Gold Creek Dam
Encyclopedia
Gold Creek Dam is an earthen dam located on the edge of Brisbane Forest Park on the western outskirts of Brisbane
, Australia
. The dam holds back Gold Creek Reservoir. It is common in Australia to refer to a reservoir as a dam so the reservoir is often referred to as Gold Creek Dam.
The dam was built on Gold Creek
, a tributary of Moggill Creek, to augment supplies from the recently completed Enoggera Dam
. Unlike Enoggera, the Gold Creek site could supply water to the most elevated parts of the city.
It was managed by the Brisbane City Council until July 2008, but is now managed by SEQ Water
.
The construction tender was won by a firm called Ross and Dunbar, who provided the lowest cost bid and the designer was J.B. Henderson. The connection to the growing Brisbane population was by a single 16 inches (40.6 cm), cast-iron, mains pipe that was 20 km in length.
was damaged during floods in early 1890. It was replaced by an un-reinforced concrete stepped spillway. It was the world's first concrete stepped spillway and the precursor of modern roller compacted concrete (RCC) stepped spillways. The dam and its spillway system were refurbished several times including in 1974 and 2004. Today most of the 1890 concrete stepped spillway cascade is still in use.
and sedimentation
. After Gold Creek dam was constructed filtration was also recommended. However nothing was initiated, partly due to the lack of a suitable location to treat water from both dams, and because wet weather in 1888 resulted in the number of complaints dropping to just a few.
. Brisbane Transport
route 435 travels hourly during weekdays from the Indooroopilly Interchange to the Resthaven aged care home at 124 Gold Creek Road, approximately 5 km from the Dam. From here to the Dam, Gold Creek Road criss-crosses Gold Creek; it is winding and somewhat narrow but generally flat and suitable for cycling or walking.
A steep walking track gives access to the top of the dam at the eastern end; alternatively a gentle vehicle track gives access to the western end of the top of the dam.
At the foot of the dam is a disused public toilet and an information board. The board shows a map of the dam and the walking track. No on water activities are permitted, even though the water is no longer used for supply. SEQ Water
is conducting a review of access to dams due late 2010.
by a capable rider but not horse riding.
Taken clockwise and starting on the western end of the top of the dam, the first 1.5 km (approx) is generally a narrow winding track clinging to steep hillside with some climb. The next 1.5 km (approx) appears to be formed by repeated use of a quad bike
and is generally wider and flatter. The next 1.5 km (approx) return path along the eastern side of the reservoir is narrow and fairly rugged, climbing and dropping repeatedly. The final 1 km (approx) back to the foot of the dam is well-formed, reasonably wide and gentle with formed steps on the steeper sections. The track finishes from the east by traversing the bottom of the spillway; it is difficult to make out from the foot of the dam.
A 1 km side-track visiting a Hoop Pine plantation is described on the information board, which also describes various notable sights on the track. As of March 2010 lantana
growth has made these tough to spot. The track is very overgrown and little used and its route can no longer be seen at the northernmost point. This makes circumnavigation of the dam very difficult.
Walking and riding tracks which travel deep into Brisbane Forest Park also begin here. Gold Creek Reservoir is home to the Pinnacles Classic, a small trail running event held in mid-April which uses a hilly, roughly rectangular 18 kilometre course which utilises Gold Creek Boundary Break, South Boundary Road and the Gold Creek Trail, starting and finishing at the gate at Gold Creek Road. The event reverses direction each year, with clockwise races held in even numbered years.
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. The dam holds back Gold Creek Reservoir. It is common in Australia to refer to a reservoir as a dam so the reservoir is often referred to as Gold Creek Dam.
The dam was built on Gold Creek
Gold Creek (Queensland)
Gold Creek rises in Brisbane Forest Park in the suburb of Upper Brookfield, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; is dammed by Gold Creek Dam and on leaving the Forest Park runs alongside Gold Creek Road until it joins Gap Creek at Brookfield....
, a tributary of Moggill Creek, to augment supplies from the recently completed Enoggera Dam
Enoggera Dam
The Enoggera Dam, which is located within the inner, western suburb of Enoggera Reservoir, in Brisbane, Queensland, and was constructed in 1866. It was built on Enoggera Creek and was the first major dam built in Queensland...
. Unlike Enoggera, the Gold Creek site could supply water to the most elevated parts of the city.
It was managed by the Brisbane City Council until July 2008, but is now managed by SEQ Water
SEQ Water
Seqwater provides bulk water storage and treatment services to the SEQ Water Grid. In addition, Seqwater also supplies water to smaller communities in the region not connected to the Grid....
.
Construction
Construction of the dam was approved in 1881. Surveying began in the same year and was completed by April 1882. The dam wall was built between 1882 and 1885. Due to a lack of water, testing of the facilities was not completed until 1886. Construction was more difficult than expected. This caused a cost blowout and delays which lead to much criticism of the Board of Waterworks.The construction tender was won by a firm called Ross and Dunbar, who provided the lowest cost bid and the designer was J.B. Henderson. The connection to the growing Brisbane population was by a single 16 inches (40.6 cm), cast-iron, mains pipe that was 20 km in length.
