Updated 1 December 2011
South Dubbo Weir
Frequently asked questions
What is a weir?
A weir is a structure (including a dam, lock, regulator, barrage or causeway) across a defined
watercourse that will pond water, restrict flow or hinder the movement of fish along natural
flow paths, in normal flow conditions (source: NSW Weirs Policy).
There are estimated to be 3000 weirs on rivers in NSW. There are two weirs in the
Macquarie River at Dubbo (in South Dubbo and North Dubbo).
Who owns the South Dubbo Weir?
Care and maintenance of the South Dubbo Weir has been the responsibility of Dubbo City
Council since 1943. While an extensive and expensive legal search of the South Dubbo
Weir in the Government Gazette since 1943 could produce findings of ownership, Dubbo
City Council will be proposing, in due course, that ownership of the weir be transferred to
Council without further research. The land adjacent to the South Dubbo weir, on the urban
side, is Council-owned.
Danger
Where is the South Dubbo Weir located?
The South Dubbo weir is a concrete overflow type dam placed across the Macquarie River
about 800 metres downstream from the John Gilbert Water Treatment Plant.
The north Dubbo Weir – under the care of the State Water Corporation – is located
downstream from the Emile Serisier low-level bridge near River Street.
What is the weir’s purpose?
At the bottom of the weir for example, the
water is extremely turbulent and induces
a strong undertow current that will force
swimmers down. In this situation swimming
skills have little to do with survival.
The purpose of the South Dubbo Weir is to provide a water supply for Dubbo. It was
constructed in 1941 by the NSW Public Works Department in conjunction with a new
water treatment plant for Dubbo, which had by then outgrown the groundwater sources
previously relied upon. It was also intended to improve the water supply for the Army camp
that was established in Dubbo during 1940 as a result of the war in Europe which had
commenced the year before that.
The water above and below the weir can be as deep as three metres.
South Dubbo Weir: frequently asked questions
What are the dangers associated with
rivers and weirs?
Rivers in general can be dangerous places. In the period 1980
to 2011, 18 drownings have tragically occurred at various
locations along the Macquarie River within the Dubbo Local
Government Area, two of which have been at the South
Dubbo Weir.
Drowning by entrapment in submerged logs, or snags or
drowning by falling into the river while fishing, are just some
examples of the dangers that rivers in general present. Weirs are
no exception; they are dangerous and unpredictable places.
The depth, volume and speed of water flowing over the South
Dubbo Weir can vary, and it only takes ankle deep water to
knock you off your feet. Many people don’t realise what’s
happening beneath this water. At the bottom of the weir for
example, the water is extremely turbulent and induces a strong
undertow current that will force swimmers down. In this
situation swimming skills have little to do with survival.
What safety precautions has Council
introduced at the South Dubbo Weir?
Weirs are not designed or intended to be available for people
to use recreationally, however Dubbo City Council has taken
steps to find a balanced and reasonable response to safety
issues associated with the South Dubbo Weir in the Macquarie
River at Dubbo.
Why can’t Council just fence off the weir?
Fencing will not stop people accessing the weir by watercraft
or swimming or by walking or wading around the steel fan
barriers when river water levels are low.
Other considerations relate to the ongoing issues associated
with fences on Council reserves being vandalised or damaged
by floods and being washed downstream and becoming
hazards to watercraft and swimmers. As a result, fencing is
not considered a long-term or permanent solution to people
accessing dangerous points along the river.
How does Council intend to address
growing community concern about the
weir?
Measures such as increased signage and more effective means
of communicating the dangers involving rivers are being
implemented.
Council is currently commencing the master planning for
Regand Park – with issues such as pedestrian and boat access
to the river, including the weir, to be addressed as part of that
masterplan.
Remember
While there are no practical ways to stop people approaching
the weir from within the river downstream and upstream or
from riverbanks immediately abutting the weir, Council has
introduced the following safety measures:
• Steel fan barriers and additional warning signage were
installed by Council in 2008 and 2009 to try and prevent
people from accessing the weir crest from the sides and
walking across the crest of the weir. These barriers were
replaced earlier this year after they were destroyed in the
December 2010 flood.
• Canoe portage: In 2008, Dubbo City Council also
constructed a canoe portage around the weir.
• Warning signs, installed in 2008, also appear 200 metres
and then 60 metres upstream of the weir, on both sides
or the river, with the words DANGER and advising of the
canoe portage.
• Additional warning signs have been introduced and feature
strong imagery depicting the dangers associated with
weirs. These signs will be placed at key points along the
river to deter members of the public from accessing the
weir for recreational purposes such as swimming or fishing.
For more information
Being swept over a flooded weir is like
being dumped by a constant barrage
of plunging waves, with the churning
water forcing you down. One cubic
metre of water alone weighs a tonne
(approximately the weight of a small car).
Updated 12 December 2011
Visit www.dubbo.nsw.gov.au
Call Customer Service on 6801 4000
Visit Council’s Civic Administration Building on the corner of
Church and Darling streets.