{{+1}}Bundarra River{{-1}}

The Bundarra river has its source in the higher mountains above Anglers Rest. Much of its early terrain is tall eucalypt forest emerging into grazing land. The fall of the river is relatively steep and the flow is punctuated by sections of granite boulders and runs and riffles and has a decomposed granite bottom with a little siltation in its lower reaches. This is a great river to keep in mind if the near by Mitta Mitta is running dirty after rain as the Bundarra only has a small catchment and whilst it colours up and water levels rise quickly when it rains it settles down and clear up just as quick when rain desists. Access can be a problem and I know of no public access point. If accessing private property always ask for permission.

Anglers Rest is around 150 kilometres from Albury which is on the Hume Highway. From Albury follow the signs to the snow fields via the Keiwa Valley highway which takes you through Mount Beauty which has a supermarket, petrol stations, a good range of accommodation options and a few shops. From there follow the signs up to Falls Creek which is has the closest, relatively up market snow field type accommodation, one shop that is not always open but not petrol. Follow Bogong High plains Road the road over the dam wall toward Nelse, Bundarra and Shannonvale where you will find the Mitta Mitta running below the where Bogon High plains road intersects with the Omeo Highway (the river at that point is more properly called Big River but officially it becomes the Mitta Mitta just a little way down river from that intersection. The Bundarra flows into the Mitta Mitta just above the Blue Duck at Anglers Rest.

You can access Anglers Rest from Omeo by travelling northish along the Omeo highway or by turning off from the Murray Valley Highway which basically skirts the southern shore of the Lake Hume. Between Tallangatta and East Tallangatta just before the river runs under the road and into the often dry upper reaches of Lake Hume turn south onto the Omeo Highway. That's about 80 kilometres from Albury. You can follow the Omeo Highway all the way up to the upper Mitta Mitta but you do move away from the river quite quickly and then Omeo Highway is largely well groomed unsealed road but is very windy, tedious and slow going basically from the town of Mitta Mitta all the way up to above Glen Valley. The last time I did this drive I saw only one other vehicle along this stretch of road. I am unlikely to drive it again.coming up from the Lower Mitta Mitta.

For additional directions go to http://maps.google.com.au/ and left click in the box 'Get directions' type in the town or city your coming from in the 'A' box and type the closest town to your destination in the 'B' box. Google maps will generate and present a maps showing the route marked up in blue and if you scroll down the left of the page you will also come to 'Driving directions ...' describing each turn you should take from the start of the trip to the end of the trip including distances between each turn.

View Larger Map

Closed season

The closed season for salmonids in 2012 is from midnight on Monday 11 June, to midnight on Friday 31 August.

Target species

The Bundarra browns are generally only up to 1.5 kilo and the rainbows are mostly a modest 300-400 grams.

Food chain

Stonefly, mayfly and caddis thrive along the full length of the Bundarra and of course there is a broad range of terrestrials including moths, beetles and hoppers depending on the season.

What trout eat – Snowy Mountains of NSW and Victoria

Techniques

A full range of river fishing techniques are generally applied in the Bundarra river with a heavy nymph on the dropper and a lighter nymph on the point being popular through the season, due (nymph under dry) and dry fly fishing also working well and being a bit more visual during the warmer months. Its a tighter river than the Mitta Mitta and a shorter rod may be an advantage.