Sunday History Photo / SA

Submitted: Sunday, Apr 18, 2010 at 00:56
ThreadID: 77793 Views:3396 Replies:5 FollowUps:2
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The Barossa Reservoir's "Whispering Wall" dams the Yattie Creek Gorge near Williamstown in the Barossa Valley to the north of Adelaide. The water supply comes through a 2Klm tunnel from the South Para River. The dam is known as the Whispering Wall for the way in which it carries sound from one side of the Wall to the other. As the Wall is one part of a perfect circle, the sound waves bounce in a series of straight lines to the other side. The dam was designed by the Irish-born engineer Alexander Moncrieff and attracted worldwide attention at the time of its construction, as the idea of a tall but thin concrete structure curved against the pressure of the water was quite radical. The dam is more than 10 metres thick at the base and tapers to a narrow walkway at the top. It is constructed of primarily from concrete and 'plums' - quartz boulders blasted from the sides of the gorge. Old tram tracks were added for extra strength near the top. Construction of the dam began in 1899 and was completed in 1903.
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It was once the highest dam in Australia, and its bold new design made the Americans sit up and take notice.The marks of the timber formwork used to shape the curved wall are still clearly evident a century later. The Barossa Reservoir now feeds water to Gawler and the Munno Para and Elizabeth regions via a new filtration plant.
Capacity: 4,515 megalitres, Length of wall: 144 m, Height of wall: 36 m, depth at wall: 28.6 m




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Reply By: Member - Dunworkin (WA) - Sunday, Apr 18, 2010 at 01:18

Sunday, Apr 18, 2010 at 01:18
Hi Doug, good one as usual, is a place that we have been.

Cheers

Deanna


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Reply By: Member - Ian H (NSW) - Sunday, Apr 18, 2010 at 07:40

Sunday, Apr 18, 2010 at 07:40
Hi Doug,

Good post as usual, thanks

I never imagined a pommie voice behind the name. Was it really you?

Ian
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Follow Up By: Member - Doug T (NT) - Sunday, Apr 18, 2010 at 10:20

Sunday, Apr 18, 2010 at 10:20
Ian
Heck no...not my voice mate, they were just the best 2 You Tubes I could find , many were bad photography . tilted cameras and non english .

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Reply By: Member - DAZA (QLD) - Sunday, Apr 18, 2010 at 09:13

Sunday, Apr 18, 2010 at 09:13
G/Day Doug

We visited the Whispering Wall and other places mainly Wineries, great place to see.

Cheers
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Follow Up By: Hairy (NT) - Sunday, Apr 18, 2010 at 09:19

Sunday, Apr 18, 2010 at 09:19
Gday Doug,
I remember going there as a kid. Mum and I walked around to the other side and Dad and my brother stayed on the other. We were standing there with heaps of other people and my old man peeled one off!
Talk about laugh!!! Mum didnt think it was as funny as we did though. LOL

Cheers
Hairy
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Reply By: Member - Patrick (QLD) - Sunday, Apr 18, 2010 at 09:26

Sunday, Apr 18, 2010 at 09:26
Hi Doug,

It would not be a Sunday without your history page. Where do you get all your ideas and material from. It makes a great informative read each week.

Keep up the good work.

Patrick
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Reply By: glids - Sunday, Apr 18, 2010 at 10:08

Sunday, Apr 18, 2010 at 10:08
Hi Doug,

We used to go on family 'Sunday Drives' in the old Vanguard, and the Whispering Wall was a favourite.

On one trip in the '50's the wind must have been really calm because we could hear dad's watch ticking - gee I wish my hearing was that good now!

Recent visitors would see the large spherical air vessel on top of the outlet tower. That is there to blast accumulated debris away from the outlet screens, 3 at different water levels.

Great post, as usual. I always look forward to your weekly posts.

Cheers,

glids
AnswerID: 413383

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