Unusual spillway
Originally an unlined chute, the dam spillwaySpillway
A spillway is a structure used to provide the controlled release of flows from a dam or levee into a downstream area, typically being the river that was dammed. In the UK they may be known as overflow channels. Spillways release floods so that the water does not overtop and damage or even destroy...
was damaged during floods in early 1890. It was replaced by an un-reinforced concrete stepped spillway. It was the world's first concrete stepped spillway and the precursor of modern roller compacted concrete (RCC) stepped spillways. The dam and its spillway system were refurbished several times including in 1974 and 2004. Today most of the 1890 concrete stepped spillway cascade is still in use.
Water supply
The council had received complaints about the quality of water it was delivering from as early as 1871. Although water supplied from Gold Creek was deemed to be perfectly drinkable in 1883, dry spring and summer weather resulted in the water being described as discoloured, tainted and foul-smelling. In 1885, the construction of tanks was recommended to allow aerationAeration
Aeration is the process by which air is circulated through, mixed with or dissolved in a liquid or substance.-Aeration of liquids:-Methods:Aeration of liquids is achieved by:...
and sedimentation
Sedimentation
Sedimentation is the tendency for particles in suspension to settle out of the fluid in which they are entrained, and come to rest against a barrier. This is due to their motion through the fluid in response to the forces acting on them: these forces can be due to gravity, centrifugal acceleration...
. After Gold Creek dam was constructed filtration was also recommended. However nothing was initiated, partly due to the lack of a suitable location to treat water from both dams, and because wet weather in 1888 resulted in the number of complaints dropping to just a few.
Access
Gold Creek Dam is reached by traveling to the end of Gold Creek Road, off Brookfield Road in BrookfieldBrookfield, Queensland
Brookfield is a suburb of Brisbane, Australia located approximately 13 km to the west of the Brisbane CBD. Brookfield was named by Mrs J. S. Brimblecombe due to the creeks and gullies in the area.-Geography:...
. Brisbane Transport
Brisbane Transport
Brisbane Transport is a business unit of Brisbane City Council, operating suburban and urban bus services under the TransLink integrated public transport scheme in Brisbane, the state capital of Queensland, Australia. The origins of Brisbane Transport can be seen as far back as 1885 when horse...
route 435 travels hourly during weekdays from the Indooroopilly Interchange to the Resthaven aged care home at 124 Gold Creek Road, approximately 5 km from the Dam. From here to the Dam, Gold Creek Road criss-crosses Gold Creek; it is winding and somewhat narrow but generally flat and suitable for cycling or walking.
A steep walking track gives access to the top of the dam at the eastern end; alternatively a gentle vehicle track gives access to the western end of the top of the dam.
At the foot of the dam is a disused public toilet and an information board. The board shows a map of the dam and the walking track. No on water activities are permitted, even though the water is no longer used for supply. SEQ Water
SEQ Water
Seqwater provides bulk water storage and treatment services to the SEQ Water Grid. In addition, Seqwater also supplies water to smaller communities in the region not connected to the Grid....
is conducting a review of access to dams due late 2010.
Walking tracks
The Gold Creek Reservoir track is described as 5.5 km long. It starts and ends at the dam and circumnavigates the reservoir. It is suitable for running and walking and MTBMTB
MTB may refer to:* Mike Thomas Brown, Professional Mixed Martial Artist & WEC Featherweight Champion* Matlock Bath railway station, England; National Rail station code MTB* Motor Torpedo Boat* Mountain bike or Mountain biking* Mycobacterium tuberculosis...
by a capable rider but not horse riding.
Taken clockwise and starting on the western end of the top of the dam, the first 1.5 km (approx) is generally a narrow winding track clinging to steep hillside with some climb. The next 1.5 km (approx) appears to be formed by repeated use of a quad bike
Quad bike
A Quad bike is recognised by UK law as a vehicle with four wheels and a mass of less than 550 kg.To drive a quad bike on a public road, in the UK, requires a B1 licence as well as tax, insurance and registration.-19th century:...
and is generally wider and flatter. The next 1.5 km (approx) return path along the eastern side of the reservoir is narrow and fairly rugged, climbing and dropping repeatedly. The final 1 km (approx) back to the foot of the dam is well-formed, reasonably wide and gentle with formed steps on the steeper sections. The track finishes from the east by traversing the bottom of the spillway; it is difficult to make out from the foot of the dam.
A 1 km side-track visiting a Hoop Pine plantation is described on the information board, which also describes various notable sights on the track. As of March 2010 lantana
Lantana
Lantana is a genus of about 150 species of perennial flowering plants in the verbena family, Verbenaceae. They are native to tropical regions of the Americas and Africa but exist as an introduced species in numerous areas, especially in the Australian-Pacific region. The genus includes both...
growth has made these tough to spot. The track is very overgrown and little used and its route can no longer be seen at the northernmost point. This makes circumnavigation of the dam very difficult.
Walking and riding tracks which travel deep into Brisbane Forest Park also begin here. Gold Creek Reservoir is home to the Pinnacles Classic, a small trail running event held in mid-April which uses a hilly, roughly rectangular 18 kilometre course which utilises Gold Creek Boundary Break, South Boundary Road and the Gold Creek Trail, starting and finishing at the gate at Gold Creek Road. The event reverses direction each year, with clockwise races held in even numbered years.
External links
- Gold Creek dam and its historical stepped spillway system (Cick PROCEED at th UQ-ITS advisory webpge)
- Pictures- National Library of Australia
- Photo of the spillway
- Gold Creek Dam Wall Refurbishment Project