Feeding the fish at the Salmon Ponds is fun activity for visitors of all ages. There are $2-coin-operated fish food dispensers near the main gate and these dispense pellets that provide the appropriate nutrition to keep the fish happy and healthy. The fish are certainly enthusiastic eaters and throwing the pellets into the ponds creates quite the flurry of activity!
Whilst we encourage our visitors to feed the fish, there are times between December and February when periods of hot weather and low water flows prevent visitors from feeding the fish. The combination of low water flows and high water temperatures can impact on the welfare of the fish that are on display and fish stop actively feeding due to the warmer water. An excess of fish food in the water promotes weed growth and reduces oxygen levels, which can result in increased fish mortalities. For these reasons the Inland Fisheries Service may temporarily decommission the fish food dispensers to maintain the well-being of the fish.