After nearly four decades as a Society member, I have (somewhat reluctantly) accepted the honour of achieving lungfish status. I thought I would take the opportunity to reflect on my journey as a freshwater scientist – from counting thousands of bugs and waiting for leaves to slowly break down in small forest streams, to large-scale research programs on floodplain rivers in central and northern Australia, and international collaborations. I will outline how this work has not only addressed fundamental research questions but also key management challenges for freshwater ecosystems. I will discuss some of the things I’ve learned along the way and conclude with some thoughts on future opportunities for freshwater science.