Warragamba Dam

Warragamba Dam

Post
Subscribe

Posted 2020-06-29 by Gypsy Rosefollow
Located 65kms to the West of Sydney and around 30-minute drive from Penrith, is nestled between stunning Australian bushland and majestic views. It is the largest concrete dam in Australia as well as being one of the largest domestic supply dams in the world.



is approximately four times the size of Sydney Harbour and stores 80-per cent of Sydney City's water and supplies water to more than 5-million people living in Sydney and lower Blue Mountains area.

Since opening to the public in 1960, has been a popular recreational area and a favourite picnic spot.



After a 10-year closure for major dam upgrades, reopened to the public in 2009, and the new grounds featured a new Visitor Centre, Water for Life Exhibition, viewing platforms, and upgraded visitor facilities.



was created by damming Burragorang Valley, and the construction of the dam was described as an engineering masterpiece of its time. It involved the diversion of the river using a tunnel and two temporary dams, which allowed 2.3 million tonnes of sandstone to be excavated. It also took three million tonnes of concrete to build the dam. The concrete was placed across the Warragamba River in a series of large, interlocking blocks.

The dam's wall is 142-metres high and crosses 351m. Its capacity is 2 million megalitres, and the lake is 52kms long, 18,532 acres (7,500 hectares).



name comes from the Aboriginal words Warra and Gamber, which mean "water running over rocks". A local Gundungurra Aboriginal creation story tells of two Dreamtime spirits Mirragan (a large tiger cat), and his quarry Gurangatch (part fish, part reptile) who lived in a lagoon where the Wollondilly and Wingecarribee rivers meet. During a long cross-country battle in the Dreaming (Gunyungalung), the deep gorges of the Burragorang Valley were gouged out. It was this valley that was flooded when was built.



In 1867, initial plans for the dam were drawn, and construction was deferred until after the Great Depression and WWII. With population boom post-WWII, as well as the largest drought recorded in history (1934-1942), stress was at large on Sydney's water supply, and construction of the dam commenced in 1948.



The construction took 12 years with opening in 1960. It took 1,800 workers to build the dam, with most living adjacent to the dam in a town specifically created to house the workers. The township of Warragamba included shops, schools and pubs. At its peak, the population reached 3,500.

Tragically, 15 men lost their lives during construction, and a Memorial now stands near the Visitors Centre.



is not just home to a rich history; it is also home to Lookout Points which include Lookout at the Visitors Centre, Wall, Eighteenth Street Lookout, and Burragorang Lookout.



Whether you want a quiet city escape in the middle of the week or a family-friendly weekend outing, makes for the perfect attraction and one of the best recreation areas of the Wollondilly area.



Facilities include picnic shelters, open lawn areas, toilets, and viewing areas. Facilities also include free electric barbecue areas and hot water, children's playground and picnic benches.



Getting Here:

From Sydney via M4: Travelling west on the Western Motorway (M4) turn left onto the Northern Road and travel to Wallacia. Take Silverdale Road and Production Ave to

From Campbelltown and southern suburbs: Take the Northern Road, and turn left onto Park Rd, Luddenham and travel to Wallacia. Take Silverdale Road and Production Ave to Warragamba Dam.

Opening Hours:

Dam Grounds: 8am-5pm daily and 8am-6pm during daylight savings, weekends and public holidays.

Visitor Centre: 10am-4pm daily. Closed Good Friday and Christmas Day.

#attractions
#bucket_list
#child_friendly
#day_trips
#escape_the_city
#family_attractions
#free
#history
#learn_something
#lookouts
#near_sydney
#new_south_wales
#nsw
#places_of_interest
#things_to_see
#tourist_attractions
#tourist_sites
#west
%wnsydney
207560 - 2023-06-16 06:01:06

Tags

Free
Outdoor
Festivals
Music
Markets
Nightlife
Fundraisers
Family_friendly
Arts_culture
Community
Food_drink
Educational
Random
Theatre_shows
Holiday
Copyright 2022 OatLabs ABN 18113479226