Freshwater FIshing with Kim Bain GlenbawnGlenbawn Dam,Dam,NSWNSW Glenbawn is a big dam up the back of the Hunter River in central NSW, an area deservedly famous for its red wines, racehorses and thumping big bass and goldens. For Kim, it was a chance to break out of QLD and take the long trip south to compete in the growing Pro Bass Tournament circuit. Part 8 in our series on freshwater impoundments & rivers, this month written and photographed by Kim Bain

ver the past few months I Facing page: Tim Stessl with a Ohave reviewed many south- quality 470mm Glenbawn bass. east Queensland impoundments (Mind you though, you’d have to in a series dedicated to travelling see the size of Tim before you families and keen freshwater appreciated the size of the anglers. This month my trusty bass!) Left: The author with a Stessl Edgetracker and I head a solid 390mm bass caught during little further afield to Glenbawn the first session of Australian Dam in New South Wales for the Bass Tournament’s round two second round of the Pro Bass held at Glenbawn Dam. Tournament circuit. With the rumour mill running through Stanthorpe, Tenterfield, wild with stories of big bass to Glen Innes, Guyra, Armidale on 10lb that bust you off in the the New England Highway and timbers, we headed across the past Tamworth onto Scone. Once border with the hope of in Scone, head through town and encountering one of these well follow the signs. There should be a conditioned bass. brown tourist sign indicating the Amidst the beautiful ranges of direction of Glenbawn Dam. This the Upper Hunter Valley, host to should lead you over a small many reputable vineyards and causeway. Scone is the last town horse studs, lies Glenbawn Dam on you’ll be travelling through so if the Hunter River about twenty you need any supplies (there is a kilometres east of Scone on the Woolworths), including gas or fuel, New England Highway, New South maximum depth of 85 metres. this may be worth a stop. Wales. Additionally, the dam has an extra If you are travelling from the south reserve capacity of 120,000 million along the New England Highway you The Dam The original wall which litres to hold flood waters and reduce will come through Muswellbrook and dammed the upper reaches of the flooding in the river downstream. onto Aberdeen. In Aberdeen you will Hunter River was completed in 1956. The dam supplies water to the find another turn off to the Dam. However, in 1987 the wall was surrounding regions, as well being a Aberdeen is about 25km south of heightened and the dam’s capacity power output which is connected to the Scone. Glenbawn Dam is tripled to a massive 750,000 million main NSW power grid via a mini approximately two hours from litres, almost three times the volume of hydroelectric plant which was Newcastle and three hours from Sydney Harbour! Today the wall stands constructed in the dam wall in 1995. Sydney. 100 metres high and stretches to 1125 metres long. The lake itself is How To Get There Travelling from Navigation On Glenbawn There are approximately 20 kilometres in length Brisbane we headed south-west to many hazards in Glenbawn Dam which with an area of 2614 hectares and a Warwick. We then went south again boaters should be aware of. These

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