The Hon Katrina Hodgkinson MP Minister for Primary Industries Minister for Small Business MEDIA RELEASE 27 May 2011 Woronora Dam reopened to the public Minister for Primary Industries, Katrina Hodgkinson, today announced Woronora Dam in Sydney’s south west will reopen this weekend, three months after it was closed to the public over safety concerns. Katrina Hodgkinson said that the dam had been closed as a precautionary measure when remnants of asbestos were discovered in the grounds in late February. “A full assessment and clean up of the Woronora Dam precinct has now been completed by the Sydney Catchment Authority (SCA),” Katrina Hodgkinson said. “It is with great pleasure that I am able to welcome visitors back to the highly popular picnic grounds. “The picnic grounds surrounding Sydney’s dams have long been popular destinations for families and Woronora is certainly no exception, and I’m sure visitors will enjoy being able to return to the dam,” she said. Although Woronora Dam was completed in 1941, the picnic areas at Woronora Dam were not opened until October 1954 due to war austerity measures. The dam immediately proved popular with the visiting public, and in 1964 more facilities were added to the precinct to cope with the demand. Member for Heathcote, Lee Evans, said it is believed the remnants of asbestos may have come from the original cottages that were built during construction of the dam and demolished some time ago. Mr Evans said no airborne asbestos was detected during the assessment. “Woronora Dam collects water from the catchment of the Woronora River, and the dam supplies water to residents within the Sutherland Shire,” Mr Evans said. “The picturesque banks of the Woronora Dam are an ideal location for a picnic or BBQ, and it is wonderful that the dam has reopened to the public,” Mr Evans said. The grounds are open 10am to 5pm Monday to Friday and offer great views of the dam and facilities including electric barbecues, playgrounds, toilets and drinking water. For more information on Woronora Dam please visit: http://www.sca.nsw.gov.au/recreation/woronora-dam .