Opthalmia Dam

Thanks for your reply, not what the wife wanted to hear! Will keep our eyes open

G'day mazcan and Rodney

Your reply to Rodney doesn't give any clew as to the time frame of your visit and the chance encounter with the Python, but seeing as you say "as you drive across the rear wall/bank" I am guessing it was a couple of years ago, seeing there is no longer public access across the dam wall.

The Ophthalmia Dam was near dry just 17 days ago, but the Fortescue River which feeds water into the impoundment is now running after the storms we have experienced over the last couple of weeks, there is a good chance the dam now has water in it.

As to catching fish in the Ophthalmia dam, yes there are small fish ~ possibly "yellow belly" but because the Swans, Pelicans and other bird life tend to use the dam as a breeding area, my guess there is enough fish life to sustain a healthy bird life.

Safe travels : Joe Fury

Forgot to add, every waterhole throughout the inland Pilbara has a resident Python, the largest I've seen was in the Butterfly Gorge pool ~ this magnificent creature was all of five metres in length and head on it as big as a mans hand.

Safe travels : Joe Fury

Ophthalmia Dam, Joe? Where'd the name come from?

Maybe someone had some eye problems there? :-)

Bob

Hi Bob I say it was named from the nearby range Ophthalmia Range.
This range named by E. Giles in May 1876.

Cheers
Alan

So yes, it was Giles who had eye problems in the area, being blind for 7 days when passing by.

Thanks Alan.

Had a similar symptom while on the Barkly Tablelands in mid '60's. Near blind for almost a week, with some relief with Terramycin cream.......I can feel for the late Mr Giles.

Bob

Joe there is s type of fish some kind of perch right throughout the pilbarra they are to small to be worth catching but will appear as if by magic in a bucket of water if you leave it out for an hour ( ex a duration but you get the idea).
Ive seen them swimming up a bit of water getting pumped into a creek over about 20metres

G'day Everyone

The Ophthalmia dam has a direct link with it's name to the range of hills that Ernest Giles did not see as a result of suffering from the "Blight" on this Fifth inland expedition of 1876.

Ernest Giles admitted defeat on this expedition into what he later called the Ophthalmia Range as he was near blind from his Ophthalmic complaint ~ Sandy Bight, is a painful inflammation of the eyes, bought on by direct strong sunlight, dust and flies, we know it as conjunctivitis.

Out of curiosity I drove out to the Ophthalmia Dam this afternoon, it's "chocka block" with dirty red water. The Fortescue River is down to a mere trickle again.

Safe travels : Joe Fury

Thanks to all for the interesting history lesson on the naming of the Ophthalmia Dam, I take it that it is not a great fishing spot?
Anywhere else around Newman say within 100klm that is worth fishing?

G'day Rodney J2

The Ophthalmia Dam is around 22 square Kilometes in size, of surface water and it's main purpose is to feed the impounded water back into the aquifers from where Newman's water supply is sourced.

I am not a water quality expert, but it only takes a light shower of rain to promote healthy vegetable and weed growth in the garden, town water just makes the soil wet and costs money.

I can't think of any "place" within 100kms of Newman that is worth fishing, although Carawine Gorge on the Oakover River is a beautiful place and the fishing is quite good if you like big fat Catfish, but Carawine is around 350k's to the east.

The Indian Ocean is a good fishing venue and only 450km's to the north west.

Safe travels : Joe Fury

as mentioned nearly all semi permanant water will have the perch I spoke of - Im not sure how big they grow but they probablly are mostly stunted due to thier massive overpopulating of whereever they go i would have said a 20cm one would be massive
then as Joe mentioned catfish are another common catch in more permanant water

anyway heres a pdf of possible catches - i wouldnt be expecting to have to call your mate to grab the Gaff --- but then is it really about catching anything anyway?

http://www.freshwaterfishgroup.com/resources/Pilbara%20fish%20poster%20Ver3.pdf