Burrinjuck Dam Site (Greater)

Item details


Name of item:	Burrinjuck Dam Site (Greater)
Other name/s:	Burrinjuck Dam Site, Barren Jack Barrenjack
Type of item:	Landscape
Group/Collection:	Landscape - Cultural
Category:	Water Supply Reservoir/ Dam
Location:	Lat: -34.9879279664 Long: 148.6322923950
Primary address:	, Burrinjuck, NSW 2582
Parish:	Childowla
County:	Harden
Local govt. area:	Yass Valley
Local Aboriginal Land Council:	Onerwal

Boundary:

An area of some 500 sq. miles, centred on Burrinjuck Dam and Lake.

All addresses

Street Address	Suburb/town	LGA	Parish	County	Type
	Burrinjuck	Yass Valley	Childowla	Harden	Primary Address
Burrinjuck road	Burrinjuck	Yass Valley			Alternate Address

Owner/s

Organisation Name	Owner Category	Date Ownership Updated
	State Government

Statement of significance:


	The Burrinjuck Dam site is significant for its natural and cultural resources. It is the site of the first irrigation water storage in NSW. It contains many rare species of native flora and fauna, as well as many structures an artifacts (both above and under water) associated with the construction of the Burrinjuck Dam. The site contains European archaeological sites, and probably Aboriginal sites. (DLWC S170 Register)
	Date significance updated: 23 Mar 01
	Note: The State Heritage Inventory provides information about heritage items listed by local and State government agencies. The State Heritage Inventory is continually being updated by local and State agencies as new information becomes available. Read the Department of Premier and Cabinet copyright and disclaimer.

Description


Physical description:	The greater Burrinjuck Dam site is about 60km by road from Yass in southern NSW, and covers an area of some 500sq. Miles. The site contains many rare species of flora and fauna. Apart from the Burrinjuck Dam and related structures, the site also contains many structures and artefacts, both above and under water, which are associated with the early construction phases of Burrinjuck Dam. These include railway remnants, Lake de Burgh locomotive water supply dam, Barren Jack Water Supply Dam, the children's graveyard, the quarry site, the Office and Conference Centre, a number of staff cottages, a church, etc. (See separate inventory sheets for Burrinjuck Dam, Barren Jack Water Supply Dam, Office & Conference Centre, various staff cottages, and some of the artefacts.) (DLWC S170 Register) The children's graveyard site is accessible through dense shrubs. The site is identified by wire fencing although the cutrilage is unclear. The ground within the fence is generally clear of shrubs and have clumps of daffodils (Narcissus pseudonarcissus) planted at various spots. The daffodils are said to mark the spots of burial. Outside the fencing, the grounds contain evidence of stone terraces. The curtilage for the Greater Burrinjuck Dam Site includes Burrinjuck Village, the visual catchment of the Burrinjuck village precinct and the visual catchment of the Dam Wall and its environs. (DLWC May 2003 - Description updated Jan 2013)
Further information:	Preparation of a Conservation Management Plan and a detailed archaeological study incorporating the whole site are highly recommended. (DLWC S170 Register)

History

Historical notes:

The word "Burrinjuck" is a corruption of the Aboriginal word "Booren Yiack" which is the name of the precipitous mountain overlooking the dam site. Initially translated to "Barren Jack", the name was changed c.1910 to "Burrinjuck" as the Government considered the new name to be more in keeping for the promotion of the new Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area development and to encourage new immigrants to take up settlement there.

Burrinjuck City, a temporary township, was established to house workers during the construction of Burrinjuck Dam. Later, the buildings on river flats, the original access road to the town and works, old sand haulage railway, etc. were inundated by the rising storage of the dam.

Presently, many of the early structures and artefacts still remain on the Burrinjuck Dam site, both above and under water. Some of the structures that remain above water include some staff cottages, a church owned by Church of England, the children's graveyard site (early burial ground of some workers' children), Lake de Burgh dam (owned by State Rail?), the Barren Jack Water Supply Dam, etc.

