Greater Burrinjuck Dam Site facts for kids

The Greater Burrinjuck Dam Site is a special historical place in Burrinjuck, New South Wales, Australia. It includes the famous Burrinjuck Dam and the land around it. People also call it the Burrinjuck Dam Site or Barren Jack. This important site is owned by the New South Wales government. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on April 2, 1999, because of its history and natural beauty.

A Look Back in Time

The name "Burrinjuck" comes from an Aboriginal word, "Booren Yiack." This was the name of a tall mountain near the dam. It was first called "Barren Jack." Around 1910, the name changed to "Burrinjuck." The government thought this new name would help promote the new Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area. They wanted to encourage new people to move there.

Building the Dam

During the dam's construction, a temporary town called Burrinjuck City was built. It housed all the workers. Later, when the dam filled up, many of these buildings were covered by water. The original roads and a sand railway were also flooded.

What Remains Today

Even today, many old structures and items can still be found at the Burrinjuck Dam site. Some are above water, and some are hidden below.

• Some staff cottages (small houses)
• A church that belonged to the Church of England
• The children's graveyard site, where some workers' children were buried
• Lake de Burgh dam
• The Barren Jack Creek Water Supply Dam

The site is also home to many rare kinds of native plants and animals.

Exploring the Burrinjuck Dam Site

The Greater Burrinjuck Dam site is about 60 kilometers (about 37 miles) by road from Yass. It covers a very large area of about 500 square miles. This huge area is home to many rare plants and animals.

Structures and Features

Besides the main Burrinjuck Dam, the site has many other interesting structures. These are from the early days of the dam's construction.

• Old railway parts
• Lake de Burgh locomotive water supply dam (which supplied water for trains)
• Barren Jack Water Supply Dam
• The children's graveyard
• The quarry site (where stone was dug out)
• The Office and Conference Centre
• Several staff cottages
• A church

The Children's Graveyard

The children's graveyard is found among thick bushes. A wire fence marks the area, but its exact boundaries are not very clear. Inside the fence, the ground is mostly clear of bushes. You can see clumps of daffodils planted in different spots. People say these daffodils mark where the children were buried. Outside the fence, there are signs of old stone terraces.

The Site's Boundaries

The area considered part of the Greater Burrinjuck Dam Site includes Burrinjuck Village. It also covers the views around the village and the dam wall.

Why is it Heritage Listed?

The Burrinjuck Dam site is very important for its natural environment and its history. It was the first place in New South Wales to store water for irrigation. Irrigation means supplying water to help crops grow. The site has many rare native plants and animals. It also contains many structures and items from when the Burrinjuck Dam was built. These are found both above and below the water. The site has old European archaeological spots. It likely has Aboriginal sites too.

The Greater Burrinjuck Dam was officially listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on April 2, 1999.