1 April 2011
Historic Structure Rebuilt at Toorourrong Reservoir
Melbourne Water is midway through restoring a historically-significant structure at Toorourrong Dam near Whittlesea as part of an $11 million upgrade of the asset.
Precious bluestone and granite blocks are currently being removed from the 125-year-old dam’s historic Clearwater Channel Gate. The stones will then be used to rebuild the historic structure as a façade to the new works.
“This part of the upgrade is a very important and significant one, as it will allow visitors to see how the historic gates worked to deliver drinking water to early Melbourne,” said Melbourne Water’s Heritage Services Coordinator Paul Balassone. “Toorourrong Dam is part of Melbourne’s history and we want to make sure that this process involves the respect and delicacy it warrants.”
In order to rebuild the gate as close as possible to its original state the bluestone blocks are removed, stone by stone, from the original structure and each block is numbered and stored in a designated area.
Once the dam safety upgrade works are complete, a team of stone masons will reassemble the historic structure a few metres downstream of its original location.
“The upgrade is vital because the original dam is now 125 years old and doesn’t meet the modern safety standards,” said Mr Balassone.
“We’ve worked closely with Heritage Victoria and Parks Victoria to make sure that the reservoir will not only be safe and functional, but retain its historic significance and recreational purpose for visitors.”
“It’s a historic landscape and we want the work we’re doing to ultimately complement the surrounding environment. We constantly have to balance the need to upgrade vital water supply infrastructure while remaining respectful to our heritage,” he added.
Melbourne Water was granted a works permit by Heritage Victoria to carry out the work at Toorourrong in December 2010.
As well as relocating the Clearwater Channel Gates, Melbourne Water will be replacing the spillway, raising the dam wall by 2.5-metres, and installing a filter layer in the dam embankment.
The embankment will be strengthened, the Clearwater channel diversion structure upgraded and the existing scour gate replaced.
Work is due to be finished by the end of the year.
More information available on the Tourourrong Reservoir upgrade page.
Media Contact: Stephanie Julian (03) 9235 1587; 0467 716 182; Contact Stephanie online