Lake Eppalock

Eppalock , 1931. SLV

Axedale is located about 9km down river from Eppalock. A weir on the to supply irrigation water to the northern plains was planned as early as 1903.1

In 1908 a survey by the State Rivers and The Hon. H. E. Bolte, Premier of , Water Supply Commission (SRWSC) identified opened Eppalock Dam, pumping station and a suitable weir site in the Parish of Eppalock, the Eppalock- pipeline on 17 April 1964. however not everyone supported the building A commemorative luncheon at the Hall of a water storage. marked the occasion. In 1915, 21 ratepayers in the Axedale district Managed by Goulburn Murray Water (GMW), presented a petition to the Strathfieldsaye supplies irrigation water and Shire council. They wrote that: supplements the system, providing a potable water supply to many central It would practically ruin many of the areas, Victorian towns.5 as all the best land would be under water, and the other land would be of little use. The regulation of water through Eppalock Weir As a consequence quite a number of small has caused major changes in stream flows in landholders would have to leave the place. the Campaspe River, effectively reversing the Axedale is an old settled district, and one of seasonal flow patterns. the best round Bendigo…many of the flats are Successful negotiations with the Commonwealth worth anything between £20 and £50 per acre.2 Environmental Water Holder and The Living A scheme to impound 60,000 acre-feet (74,000 Murray Program have given the North Central ML) with a concrete wall began in 1930 as an Catchment Management Authority (on behalf unemployment relief measure. In February 1931, of the Victorian Environmental Water Holder) 300 men were living in frame tents and working access to a volume of water for use in the on the weir, however when the wall lower Campaspe River to provide environmental was completed in 1935 it impounded only benefits to the river. 1,200 acre-feet (15,000 ML). After having Some of this water for the environment expended £150,000, construction was stopped was made available after the closure of the in 1936 for financial reasons.3 Campaspe Irrigation District in 2010, an initiative In 1948, the proposal was again put to the of the Victorian government. However, releases Parliamentary Public Works Committee by the from Lake Eppalock remain central to many SRWSC. The Eppalock Landholders' Association farms along the Campaspe River as licensed protested against the resumption of construction diverters. of the weir on the grounds that much of land in The objective of this water is to rehabilitate the catchment had been already eroded and that the river's highly valued and ecologically the weir was already heavily silted.4 important river red gum communities, native Influenced by strong support for the scheme fish and platypus populations, and to maintain from downstream irrigators and particularly its connection to the Murray River through the the Eppalock Advancement League led release of water that in part mimics the by local councillor and Axedale resident natural river fluctuations that the river life John G Harrington, another enquiry in 1959 has evolved around.6 found that the storage should be built given it While the Lake’s primary purpose remains for would serve the dual purpose of augmenting irrigation and potable water supply, recreation Bendigo's water supply. and tourism are important secondary benefits Subsequently, large areas of forest and land in for the local area. Derrinal and Kimbolton were resumed in June Follow the path downstream to our historic 1960 for building Lake Eppalock, including seven bluestone bridge… houses and 40 outbuildings. In 1960, work began on the project, estimated to cost £5,000,000, including the construction of an earth and rock dam to hold 250,000 acre-feet (304,650 ML).

Lake Eppalock completion ceremony, 17 April 1964. SLV

1 Bendigo Advertiser, 14 October 1903 2 Bendigo Advertiser, 21 May 1915 3 J. O. Randell, McIvor: A History of the Shire and the Township of Heathcote. Burwood, Vic, 1985 4 J. O. Randell, McIvor: A History of the Shire and the Township of Heathcote. Burwood, Vic, 1985 5 Lake Eppalock Land and On-Water Management Plan, Goulburn Murray Water, 2013 6 Campaspe River Environmental Water Management Plan, North Central Catchment Management Authority, 2014