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Yan Yean Reservoir

March 17, 2024

Yan Yean Reservoir is the oldest water supply for the city of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.[1] At the time of its completion in 1857 it was the largest artificial reservoir in the world.[2][3] It is 30 kilometres (19 mi) north of the city within the eponymous locality of Yan Yean, and is built on the Plenty River, a tributary of the Yarra River. An embankment 9.5 metres (31 ft) high holds back 30,000 ML (1.1 billion cu ft) of water.

Yan Yean Reservoir
The Yan Yean Reservoir with Whittlesea in the foreground
Yan Yean Reservoir
Yan Yean Reservoir
Coordinates37°33′S 145°08′E / 37.550°S 145.133°E / -37.550; 145.133
Typereservoir
Primary inflowsToorourrong Reservoir via aqueduct (off-stream storage)
Primary outflowsPlenty River
Basin countriesAustralia
Water volume30 million m3 (30,000 ML)
Photograph, lightly coloured, of the Yan Yean Reservoir, Victoria, 1859

The reservoir is managed by Melbourne Water as part of the water supply system for Melbourne.

History edit

The name Yan Yean refers to the Aboriginal leader who signed the Batman's Treaty in 1835 with the name "Yan Yan" ("young male").[4]

Work commenced on 20 December 1853 when Governor Charles La Trobe turned the first sod.[3] Construction took place at the height of the gold rush[5] employing a tent city of 1,000 workers returning from the goldfields.[3] The Board of Commissionaires of Sewers and Water Supply was formed that same year in response to the demand for a reliable water supply system.[6]

The reservoir took four years to construct at a cost of £750,000.[7][8] Other sources estimate the cost of the project to be £1,017,087.[9] Most of the pipes were imported from London.[10] It was designed by James Blackburn, an English civil engineer and former London sanitary inspector who was transported to Tasmania as a convict following charges of embezzlement. After being pardoned he came to Melbourne in 1849.[11]

The water was originally supplied by the Plenty River; however, the water quality was poor due to stock crossings and pollution from rural towns.[3] The problem was solved by bypassing the Plenty River and diverting water from Wallaby Creek and Silver Creek, both originating in the Great Dividing Range feeding the Goulburn River. This mountain water was captured in the Toorourrong Reservoir system, constructed in 1883–1885, and supplies water to Yan Yean via an aqueduct to this day.[3] During its construction, the nearby neighbourhood Mernda was created and grew rapidly. Morang became South Yan Yean, and later Mernda.[4]

At the time of its completion in 1857, it was the largest artificial reservoir in the world.[2][3] Photographer Fred Kruger was commissioned by the government to provide images of the extensive works for display at the Colonial and Indian Exhibition of 1886. By 1857, the city of Melbourne had grown to a population of 100,000.[6] The reservoir was inaugurated in the city in 1857's new year's eve.[12]

The region was frequently hit by floods.[13] The reservoir resisted a flood that hit Melbourne in 1923, and became the city's main water emergency resource after the incident.[14] In 1871–72, it is an arid season that led to low water levels in the reservoir and a failure to distribute water throughout the city. During the Second World War, the catchment area was closed for security reasons.[10]

Description edit

The site of the reservoir is 183 metres in altitude, allowing sufficient hydraulic head for the water to be piped throughout the city under gravity. The dam is 963 metres long. The reservoir has a capacity of 30 gigalitres. The catchment covers 2,250 hectares.[10]

Wombats, sea eagles, hawks, ducks and deer inhabit the area.[10]

Recreational facilities edit

Yan Yean Reservoir Park offers picnic areas, barbecue facilities, walking tracks and views of the reservoir and surrounding mountains.[15] The wetlands are used by birdwatchers. Species include musk duck, Australasian grebe, great crested grebe, white-faced heron, dusky moorhen, Eurasian coot, Latham's snipe, musk lorikeet, eastern rosella, superb fairywren, red wattlebird, grey butcherbird and grey fantail.[16]

References edit

  1. ^ Ritchie, E. G. (October 1934), (PDF), Journal of Institution of Engineers Australia, 6: 379–382, archived from the original (PDF) on 18 February 2011
  2. ^ a b Clode, Danielle (11 September 2006). Continent of curiosities: A journey through Australian natural history. Cambridge University Press. p. 45. ISBN 0-521-86620-0.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Yan Yean history in poster format" (PDF). Melbourne Water - Yan Yean Reservoir. Melbourne Water. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 March 2016.
  4. ^ a b Jamie First, The A-Z story of Melbourne's suburbs, heraldsun.com.au, 7 January 2014 (accessed on 11 September 2019)
  5. ^ R. C. Seeger, 'The History of Melbourne's Water Supply-Part 1', Victorian Historical Magazine, vol 19, no 3, June 1942, pp 107–119 and vol 19, no 4, Dec 1942, pp 133–38
  6. ^ a b History of our water supply system, Melbournewater.com.au (accessed on 11 September 2019)
  7. ^ R. C. Seeger, ‘The History of Melbourne's Water Supply-Part 2’, Victorian Historical Magazine, vol 22, no 1, June 1947, pp 23-47
  8. ^ . Archived from the original on 28 July 2011. Retrieved 2 September 2009.
  9. ^ "The Yan Yean Reservoir - Illustrated Sydney News (NSW : 1853 - 1872) - 15 Apr 1865". Illustrated Sydney News. 15 April 1865. Retrieved 21 April 2016.
  10. ^ a b c d 1853 - 2007 - Flow of History - Yan Yean Reservoir, Onlymelbourne.com.au (accessed on 11 September 2019)
  11. ^ Harley Preston, 'Blackburn, James (1803–1854)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/blackburn-james-1789/text2019, published first in hardcopy 1966, accessed online 10 June 2015.
  12. ^ 1853 - 2007 | Flow of History - Yan Yean Reservoir, onlymelbourne.com.au (accessed on 11 September 2019)
  13. ^ Andrew Brooks, A brief history of Victorian floods, theage.com.au, 2 December 2017 (accessed on 11 September 2019)
  14. ^ Flashback: Devastating floods hit Melbourne in 1923, Smh.com.au, 1 December 2017 (accessed on 11 September 2019)
  15. ^ . parkweb.vic.gov.au. Archived from the original on 7 April 2012.
  16. ^ "BirdLife Melbourne - Birding Sites - Yan Yean Reservoir Park". birdlifemelbourne.org.au. Retrieved 21 April 2016.

