Barossa Dam

Barossa Dam
The downriver side of the dam wall, in 2017
Barossa Dam is located in South Australia
Barossa Dam
Barossa Dam
Location of the dam
in South Australia
CountryAustralia
LocationWilliamstown, South Australia
Coordinates34°38′44″S 138°50′50″E / 34.645632°S 138.847167°E / -34.645632; 138.847167
PurposeWater supply
StatusOperational
Construction began1899
Opening date1902
Construction costA£170,000
Built byEngineering and Water Supply Department
OwnerGovernment of South Australia
OperatorSA Water
Dam and spillways
Type of damArch dam
ImpoundsYettie Creek
Height38 m (125 ft)
Length144 m (472 ft)
Dam volume12×10^3 m3 (420×10^3 cu ft)
Spillway typeUncontrolled
Reservoir
CreatesBarossa Reservoir
Total capacity4,515 ML (3,660 acre⋅ft)
Catchment area7 km2 (2.7 sq mi)
Surface area6.2 ha (15 acres)
Normal elevation221 m (725 ft) AHD
Website
sawater.com.au
Official name
Whispering Wall, Barossa Reservoir
TypeUtilities - Reservoir
Criteriaa., f.
Designated8 July 1999
Reference no.16929

The Barossa Dam is an arch dam across Yettie Creek, located in Williamstown, South Australia, Australia. Completed in 1902, the resultant reservoir, the Barossa Reservoir, was constructed for the supply potable water to Gawler and other northern country areas. The dam wall was added to the South Australian Heritage Register on 8 July 1999.

Features

The dam was built between 1899 and 1902 at a cost of almost A£170,000. The thin arch of the dam retaining wall, curved against the pressure of the water, was an innovation considered radical, and attracted the Reservoir international attention. The dam was hailed as an engineering marvel, and with the dam wall rising to a height of 38 metres (125 ft), it was, at the time of its completion, the highest dam wall in Australia. The dam was featured in the Scientific American and caused the American Engineers News to remark that its "boldness of design deserves to rank with the most famous dams in the world". The dam is notable for its parabola effect, where a voice can be heard clearly from one side to the other – over 140 metres (460 ft), end to end. This unusual acoustic phenomenon is a popular tourist attraction, and earned the dam the title "Whispering Wall" (see Whispering gallery). During construction large stones were used in the wall to save concrete and tram rails were used to reinforce the upper section.

The dam wall is 38 metres (125 ft) high and 144 metres (472 ft) long. When full, the reservoir has capacity of 4,515 megalitres (3,660 acre⋅ft) and covers 12.7 hectares (31 acres), draw from a relatively-small catchment area of 7 square kilometres (2.7 sq mi).

The Barossa Reservoir was formed by damming the Yettie Creek gorge in the northern Mount Lofty Ranges, a feat that took over 400 workers. The water flows through a two-kilometre (one-mile) tunnel, that was carved by workers on horse, from the South Para River and Reservoir, and is supplemented by the Warren Reservoir and the River Murray. In addition to Gawler and country, a filtration plant constructed in 1982 allows the reservoir to supply the suburbs of Munno Para and Elizabeth.[citation needed]

The dam wall was added to the South Australian Heritage Register in 1999; and the dam's vegetated surrounds are also protected.[citation needed] Aside from its acoustic attraction, the Whispering Wall offers great views of both the Barossa Reservoir and the surrounding, well-preserved natural bounty. The area abounds in thick scrub, tall red gums, and pines, and a flourishing bird and animal life. It is a popular destination for picnics and bird-watching.[citation needed]

In 2008, the engineering heritage of the dam wall was recognised by the installation of a marker provided by the Engineers Australia's Engineering Heritage Recognition Program.

Incidents

On 21 April 2021, a man jumped from the wall with his 9-month-old daughter strapped to him. Upon arrival of medical assistance, the man was pronounced dead and the child died later at the scene. The incident was deemed a murder-suicide and witnesses testified that the man jumped, as opposed to falling. It was reported that there was history of domestic violence between the child's parents. As of 22 November 2024, a coronial inquest was ongoing.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Search result for "Barossa Reservoir (Reservoir) " (SA0004781) with the following layers selected – "Suburbs and Localities" and " Place names (gazetteer)"". Property Location Browser. Government of South Australia. Archived from the original on 12 October 2016. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
  2. ↑ "Whispering Wall, Barossa Reservoir". South Australian Heritage Register. 8 July 1999. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
  3. 1 2 Conlon, Keith. "Barossa Valley: Whispering Wall". Postcards. Nine Network. Archived from the original on 18 October 2005. Retrieved 30 September 2005.
  4. 1 2 "Barossa Reservoir" (PDF). SA Water. c. 2012. Archived from the original on 9 September 2005. Retrieved 16 June 2014.
  5. ↑ "SA Water Reserves: Barossa". South Australian Department for Environment and Heritage. 21 March 2005. Archived from the original on 17 September 2006. Retrieved 30 September 2005.
  6. ↑ "Barossa Reservoir". Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 September 2005. Retrieved 16 June 2014.
  7. ↑ "Register of Large Dams Australia-2015" (Excel. Requires download. Row 20). ANCOLD. January 2022. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
  8. ↑ "Filtration". SA Water, Government of South Australia. Retrieved 23 August 2012.[permanent dead link]
  9. ↑ "Barossa Dam, South Para River, 1903-". Engineering Heritage Recognition Program. Engineers Australia. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
  10. ↑ "Baby who died in tourist spot 'murder-suicide' with dad identified". Yahoo News. 22 April 2021.
  11. ↑ "Henry and Kobi Shepherdson identified as victims of Whispering Wall murder-suicide". The Australian.
  12. ↑ "Front Page News". South Australia Police. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  13. ↑ "Baby Kobi's father mentioned Whispering Wall in phone conversation a month before murder-suicide". ABC News. 22 November 2024.

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