Hinze Dam facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hinze Dam |
|
|---|---|
.png)
Spillway tower of Hinze Dam following Stage 3 upgrade, 2011
|
|
 Location of the Hinze Dam
in Queensland |
|
| Country | Australia |
| Location | South East Queensland |
| Coordinates | 28°3′2″S 153°17′2″E / 28.05056°S 153.28389°E |
| Purpose | |
| Status | Operational |
| Opening date |
|
| Operator(s) | SEQ Water |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Embankment dam |
| Impounds | Nerang River |
| Height | 108 m (354 ft) |
| Length | 1,850 m (6,070 ft) |
| Dam volume | 4,261×103 m3 (150.5×106 cu ft) |
| Spillway type | Uncontrolled |
| Spillway capacity | 550 m3/s (19,000 cu ft/s) |
| Reservoir | |
| Creates | Advancetown Lake |
| Total capacity | 310,730 ML (6.835×1010 imp gal; 8.209×1010 US gal) |
| Catchment area | 207 km2 (80 sq mi) |
| Surface area | 1,500 ha (3,700 acres) |
| Normal elevation | 82 metres (269 ft) AHD |
The Hinze Dam is a large dam in Queensland, Australia. It's built across the Nerang River near the Gold Coast. This dam is super important because it provides most of the drinking water for the Gold Coast area. The big lake formed by the dam is called Advancetown Lake.
The dam got its name from Carl and Johanna Hinze. They were local pioneers who lived in the valley that became the lake when the dam was built.
Contents
Where is Hinze Dam?
The Hinze Dam is located in Advancetown. This is about 15 kilometers (9 miles) southwest of Nerang. It sits right where the Nerang River and Little Nerang Creek meet.
The dam wall is 108 meters (354 feet) high and 1,850 meters (6,070 feet) long. This huge wall holds back Advancetown Lake. The lake can hold 310,730 megalitres of water when it's full. That's a lot of water!
.png)
The water for the dam comes from a 207 square kilometer (80 square mile) area. This area includes the Numinbah Valley and Springbrook Plateau. Most of this land is protected within state forests and national parks.
The dam also helps protect towns along the Nerang River from floods. It does this by holding back large amounts of water during heavy rain.
Building the Dam: Stages of Growth
_-_Spillway.png)
Plans for the Hinze Dam started way back in 1947. The dam was built in different stages over many years.
- Stage One: This part was finished in 1976. It created a storage for 42,400 megalitres of drinking water.
- Stage Two: Completed in 1989, this stage increased the water storage to 161,070 megalitres. The dam wall and spillway were made about 18 meters (59 feet) taller. This stage cost about AUD$42 million.
- Stage Three: Work on this biggest upgrade began in 2008 and finished in 2011. It cost AUD$395 million. The dam wall was made even taller, from 93.5 meters (307 feet) to 108 meters (354 feet). This increased the lake's capacity to 310,730 megalitres. This stage also added the important job of flood control. The taller dam wall now protects about 4,500 homes from big floods.
Fun at Advancetown Lake
Advancetown Lake is a popular spot for people living on the Gold Coast. After the Stage 3 upgrade, there are many activities you can do there.
You can go walking, boating (with electric or manual power), fishing, biking, and even horse riding. The facilities are open every day from 6 AM to 6 PM. Remember, you can't camp around the lake, and dogs are not allowed. Swimming is also strongly discouraged for safety.
In 2011, a new visitor center opened. It has information about the dam, plus new parking, walking trails, toilets, and barbecue areas.
The dam has two boat ramps. One is on the eastern side in Mudgeeraba, and the other is on the western side in Springbrook. Both have places to launch boats, toilets, and bins.
Fishing at the Dam
Advancetown Lake is home to several types of fish. You might catch Mary River cod, silver perch, golden perch, southern saratoga, and bass. Spangled perch are also found naturally here.
It's important to know that you need a special permit from the Gold Coast City Council to fish in the dam.
Important Safety Note: Since December 2018, Queensland Health advises people not to eat fish from Hinze Dam. This is because recent tests showed higher levels of mercury in some fish.
Commonwealth Games Mountain Biking
The area around Hinze Dam was used for the 2018 Commonwealth Games. A special mountain bike course was built here for the competition. This course meets international standards for races. The Gold Coast Mountain Bike Club looks after the course and sometimes hosts races there.