The site also contains many rare species of native flora and fauna (DLWC S170 Register)

Historic themes

Australian theme (abbrev)	New South Wales theme	Local theme
1. Environment-Tracing the evolution of a continent's special environments	Environment - naturally evolved-Activities associated with the physical surroundings that support human life and influence or shape human cultures.	Other open space-
1. Environment-Tracing the evolution of a continent's special environments	Environment - naturally evolved-Activities associated with the physical surroundings that support human life and influence or shape human cultures.	Modification of terrain-
1. Environment-Tracing the evolution of a continent's special environments	Environment - naturally evolved-Activities associated with the physical surroundings that support human life and influence or shape human cultures.	Natural - site important native fauna habitat or food source-
1. Environment-Tracing the evolution of a continent's special environments	Environment - naturally evolved-Activities associated with the physical surroundings that support human life and influence or shape human cultures.	Rare and Significant Fauna-
1. Environment-Tracing the evolution of a continent's special environments	Environment - naturally evolved-Activities associated with the physical surroundings that support human life and influence or shape human cultures.	Rare and Significant Flora-
2. Peopling-Peopling the continent	Migration-Activities and processes associated with the resettling of people from one place to another (international, interstate, intrastate) and the impacts of such movements	Migrants in the twentieth century-
2. Peopling-Peopling the continent	Migration-Activities and processes associated with the resettling of people from one place to another (international, interstate, intrastate) and the impacts of such movements	Migrant workers and success-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Environment - cultural landscape-Activities associated with the interactions between humans, human societies and the shaping of their physical surroundings	Developing local, regional and national economies-National Theme 3
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Environment - cultural landscape-Activities associated with the interactions between humans, human societies and the shaping of their physical surroundings	(none)-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Technology-Activities and processes associated with the knowledge or use of mechanical arts and applied sciences	Technologies of dam and weir building and maintenance-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Land tenure-Activities and processes for identifying forms of ownership and occupancy of land and water, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal	Naming places (toponymy)-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Towns, suburbs and villages-Activities associated with creating, planning and managing urban functions, landscapes and lifestyles in towns, suburbs and villages	20th Century infrastructure-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Utilities-Activities associated with the provision of services, especially on a communal basis	(none)-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Utilities-Activities associated with the provision of services, especially on a communal basis	Water and drainage-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Utilities-Activities associated with the provision of services, especially on a communal basis	Providing irrigation-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Utilities-Activities associated with the provision of services, especially on a communal basis	Water supply-

Recommended management:


	Retain, conserve and maintain in accordance with the Burra Charter. (DLWC S170 Register)

Recommendations

Management Category	Description	Date Updated
Recommended Management	Produce a Conservation Management Plan (CMP)
Recommended Management	Prepare a maintenance schedule or guidelines
Recommended Management	Carry out interpretation, promotion and/or education

Procedures /Exemptions

Section of act	Description	Title	Comments	Action date
CMP-Endorse	Conservation Plan submitted for endorsement	Greater Burrinjuck Dam Precinct CMP	CMP received for review by Heritage Council 23 October 2003
57(2)	Exemption to allow work	Standard Exemptions	HERITAGE ACT 1977 ORDER UNDER SECTION 57(2) TO GRANT STANDARD EXEMPTIONS FROM APPROVAL I, Penny Sharpe, the Minister for Heritage, on the recommendation of the Heritage Council of New South Wales and under section 57(2) of the Heritage Act 1977: revoke the order made on 2 June 2022 and published in the Government Gazette Number 262 of 17 June 2022; and grant an exemption from section 57(1) of the Act in respect of the engaging in or carrying out the class of activities described in clause 2 Schedule A in such circumstances specified by the relevant standards in clause 2 Schedule A and General Conditions in clause 3 Schedule A. This Order takes effect on the date it is published in the NSW Government Gazette. Dated this 29th day of October 2025 The Hon Penny Sharpe MLC Minister for Heritage For more information on standard exemptions click on the link below.	Nov 7 2025

Standard exemptions for engaging in or carrying out activities / works otherwise prohibited by section 57(1) of the Heritage Act 1977

Listings

Heritage Listing	Listing Title	Listing Number	Gazette Date	Gazette Number	Gazette Page
Heritage Act - State Heritage Register		00959	02 Apr 99	27	1546
Heritage Act - s.170 NSW State agency heritage register

Study details

Title	Year	Number	Author	Inspected by	Guidelines used
Land & Water Conservation Section 170 Register	1995	50068	Heritage Group: State Projects		No

References, internet links & images

None

Note: internet links may be to web pages, documents or images.

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Data source


The information for this entry comes from the following source:
Name:	Heritage NSW
Database number:	5012042
File number:	H00/00368; S95/00332 [S170]

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