The Climbing Galaxias is an Australian native fish. The Galaxias line is 60-90 million years old and is thought to have lived with the dinosaurs. It's a relic of the former supercontinent Gondwanaland and climbs waterfalls using downward facing pectoral fins, as part of its life cycle, taking in oxygen through its skin.

It grows to 15-28cm long, with a tubular body shape and large head and is greyish-brown to dark olive in colour. This species eats a range of invertebrates including aquatic insects such as mayfly and caddis fly larvae and requires clear water to hunt them.

The only known landlocked population of Galaxias in Sydney lives near Manly Dam.

For more information see the Australian Museum.

Photo by Stella McQueen