Lake Catani facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lake Catani |
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Lake Catani
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 Lake Catani
Location in Victoria
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| Location | North East Victoria |
| Coordinates | 36°43′57″S 146°48′37″E / 36.73250°S 146.81028°E |
| Lake type | Reservoir |
| Primary inflows | Eurobin Creek |
| Primary outflows | Eurobin Creek |
| Basin countries | Australia |
| Max. length | 800 m (2,600 ft) at longest |
| Max. width | 400 m (1,300 ft) at widest |
| Surface area | 15 ha (37 acres) |
| Average depth | 10–20 m (33–66 ft) |
| Islands | (None) |
Lake Catani is a beautiful lake found in the Mount Buffalo National Park in Victoria, Australia. It's not a natural lake, but one that was built by people. It was created in 1910 to offer fun activities for visitors at a new winter holiday spot. A clever engineer named Carlo Catani helped design and oversee its construction.
Building Lake Catani
Lake Catani was built as part of the Mount Buffalo National Park. This park was first set up in 1898. It started as a temporary protected area around Eurobin Falls. In 1908, the park grew much larger and became a permanent national park.
The lake itself was finished in 1910. Workers built a strong concrete dam across Eurobin Creek. This dam blocked a stream that was once called the 'Underground River'. When the area flooded, it covered a flat piece of land known as Long Plain. This also covered an old Aboriginal camp site.
The lake was first planned to provide water for a sawmill. This sawmill was cutting timber to build the famous Mount Buffalo Chalet.
Who Was Carlo Catani?
Carlo Catani was an important engineer for the Victorian Public Works department. He started this job in 1882. He spent a lot of his career working on projects that involved water. For example, he helped drain large swampy areas like Koo Wee Rup and Elwood Swamps.
Fun Activities at the Lake
Lake Catani quickly became a very popular place for visitors. In summer, people enjoyed boating and fishing on the water. When winter arrived, the lake would freeze over, making it perfect for ice-skating!
A golf course was also opened nearby in 1911. Today, there is still a campground located close to the lake's shores. It's a great spot for families and friends to enjoy nature.
