Hume Reservoir, the source of the Murray River.

We went for a drive to the Hume Reservoir and Dam this afternoon.    And now I finally have some photographs of where the Murray River begins its journey to the sea in South Australia.   It flows for 2530 km and is one of the longest navigable rivers in the world.

The upper reaches of the Murray River, before it reaches the reservoir, is a natural waterway that flows down from the mountains and is fed by melting snow and rainfall.   There are also other streams that flow into the Hume Reservoir.     

Before the dam was constructed the flow was seasonal, high at the end of winter and low during the summer months. Work began on the dam in 1919 and it was opened in 1936, and was the largest dam in the southern hemisphere.   It was built to provide water for the towns, to irrigate the surrounding farmland and to provide electricity.   The dam has been enlarged and modified since it was built.

Apparently it only took two years for the reservoir to fill up, which shows how much water comes down from the mountains.

The view of the dam and the huge torrent of water spilling out of the dam.    

                                         

The start of the Murray River as it leaves the dam.    The water is very clear at this point.

The start of the Murray River, viewed from the top of the dam.

The very large reservoir, with the original river hidden underneath.

The spillway.    It was very noisy and a trifle scary.   Piper was very scared so Walter took her back to the car.

The Bethanga Bridge was built between 1927 and 1930, when the Hume Weir was completed and the backed up waters inundated this section of the Murray River.  The old low bridge could no longer be used.   

The bridge is quite impressive  as it is a long, nine span, riveted steel, variable depth, Pratt Truss road bridge of nine principal spans of 82 metres and a total length of 752 metres.  I copied this!`

A view of the reservoir.

We went for a short drive into the hills, which were covered in vivid green grass.   Obviously a very wet area.

I stopped briefly on the road to get a photograph of a green valley but saw two cars behind me so thought I had better move on.

I can never resist taking a photograph of yet another white wooden church, although I think this one is now a house.  

An exhausted Piper, hopefully not dreaming of noisy spillways.

First stop tomorrow, coffee at the cafe by the Hume Dam, then on to Bonegilla which was once a migrant camp and where Walter and his family started life in Australia.