A Rich History, A New Purpose
Built in 1915 to supply water to Broken Hill, Umberumberka Dam is a feat of early 20th-century engineering. Covering around 145 hectares in area, and with a catchment of 407 square kilometres, it played a crucial role in the city’s growth, supporting the thriving mining industry and local communities. However, with the completion of the $463 million Wentworth to Broken Hill Pipeline in 2020, the dam’s role as a primary water source ceased, leaving an opportunity to repurpose this historic site for recreation and tourism.
The proposed $6.3 million upgrade, spearheaded by Regional Development Australia Far West (RDAFW), aims to revitalise the site as a premier outdoor recreation and tourism destination. The project includes walking tracks, mountain biking trails, picnic areas, a café, and even accommodation options, ensuring that the dam remains a valuable asset to the region.
Why This Project Matters
- Economic Growth and Job Creation
Tourism is a growing sector in the Far West, and the transformation of Umberumberka Dam into a recreational hub has the potential to attract thousands of visitors. With Broken Hill already hosting major events such as the sell-out Mundi Mundi Bash, which drew 14,000 attendees in 2024, the dam presents an additional attraction for tourists.
“The potential economic impact of this project is significant,” says Director of Regional Development Far West, Michael Williams. “We’re not just creating a tourist attraction – we’re building an economic driver that will create jobs, support local businesses, and strengthen the region’s economy.”
- Enhancing Liveability and Wellbeing
A key challenge for Broken Hill is retaining and attracting residents, particularly skilled workers. By improving liveability through enhanced recreational opportunities, the dam upgrade will make Broken Hill a more desirable place to live and work. Access to outdoor activities like kayaking, fishing, and cycling will contribute to better physical and mental health, providing much-needed wellbeing benefits to the local community.
- Heritage Preservation and Cultural Significance
The project will restore the dam’s historic steam pumps – one of the last remaining sets of its kind – creating a unique museum experience. The site will serve as a living history lesson, celebrating the engineering achievements that helped shape Broken Hill.
Challenges and Roadblocks
Despite the compelling vision, RDAFW has struggled to advance discussions with the government.
“We’ve had a lot of conversations with the state government over about the last four and a half years,” Williams says. “We’ve looked at all the departments as well across the state government. We’ve had conversations with a lot of ministers – so, Minister for Western New South Wales and obviously Tourism as well. [We’re] really trying to progress that through the state government as rapidly as possible.”
Ownership remains a sticking point. RDA Far West argues that maintaining the site should not fall to a community organisation.
“We really need to look at that structure and ownership. How that might work if we had an opportunity and a model that enabled us to access that facility without, potentially, the liability and risk that goes with that?”
Meanwhile, Essential Water, which owns the dam, has confirmed that water stored there is not currently used for any purpose. The dam has, however, seen a number of years without water in the last decade due to drought.
Despite this, Essential Water has no plans to decommission the dam, unlike nearby Imperial Lake, which was lowered as part of its decommissioning process.
The Road Ahead
With strong community support and a clear economic and social case, the Umberumberka Dam upgrade stands as a beacon of opportunity for Broken Hill and the Far West region. Whether it’s attracting new visitors, providing locals with better recreational options, or preserving an important piece of history, this project has the potential to redefine the future of the area.
For now, RDA Far West is urging the government to accelerate discussions and explore solutions that will allow the project to move forward.
“We’re ready to go,” Williams said. “We’ve got the ideas, we’ve got the plans – we just need the government to get behind it.”
For more information on this project and how you can support it, visit rdafarwestnsw.org.au
Article: Liz Ginis, Director of Communications & Marketing, RDA Sydney
Images: Courtesy RDA Far West
