Darwin’s Hayley Palazzi has reeled in the Bonus Charity Fish released as part of a special Million Dollar Fish event last Sunday.
Caught on Thursday, 26 November, the 80cm purple-tagged fish will see $5,000 go to Million Dollar Fish-affiliated charity, Cancer Council NT.
The fish was released at Barramundi Adventures in Berry Springs last week, and 60 lucky fishos won the chance to try and bag it. Although none of them managed to, they did walk away with a heap of other prizes, including a $10,000 Great Northern Breakaway to the Tiwi Islands.
Hayley and her husband, Aaron Palazzi, were enjoying a day out to celebrate their November birthdays when she caught the tagged barra with her final cast of the day. A keen fisho, Hayley said she hadn’t had time to go fishing for a while and they chose Barramundi Adventures because it is close to town and is always an enjoyable and fun place to go.
“I only registered for Million Dollar Fish on the way out to Barramundi Adventures because my husband, Aaron, thought it would be a good idea, just in case. I’ve never registered before as I don’t get much time to fish these days. I did not for one second expect to catch the tagged barra,” she said.
The northern suburbs resident wins a remote fishing charter, thanks to Barramundi Adventures, while the $5,000 goes to Cancer Council NT.
Cancer Council NT CEO Tanya Izod congratulated Hayley and thanked her for donating the money to Cancer Council NT.
“This donation will go directly to funding our 2021 Transport to Treatment program, which provides transport to cancer patients so they can safely attend cancer treatment at Alan Walker Cancer Care Centre and Royal Darwin Hospital,” she said.
This is the 10th fish caught in Season 6. There are still 123 tagged fish swimming around in Territory waterways, including seven worth $1 million (once the first Million Dollar Fish is caught the remaining six become $10,000 fish). You must be registered to win. Visit www.milliondollarfish.com.au.