Why this multi-million dam may soon be open to the public

Deputy mayor Ben Fry is negotiating with Bathurst Regional Council staff for an open day at Winburndale Dam now that work has concluded on a $16 million upgrade.

Typically, Winburndale Dam is kept closed to the public due to its biodiversity value and strategic water security value.

Cr Fry believes residents of Bathurst should have the opportunity to see the dam for itself, given ratepayers' money was a primary funding source of the project.

"The idea behind [the open day] is millions and millions of dollars of ratepayers' money was spent on a very necessary upgrade of the Winburndale Dam wall, bolstering water security and making sure that dam has longevity, but what really irks me about the project is that it's always closed off to the public," he said.

"... I'd like the ratepayers to see where their money is going and where their dollar is spent, so I thought it would be a great opportunity to offer members of the public, on a limited basis, the ability to come and check out Winburndale for themselves in person."

There are safety concerns about people accessing the dam, but Cr Fry said he has discussed this with council staff and believes it is possible to get people out there in a safe manner.

He said there is discussion of a coach service to transport people to and from Winburndale Dam on the proposed open day.

"Safety is our number one priority, and in order to make sure that is the case, it may mean the use of coaches and the transporting of people out there," he said.

Once there, members of the public would be able to tour the dam, hear about its history and find out more about how the water supply is used.

"The dam wall is quite impressive, the way the actual mechanics of the dam operate," Cr Fry said.

"You can actually go inside the bottom of the dam where the water comes out, understand the actual logistics and the mechanics of the dam itself - the water points, the actual output, the input, but also the biodiversity around the dam and the just natural beauty of the landscape.

"I think you could spend a couple of hours there, easily, wandering around the dam itself."

Discussions with council are ongoing, but Cr Fry said his hope is to hold the open day in the first quarter of 2024.

"I feel like it's something we can do in the next month or so to give Bathurstians another activity to jump onto," he said.