HERITAGE AND OTHER FEATURES
The
Reservoir
The reservoir is an earth and rock fill dam, the third largest of Melbourne's water storages,
with a capacity of 200,000 megalitres. The dam wall is 90 metres high and has a crest length of 610 metres.
It is
filled by water from the surrounding forested catchment, and also receives water diverted from an underground connecting tunnel
from the Thomson Reservoir. Water travels via pipelines to Silvan Reservoir and from there to Melbourne.
Associated
structures of the dam include the original diversion tunnel, spillway and four outlet towers, an outlet tunnel linked to the
Upper Yarra- Silvan conduit (completed in 1948), and a new tunnel comissioned in 1993.
Viewing
Platform
On the reservoir wall is a viewing platform, with a sandstone structure bearing a brass plaque
on each face. The plaques give details of the dam's construction and Commissioners at the time of the opening by the Governor
of Victoria, General Sir Dallas Brooks on 26 November, 1957, together with a tribute to the workers:
"A tribute to
the initiative, industry and skill of the men of many occupations who combined in the building of this great work for the
lasting benefit of the metropolis of Melbourne."
Gauging Weir and Flying Fox
A
gauging weir and flying fox is located on the Yarra River below the diversion tunnel outlet. The station is now computerised,
but the flying fox structure is still located on the site.
Caretaker's Hut
Structures
associated with the Upper Yarra Aqueduct include a caretaker's hut of vertical weatherboard construction typical of the reservoir
construction buildings. It is located adjacent to the point at which the open channel enters the Little Yankee Jim Creek siphon.
Borrow Pit
This is an
extensive area from which the red clay earth was excavated to construct the earth and rock fill dam wall. Much of the area
has regenerated, with a few sections of exposed cliff face, while the water collecting in depressions now attracts wildlife.
Upper Yarra Township
This was established for the construction of the reservoir in the late
1940s, and many of the buildings have since been relocated. However, the infrastructure and those buildings that remain form
the nucleus for the Reservoir Park and accommodation facilities for on-site Melbourne Water staff.
The
following places are located on the 1952 township services plan and have been identified during field inspection:
Mess Hall (now Wet weather hall)
This was the one of the original mess halls shown on the
1952 township plan. It is an elongated building constructed of vertical weatherboards typical of the style and materials of
other construction site buildings. The longest section was the dining hall, and is now an open space available for visitors
during wet weather. The smaller section is separated by a door, and appears to have been the kitchen. There is no evidence
of the second mess hall or recreation hut.
First aid post (now Upper Yarra
staff office)
This is located next to the Upper Yarra aqueduct that bisects the township, and is a horizontal weatherboard
structure, featuring double doors at the front for ambulance access. The aqueduct originally had a vehicular bridge over it
at this point. The building is now used as an office for Upper Yarra staff.
General Store
This building is adjacent to the aqueduct, and still serves as a store building. It is similar in construction to the
mess hall but covers a much larger area and incorporates the mechanics shed, a general store, and a fire shed.
Oil store
Another smaller building near the general store, with double sliding doors at
one end and constructed of vertical weatherboards. It still serves as an oil depot, with a bowser at the front.
Fire bell
A steel fire bell tower, about 5 metres high, stands on a concrete base near the
aqueduct. It was presumably located near the township's fire station near the general store, on the opposite side of the aqueduct,
but this building is no longer on site.
Staff quarters, Boronia Street
House
numbers 4, 5 and 9 remain of the original 13 staff houses, located on the western end of the construction site and set apart
from the workers' housing area. They are white horizontal weatherboard houses, similar to the First Aid Post building.
This
complex of structures is located on the Warburton-Woods Point Road, about 3 km west of the Reservoir and township site. It
comprises a settling tank, filtration pond and a chemical storage hut that was originally the gatehouse for the construction
site and relocated to this site.
Township water supply reservoir
A
small reservoir is located above the township site. It measures about 40 metres square, with sloping sides and a timber jetty
structure (in poor condition) protruding into the hole. The dam is now empty, but once stored water pumped from the aqueduct
to supply water under pressure to the township and for firefighting purposes. It is not indicated on the 1952 township plan.
Workers' housing sites
The houses constructed for workers on the site
occupied the sloping ground on the south side of the reservoir park, with an arrangement of roads providing access to each
row. The main Centre Avenue led to Messmate, Banksia and Blackwood Streets on the east, and Beech, Clematis and Wattle Streets
on the west. The roads can still be followed, although the side streets are becoming overgrown. The house sites can still
be clearly seen along each street, usually indicated by concrete fireplaces, red bricks, and various garden plants such as
foxgloves and fruit trees. Two fire hydrants were located along the streets.
School site
The school site was located, but only a concrete slab, flat sites and exotic tree plantings remain.
