Dutton Trout Hatchery is located along the beautiful Serpentine River, just 75 kilometres east of Armidale and 125 kilometres west of Coffs Harbour. The hatchery is one of two NSW Government facilities for breeding and rearing our premier cold water sport fish. It has operated for over seventy years due to the NSW Government’s commitment to recreational angling and the growing popularity of trout fishing.

The trout are bred from hatchery brood-stock and grown out to fry and fingerlings, then are released into selected cold water public rivers and lakes of NSW.

Dutton Trout Hatchery also provides community and tourist education. Tourists can take a self-guided tour through the site; the tourist complex holds 14 freshwater aquariums and a theatre to view the informative short film. They have five earthen dams each with a platform for feeding the fish and various shallow cement circular ponds which are great to view the fish up close and again to feed the trout.

Their hatchery shed is a hive of activity during the cooler months with the breeding season and raising of the fry. Over two million fish are bred annually. The hatchery sheds also house numerous recirculation systems which are home to a range of different aged trout.

The trout are bred from hatchery brood-stock and grown out to fry and fingerlings, then are released into selected cold water public rivers and lakes of NSW.