Barossa Reservoir

Australia / South Australia / Gawler /

The Barossa Reservoir was built between 1899 and 1902 to supply water to Gawler and other northern country areas.. The dam was an engineering innovation in its time and, on completion, was the largest of its type in Australia.
During the height of construction work 400 men camped on site in tents and rough huts.

The dam site at the Barossa Reservoir has been developed as a picturesque visiting area, popular with tourists.

A unique feature is the unusual acoustic phenomenon created by the shape and location of the dam. Sounds and voices travel along the curved length of the dam wall and this has led to it being named the “Whispering Wall”.

Capacity: 4515 megalitres

Length of wall: 144m

Height of wall: 28.6m

Type of wall: Concrete arch

Area of water spread: 62 hectares
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   34°39'12"S   138°50'58"E
This article was last modified 15 years ago