SAFETY ALERT! Flooding

50%

2024-11-07 21:47:17 DAM CAPACITY 50.00% 32.87M HEIGHT 387,857ML VOLUME

Tom’s journey to Aquaculture Gladstone

Lake Awoonga is renowned for its high-quality Barramundi fishing, which is stocked with Barramundi, Mangrove Jack and Sea Mullet fingerlings produced at the Aquaculture Gladstone fish hatchery.

As part of National Water Week, we asked Thomas, Aquaculture Gladstone Senior Hatchery Technician, about his role and his career in the water industry.

Why did you choose a career in water?
Growing up on the Gold Coast, I was fortunate to spend a lot of my time boating and fishing, which quickly became by passion. After school, I was keen to work in a field that allowed me to work on or around the water, which makes aquaculture the perfect fit for me.

When you were little, what did you want to be?
I have always wanted to work on or around the water.

How would you describe your job to an acquaintance at a barbecue?
I work at a fish hatchery where I breed and raise fish from an egg up to stocking size.

What’s the most interesting thing about your job?
Nothing is the same, day to day. We are always faced with new challenges, especially when it comes to breeding multiple different species of fish throughout the year.

Why do you choose to work in Gladstone?
Before I moved to Gladstone, I regularly visited Lake Awoonga to fish for Barramundi and had heard about the great offshore fishing, which was also a major attraction. It was nice to swap the hustle and bustle of the Gold Coast with the quiet pace of Tannum Sands.

How do you help the water get from Awoonga Dam to Gladstone homes and local industry?
By stocking Lake Awoonga with several fish species, we help maintain a healthy ecosystem in Lake Awoonga which leads to better water quality.

Tell us something about your professional development journey.
I started my aquaculture career at a large prawn farm on the Gold Coast, working there for more than six years. I developed a lot of aquaculture skills and ran the broodstock domestication program after the introduction of white spot syndrome virus.

In 2021, I started at Aquaculture Gladstone and began my journey in finfish aquaculture.

How do you maintain work/life balance?
I try to spend as much time as I can on or around the water with my friends and partner.

What’s your favourite location at Lake Awoonga?
Anywhere on the lake where the Barramundi fishing is good. During the summer, my partner and I also enjoy spending time at the recreational areas with friends. We look forward to spending time in the new improved recreational areas this summer.

What advice would you give someone just starting their career in your field?
Ask a lot of questions and accept the fact you will make mistakes – as long as you learn and improve from them.

What makes you proud to work at GAWB?
We are many small teams that work together to achieve a larger common goal – provide safe and reliable water supply to the Gladstone region.

Want to know more about a career at GAWB and our latest opportunities? Visit our careers page.