Dam workers called back to Warragamba for 50th anniversary celebtration - Minister Phil Costa MP - 21 August 2010
The NSW Government is calling on people who worked on building Warragamba Dam to come forward to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the dam’s construction.
Minister Costa said ex-workers are being asked to register for a reunion on 17th October marking the 50th anniversary of Warragamba Dam.
“Warragamba Dam took 20 years to build, and at peak times of construction more than 1800 people worked across three shifts a day, seven days a week to complete the massive piece of infrastructure,” Mr Costa said.
“People who worked on the dam between 1942 and 1960 came from 25 different nationalities and some travelled from the other side of the earth to start work and a new life here in Sydney.
“The work was physically hard and the result was an engineering marvel that continues to provide most of Sydney’s drinking water to this day.
“We’re calling on surviving members of the 1,800 strong workforce who built the dam to come forward and help celebrate the 50th anniversary.
“The reunion will be an opportunity for ex-workers to reunite with the mates they worked alongside in the years it took to construct the dam.
“Warragamba is still one of the most celebrated icons of Sydney, and the most visited tourist destination in western Sydney - already almost 100,000 visitors have returned to the site since it was reopened in November last year.
“More than 3 million tonnes of concrete were laid with 2.5 million tonnes of sand and gravel transported to the site along an aerial ropeway from the Nepean River 22 kilometres downstream.
“All in all the dam stands 142 metres tall and is 351 metres long and holds four times the amount of water in Sydney Harbour.
“It remains to this day the biggest urban water supply dam in Australia and the most important part of Sydney’s drinking water supplies.
“When built, the dam supplied just 2 million people - it has gone on to play a vital part providing water to Sydney’s growing population of 4.3 million people.
“I urge people who worked on the construction of Warragamba Dam, up to its completion in 1960, to contact the Sydney Catchment Authority (SCA) and register for the anniversary celebrations.
“As part of the anniversary, we will also unveil a memorial in honour of those who died during construction.
“It is important that former workers contact the SCA to register their details so they don’t miss out on the opportunity to catch up with old workmates,” Mr Costa concluded.
People being called on to take part in the reunion include those involved with building the dam, including those involved with clearing the valley before the dam construction began and those based at the McCann’s Island aggregate processing plant on the Nepean River.
People who worked at the dam should register for the reunion by contacting the Sydney Catchment Authority on 02 4725 2540 or WarragambaAnniversary@sca.nsw.gov.au.
