What alarmed him particularly was the whitish colour of the water in Greenways Creek – a warning that the substance that caused the death of so many fish was still in the water.

Bill Munton’s first call was to the Environment Protection Authority who told him they would come out to take samples.

His next step was to take water samples himself.

“Dead fish have been poisoned by chemicals here before, about a year ago,” Mr Munton said.

“I am particularly concerned about the colour of the water, which means pollution is coming from somewhere.

“Water drains here come back from Woodberry, Beresfield and Thornton and if anything suspicious is put in the water in those places, it all comes back here.”

Mr Munton said most of the dead fish were European carp.

“I don’t care much about the carp, but I would far rather someone caught them for use as fertiliser than find they have been killed by some unknown substance in water here,” he said.

“I have plenty to do here without this problem, but I want an answer.

“So I took water samples myself and I will send them off for testing.

“My samples will be tested in laboratories for heavy metals and poisons, not just the usual substances.”

He said he feared the polluted water in the area could poison his cattle.

“During the previous episode in the floods a year ago, it took about six months for the land around here to recover,” Mr Munton said.

“There will probably be a big stink here until the dead fish float away, or are eaten by foxes or some birds.

“Meanwhile, we have to find out how the fish died before it happens again.”