28 Bourke St, NORTH PARRAMATTA

Prior to European settlement, Lake Parramatta was formerly Hunts Creek which was used extensively by Aborigines due to the abundance of fresh water and diversity of food available. Many aboriginal sites were inundated with water following the construction of the dam in the 1800s.  However rockshelters, hand-stencils, and other evidence of Aboriginal occupation still remains today. Hunts Creek was originally located just above the tidal limit of the Parramatta River. However, by 1840 Parramatta’s increasing demands for fresh water saw the creek advocated for damming.

The dam foundation stone was laid in 1855, with all sandstone used for its construction being quarried from Hunts Creek, resulting in faster completion of the structure. The dam is historically important as it was only the twelfth engineered (second arch) dam built in the western world. As the original Hunts creek lay within a deep valley, the dam created an extensive, irregularly shaped water body with a volume in excess of 280megalitres (approximately 280 Olympic sized swimming pools). The original 1855 section of the dam was 11m high, however increasing demands saw the dam wall raised by 12 ft in 1898, increasing its capacity to 590 megalitres.

To protect the water quality of the dam, extensive portions of land adjoining the waters edge were reserved, conserving the native vegetation communities of the area. In 1909, the city of Parramatta was connected to the Sydney system and the supply of water was disconnected from Lake Parramatta. Following this time, the reserve enjoyed immense popularity as a recreational destination due to the bushland, wildlife, and extensive use of the Lake for swimming, rowing, water-skiing and other aquatic activities. A swimming club, clubhouse and lifesaving organisation was established in the 1930s and a kiosk opened to service visitor demand in 1937.

However, the reserve experienced a decline in patronage in the 1950s due to increasing motorcar usage, and restrictions to water based activities due to encroaching development with noise complaints from residents and dumping of building waste. To increase visitation levels of the reserve Council has undertaken a number of remediation measures in the last 20 years to clean-up the reserve, improve water quality and reduce damage to vegetation. In the 1990s picnic and barbeque facilities were upgraded, with regular bush regeneration activities occurring throughout the reserve since this time. The 73 hectare (10.5 water surface) reserve is once again popular for picnicking and bushwalking, with a visitors kiosk open on weekends. Lake Parramatta Reserve has the following facilities:

• Children’s playground
• Off street car park
• Walking trails
• Public Toilets
• BBQs
• Picnic facilities

UBD: Map 191 D9