Wentworth Falls Lake Precinct upgrades

Wentworth Falls Lake Precinct upgrade

Update 14 April 2025

Below is an update on the significant progress being made on the Wentworth Falls Lake Precinct upgrades:

A new flood gate valve has been installed.

This replaces the old sluice gate system. The valve unit is blue in colour from the manufacturer. We have investigated options for painting it but have been advised that paint would flake off – which is not suitable from an environmental or a visual perspective. The valve will soon be partially covered by a ‘debris reflector’ – similar to a cage – to help protect it from any debris (tree limbs etc) which may flow over the top of the spillway during very heavy rain, and will help reduce maintenance and increase its longevity. This may reduce the visual impact slightly, however it will still be visible through the cage.

The spillway safety boom.

As part of the dam safety requirements, a new boom will be installed at the lake, in May (date currently TBC). The installation of the boom has two purposes:

community safety.
diverting debris around the spillway making it easier to collect before it goes into Jamison Creek.

The contractor, Entracon, is currently preparing a detailed boom anchor design for Council’s approval.

The boom is orange in colour which we know will be a point of discussion within the community. However, this colour reinforces the primary function of the boom which is to warn swimmers, kayakers and other water users that they are approaching the spillway and to provide a physical barrier to them progressing any closer.

For this reason it is important that the boom is highly visible.

It is not possible to change the colour of the boom (similarly to the valve, any paint applied would flake off over time) and diminishing the colour would also undermine its purpose and effectiveness.

Dam wall and spillway.

Work is ongoing along the toe of the wall and on the spillway. Preparations are also being made for pathway work along the top of the wall. This is now anticipated to start from early May. The work on the path should take around two weeks (weather permitting).

Construction of the boat ramp.

This is around 80% completed. The access road and its surrounding area is progressing well. The remaining work includes road pavement, kerb, furniture, lights, turf, and planting.

Sinclair Crescent carpark.

The carpark design is approximately 80% complete. Council is navigating various approval processes required by utility providers, where their assets sit within the current footprint of the new carpark. This has been a lengthy external process.

Thank you to the community for your patience as these upgrade works are undertaken.

You can find out more about the project below, in the News Feed at the bottom of the page and in the Document Library to the right of the page.

The second stage of the Wentworth Falls Lake Precinct upgrade is now underway

17 October 2024

Stage 2 of the essential dam and spillway safety works at Wentworth Falls Lake to ensure structural integrity of the dam wall will require a small water drawdown of 600mm. This 600mm drawdown, which is substantially less than the 2.5m drawdown originally proposed by NSW Public Works, is similar to past natural evaporation events that have occurred over the years.

Council extensively investigated options to avoid any reduction of the lake water level. Following expert advice and in consultation with an independent dam specialist, this water drawdown is required to safely complete the work.

An extensive negotiation process has been undertaken with a selection of experienced contractors to arrive at a final construction method that is based on public safety, minimal impact on the environment, financial responsibility and community expectations.

Stage 2 includes the construction of:
• Necessary dam upgrades for community safety.
• Spillway upgrades to improve control of water levels for fire protection and community resilience.
• An upgraded boat ramp and emergency vehicle access road.

Community access to parts of the lake will continue to be restricted during the upgrade project, including:
• The boat ramp area.
• The path across the dam wall and spillway.
• The grassed incline on the back of the dam wall.

This complex package of work is scheduled to be complete mid-2025.

The dam, spillway and boat ramp improvements follow the recent completion of other important accessibility upgrades at the lake:
• A new accessible viewing platform and pedestrian walkway
• An accessible path along the eastern edge of the lake to Waratah Road
• A new carpark on Waratah Road
• Improvements to the shared path along Sinclair Crescent.

Read the media release about the completed upgrades.

Above: Water levels during a previous natural evaporation event indicative of a 600mm drawdown.

Above: Wentworth Falls Lake Stage 2 community access map.

Above: Indicative gabion replace - rip rap (rock beaching).

Above: Wentworth Falls Lake Drawdown Indicators

Wentworth Falls Lake – Viewing Platform and Pedestrian Walkway opening

2 October 2024

The new accessible viewing platform and pedestrian walkway on the eastern bank of Wentworth Falls Lake is now partially open to the community, providing serene views over the water and surrounding landscape.

The wide viewing platform and walkway replaces the old wooden structure on this side of the lake and gives visitors increased access to experience the lake environment.

From Waratah Road, visitors can now travel along an accessible path that winds along the eastern lake shore, through to the new viewing platform and pedestrian walkway. The walk currently ends at the construction area of the upcoming spillway and dam upgrades.

The opening of the viewing platform and pedestrian walkway is a major milestone for the lake precinct upgrade project and opens more of the lake to a broader range of people.

Significant features of the viewing platform include:

Increased protection of the lake edge, flora and fauna by raising the walkway from the lake edge.

Lowered handrails on the ‘top deck’ of the viewing platform that provide someone in a wheelchair with an unobstructed view over the lake.

A well-integrated, sympathetic design which balances form with function. This includes the use of Corten steel, that will weather and blend with the backdrop of the trees and sandstone cutting, over time.

The use of decking with a heel guard mesh.

Tactile bumps on handrails to aid navigation for people with impaired vision.

It has been built for the future and constructed from appropriate materials that will withstand future weather events.

Extensive community consultation took place in 2022 on the design of the viewing platform and walkway, resulting in a revised design with a reduced amount of Corten steel featured in the structure.

Over recent months work on a range of complementary accessibility upgrades around the lake have progressively opened for the community, including a new section of the shared path along Sinclair Crescent and a new carpark on Waratah Road.

What’s next:

On-site preparations for the spillway, dam wall and boat ramp upgrades are anticipated to start from Friday, 4 October 2024.

Highly experienced dam remediation contractor, Entracon, has been selected to deliver these important improvements.

The construction methods being used to remediate the spillway and dam wall will result in a small water drawdown of up to 600mm. The condition of the dam wall below the water will require ongoing assessment as work progresses. These works are currently scheduled to be completed in the first half of 2025.

Upgrades to precinct seating, shelters and BBQ facilities as well as the formalisation of a full a precinct walk are also still to come as part of the precinct upgrades.

Visitors are reminded to stay out of all construction areas while the precinct upgrades are underway.

The Wentworth Falls Lake Precinct upgrade.

Council has been working to carefully enhance the upgrade plans for Wentworth Falls Lake, in order to deliver an expanded package of works that best support the community’s vision for this iconic recreational precinct:

Dam upgrades: upgrade of the spillways, upstream dam wall and weir infrastructure to improve control of water levels for fire protection and community resilience. An upgraded boat ramp, landscaping and staging area for emergency vehicles will also be delivered.
Accessible walkway and viewing platform: a new pedestrian bridge and viewing platform, and improvements to how visitors access the northern edge of the lake to Waratah Road.
Precinct walk: a walk around the lake and a link to Waratah Road.
Carparks: new carparks on Sinclair Crescent and Waratah Road.
Plus upgraded precinct seating, shelters and BBQ facilities.

Council is now positioned to deliver the best outcome for the community through a broad package of upgrades that not only enhance how the lake and its surroundings can be experienced, but provide increased protections from future flood and fire events.

More information is available the News Feed below and a series of Frequently Asked Questions can be found on the right of this page.

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