Cotter Dam Discovery Trail. Canberra, A.C.T., AUSTRALIA
Posted by: 
2BluFish
S 35° 19.407 E 148° 56.544
55H E 676558 N 6089355
The Cotter Dam Discovery Trail has been officially opened to the public from Saturday 18 September 2010.
The Cotter Dam Discovery Trail and viewing platform is Canberra’s newest attraction and will allow the community to take a front row seat to watch the enlargement of Cotter Dam as it happens.
“The Discovery Trail spans over a 1.4km loop and will allow visitors to wander the new boardwalk along the Cotter River, learn about the Cotter, its history, ecology and the environment and then t
Waymark Code: WM9Q82
Location: Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Date Posted: 09/18/2010
Views: 12
The Enlarged Cotter Dam project involves building a new dam downstream of the existing one to increase the Cotter reservoir capacity from the current 4 gigalitres (GL) to around 78 GL – almost 20 times its current size.
The original dam commenced in 1912 and completed in 1915.
18 September 2010 marked the public opening of the Cotter dam Discovery Trail and viewing Platform - allowing residents of Australia's capital city Canberra to view progress of construction of the new enlarged Cotter Dam, wich will be a roller compacted concrete structure.
Main Dam features :
Main dam wall – roller compacted concrete structure.
Dam axis to be located approximately 125m downstream of existing Cotter dam wall. Final
location subject to geological and geotechnical assessment regarding the adequacy of
abutment and foundation conditions.
Width of main dam approximately 260m.
Height of main dam approximately 80m.
Storage capacity of approximately 78GL (at 550.8m AHD).
The Cotter River is a fresh water river in the Australian Capital Territory. It is a tributary of the Murrumbidgee River and part of Murray-Darling Basin. The Cotter River is one of two rivers—the Queanbeyan River is the other—that meet the water supply needs of the Canberra and Queanbeyan region. The river is named after a colonial convict Garrett Cotter who first settled and had a very long and continued association with the Cotter River region in the mid 19th century.
The Cotter Dam, like other dams and reservoirs within the Cotter Catchment supply domestic drinking water and is therefore closed to recreational watercraft use. The Cotter River Reserve located at the base of the dam wall is a very popular picnic area. The reserve has amenities such as BBQ facilities and tables. There are a number of areas that are suitable for swimming when there is sufficient water flowing in the river. There is also a short term camping site which can accommodate a very limited number of caravans and tents.
The Cotter Road, ACT tourist route 5, begins as a side road off Adelaide Avenue in the suburb of Deakin. The scenic drive stretches 17.6 km from the centre of Canberra past the suburbs of Curtin, Holder and Duffy, in between Stromlo Forest and Narrabundah Hill Pine Plantation, and past Casuarina Sands into the Cotter Avenue river area. "The Cotter" and the adjoining 7.1 km winding Brindabella Road (the beginning of "The Loop") are well known to motorcyclists, many of whom ride there in the evening after work or on weekends. The Cotter Hotel, which stood near the children's swings alongside the river, was burned down in the 2003 Bushfires. It was a well known meeting place amongst motorcyclists on weekends.
Fee?: 0.00 (listed in local currency)
Approximate Time to Finish: 1 hour
Addtional Website URL: [Web Link]
Brochure or Interpretive Signs: Interpretive Plaques/Signs
Rate the Walk: 
Wherigo Cartridge: Not listed
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Visit Instructions:
A picture at the start of the Trail or Walk is greatly appreciated. Additional photos taken during the course of the walk would also be of great benefit.
If there does not appear to be a defined beginning to the trail or walk, pick a logical place (e.g. close to parking) or where information about the walk or trail can be gathered.