Wooden Wicket, Berembed Weir facts for kids

The Wooden Wicket, Berembed Weir is a special part of an old water control system. It is located on the Murrumbidgee River near Matong, New South Wales, Australia. This wooden piece was made in 1910 in Sydney. It is now recognized as a heritage site. This means it is an important historical item. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on April 2, 1999.

How Water Was Controlled

This wooden wicket was one of 55 similar parts. These parts were called "Chanoine wickets." They were first used at the Berembed Weir. A weir is like a small dam. It helps control river flow. The Berembed Weir was built as part of a big project. This project aimed to manage water for farming areas. These areas are known as the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Areas.

The wickets at Berembed Weir were the first gates. They controlled water flow downstream from Burrinjuck Dam. They were a manual system. This means people had to operate them by hand. They helped control river flows and water supply.

Building the Wickets

All the iron and timber parts for these wickets were made in 1910. They were built at the Fitzroy Dock. This dock was located at Cockatoo Island Dockyard in Sydney. The quality of the work was highly praised. The Chief Engineer at the time, L. A. B. Wade, commended the builders.

Workers used a special boat called a punt. They moored it upstream of the weir. From the punt, they manually moved the wickets. This system worked until 1977. Then, a new automated system replaced them.

A Wicket as a Memorial

After the old wickets were removed, one was kept. It was placed in a memorial. This memorial is in the Berembed Picnic Grounds. It celebrates the upgrade of the weir in 1977.

What the Wicket Looks Like

The wicket you can see at the Berembed Picnic Grounds is special. It is the only one left from the original 55 wickets. These wickets were once used at Berembed Weir. It stands on a concrete base.

A bronze plaque is attached to the wicket. This plaque celebrates the completion of the weir upgrade. Lin Gordon, who was a government minister, unveiled it. This happened on September 23, 1977.

Wicket Dimensions and Materials

The wicket is about 901 millimeters (or 2 feet 11.5 inches) wide. It is made from six planks of tallow-wood. Tallow-wood is a strong type of timber. The planks are about 76 millimeters (3 inches) thick at the top. They are 152 millimeters (6 inches) thick at the bottom.

The planks are bolted together. They are also strongly braced. At the back, a trestle supports them. A wrought iron brace also helps support the wicket. This brace works with a cast-iron support.

In 2000, reports showed the wicket was getting old. The timber parts at the bottom were starting to rot.

Why It's a Heritage Site

This wicket is important because it is the only one left. It is from the original 55 wickets at Berembed Weir. It shows us how river flow was controlled long ago. It is a good example of early water management systems.

The iron and timber work on the wicket is excellent. It shows the great skill of the workers. They built it at the government-owned Fitzroy Dock. Today, it serves as a memorial. It reminds people of the 1977 upgrade of the weir.

The Wooden Wicket, Berembed Weir, was officially listed. It joined the New South Wales State Heritage Register on April 2, 1999.