss is still being felt today.

OUR SOLUTION: FISH HOTELS

To restore this missing habitat, we’re building Fish Hotels — pyramid-shaped structures will be 2.6 metres wide at the base and almost 2 metres tall, made from plantation red gum. Each weighs up to 2.4 tonnes and includes a large central pipe for cod to breed in, along with plenty of crevices for shelter and feeding.

These underwater homes will provide critical habitat not only for Murray Cod but also for native species like Golden Perch (Yellow belly, Callop). They also increase predation pressure on invasive carp, helping to rebalance the river system.

“The health of the river system isn’t just about what you can see above the water line.” – Kym Manning, guide and project co-founder

A 1-to-10 scale model of a Fish Hotel habitat structure designed for Murray Cod, displayed by Murray River Trails near Renmark, South Australia

Who’s Behind the Project

This project began with our founder, Tony Sharley, who wanted Murray River Trails to do more than depend on a healthy river — he wanted to help create one.

Inspired by our guide Kym Manning (a retired builder and passionate fisher who has been experimenting with Fish Hotels for more than a decade), Tony and Kym planned the project in collaboration with OzFish and launched the idea through the Murray River Trails Fund in May 2025.

We’re proud to partner with OzFish, a national charity with a strong record in restoring fish habitats, and to have the support of their major partner BCF. Local suppliers and past guests have already helped us raise over half of the $70,000 needed to build and install 10 Fish Hotels in 2025/26.

Tony Sharley- founder of Murray River Trails

A New Experience for Our Guests

Soon, Fish Hotels won’t just be under the surface — they’ll be part of our guest experience.

On Murray River Walk and Murray River Safari, guests will be able to cruise directly above the structures and use side-scan sonar to see how many fish are “checking in.” It’s a bit like measuring the occupancy rate of a hotel — but underwater!

High-frequency Humminbird sonar image showing fish habitat structure and Murray Cod sheltering in a Fish Hotel on the Murray River near Renmark, South Australia.
A SARDI fisheries scientist holding a Murray Cod during an electrofishing survey on the Murray River near Renmark, South Australia

How You Can Help

Donations of any size are welcome, and all contributions are tax deductible. We’ve created three tiers of sponsorship:

  • Cod Companion – Up to $500
    Receive regular updates on the project’s progress and fish occupancy.

  • Cod Guardian – $500–$6,999
    Updates, plus an invitation to a Fish Hotel Census Day to observe researchers monitoring populations.

  • Cod Champion – $7,000+
    All of the above, plus naming rights to your very own Fish Hotel.

Every donor has the opportunity to see the impact first-hand — either by joining researchers on census days or by gliding silently above the structures during a Murray River Trails tour.

DONATE TO FISH HOTELS

Benefits of Fish Hotels

Your support will help deliver:

  • renewal of river habitats

  • stronger, more resilient Murray Cod populations

  • thriving Golden Perch and other native species

  • safe spaces for small-bodied native fish

  • better recruitment after floods

  • increased predation on invasive carp

  • improved recreational fishing opportunities

The Murray River Trails Fund

This project is made possible through the Murray River Trails Fund, established in 2020 as a sub-fund of the Australian Communities Foundation. The Fund’s mission is to support projects that protect vulnerable species and regenerate the Murray River system.

Fish Hotels are just the beginning. With your help, the Fund will continue to invest in projects that give back to the river we all love.