Visit Warragamba Dam and Lake Burragorang

Warragamba Dam is a heritage-listed gravity dam located in the South Western Sydney suburb of Warragamba in the southeastern corner of the Blue Mountains.

Australia’s largest concrete dam created Lake Burragorang, which serves as Sydney’s primary water supply reservoir. A visit to the dam’s visitor centre and nearby lookouts offers a unique chance to explore its fascinating history and significance.

In this article, we’ll uncover the story behind Warragamba Dam and find out how to make the most of your visit.

Warragamba Dam is fairly easy to drive to, with clear signposting along the way.

If you’re coming via the M4 Motorway, turn left onto the Northern Road (A9) towards Wallacia. Then, take Kingshill Road and follow the signs to Warragamba Dam.

For those driving in from the south, turn off the Northern Road onto Willmington Road, then take Park Road and follow the signs from there.

Two large parking areas near the visitor centre provide plenty of parking.

Official address:
1 Production Avenue, Warragamba NSW 2752 (see map).

Warragamba Dam is one of the largest domestic water supply dams in the world. Even more remarkably, Lake Burragorang, formed by the dam, is four times the size of Sydney Harbour.

If you have time after visiting the dam, consider driving south to Burragorang Lookout for stunning views of this expansive lake.

The dam has a reservoir capacity of over 2,000 gigalitres, with the lake’s surface area spanning an impressive 75 square kilometres.

Construction of this engineering marvel began in 1948 and was completed twelve years later, in 1960.

It took three million tonnes of concrete to create the barrier in the Warragamba River, which ultimately formed Lake Burragorang, now Sydney’s largest water source.

In 1999, the Sydney Catchment Authority took over management of the dam to ensure a clean water supply for the Sydney Metro, Blue Mountains, and Southern Highlands areas of New South Wales. Today, it is managed by WaterNSW.

The dam grounds were closed for a decade to undergo major upgrades and reopened to the public in 2009, featuring a new visitor centre and an auxiliary spillway designed to handle extreme flood events.

The Workforce

Nearly 2,000 people from over 25 countries worked tirelessly, seven days a week, to build Warragamba Dam.

To accommodate the workers and their families during construction, the Warragamba township was purpose-built as a dedicated village.

The township fostered a strong sense of community, hosting regular pub nights, dance events, and English classes for immigrant workers.

In 2012, a memorial was unveiled to honour the 15 men who lost their lives during the construction of the dam.

Visitor Centre

Warragamba Dam features an excellent visitor centre packed with information about the dam, its construction, how it operates, and more.

The Visitor Centre is open daily from 10 am to 4 pm, except on Christmas Day and Good Friday. The dam grounds are open every day from 8 am to 5 pm, extending to 6 pm on weekends and public holidays during daylight saving time.

One of the first things you’ll notice upon arriving at the visitor centre are the two massive green valves. Manufactured in England and installed at the dam in 1958, these valves were originally used to control the flow of water through the pipes.

In 2005, they were replaced with more efficient German-engineered butterfly valves, though the originals remain on display as a nod to the dam’s history.

Lookout Points

You can enjoy excellent views of the dam from a steel platform located on the western side of the visitor centre. On the opposite side, another lookout provides access to a path where you can walk onto the top of the dam wall.

From the dam wall, you’ll be treated to impressive views of Lake Burragorang on one side and the Warragamba River on the other.

Keep in mind that pedestrian access to the dam wall is only available on weekends and public holidays from 10 am to 4 pm.

For another perspective, head to the lookout on Eighteenth Street, which offers great views of the dam wall and the auxiliary spillway.

Warragamba Dam is just one of many dams you can visit in Sydney and New South Wales. Check out our list of Sydney Dams for more ideas to spend a great day out.