Bibliography edit

  • Jones, Michael, Nature's Plenty: a history of the City of Whittlesea, Sydney, N.S.W. Allen & Unwin, 1992 ISBN 1863730761
  • Dingle, Tony; Doyle, Helen, Yan Yean: A History of Melbourne's Early Water Supply, 2003, Monash University

March 17, 2024
yean, reservoir, oldest, water, supply, city, melbourne, victoria, australia, time, completion, 1857, largest, artificial, reservoir, world, kilometres, north, city, within, eponymous, locality, yean, built, plenty, river, tributary, yarra, river, embankment, . Yan Yean Reservoir is the oldest water supply for the city of Melbourne Victoria Australia 1 At the time of its completion in 1857 it was the largest artificial reservoir in the world 2 3 It is 30 kilometres 19 mi north of the city within the eponymous locality of Yan Yean and is built on the Plenty River a tributary of the Yarra River An embankment 9 5 metres 31 ft high holds back 30 000 ML 1 1 billion cu ft of water Yan Yean ReservoirThe Yan Yean Reservoir with Whittlesea in the foregroundYan Yean ReservoirShow map of VictoriaYan Yean ReservoirShow map of AustraliaCoordinates37 33 S 145 08 E 37 550 S 145 133 E 37 550 145 133TypereservoirPrimary inflowsToorourrong Reservoir via aqueduct off stream storage Primary outflowsPlenty RiverBasin countriesAustraliaWater volume30 million m3 30 000 ML Photograph lightly coloured of the Yan Yean Reservoir Victoria 1859The reservoir is managed by Melbourne Water as part of the water supply system for Melbourne Contents 1 History 2 Description 3 Recreational facilities 4 References 5 BibliographyHistory editThe name Yan Yean refers to the Aboriginal leader who signed the Batman s Treaty in 1835 with the name Yan Yan young male 4 Work commenced on 20 December 1853 when Governor Charles La Trobe turned the first sod 3 Construction took place at the height of the gold rush 5 employing a tent city of 1 000 workers returning from the goldfields 3 The Board of Commissionaires of Sewers and Water Supply was formed that same year in response to the demand for a reliable water supply system 6 The reservoir took four years to construct at a cost of 750 000 7 8 Other sources estimate the cost of the project to be 1 017 087 9 Most of the pipes were imported from London 10 It was designed by James Blackburn an English civil engineer and former London sanitary inspector who was transported to Tasmania as a convict following charges of embezzlement After being pardoned he came to Melbourne in 1849 11 The water was originally supplied by the Plenty River however the water quality was poor due to stock crossings and pollution from rural towns 3 The problem was solved by bypassing the Plenty River and diverting water from Wallaby Creek and Silver Creek both originating in the Great Dividing Range feeding the Goulburn River This mountain water was captured in the Toorourrong Reservoir system constructed in 1883 1885 and supplies water to Yan Yean via an aqueduct to this day 3 During its construction the nearby neighbourhood Mernda was created and grew rapidly Morang became South Yan Yean and later Mernda 4 At the time of its completion in 1857 it was the largest artificial reservoir in the world 2 3 Photographer Fred Kruger was commissioned by the government to provide images of the extensive works for display at the Colonial and Indian Exhibition of 1886 By 1857 the city of Melbourne had grown to a population of 100 000 6 The reservoir was inaugurated in the city in 1857 s new year s eve 12 The region was frequently hit by floods 13 The reservoir resisted a flood that hit Melbourne in 1923 and became the city s main water emergency resource after the incident 14 In 1871 72 it is an arid season that led to low water levels in the reservoir and a failure to distribute water throughout the city During the Second World War the catchment area was closed for security reasons 10 Description editThe site of the reservoir is 183 metres in altitude allowing sufficient hydraulic head for the water to be piped throughout the city under gravity The dam is 963 metres long The reservoir has a capacity of 30 gigalitres The catchment covers 2 250 hectares 10 Wombats sea eagles hawks ducks and deer inhabit the area 10 Recreational facilities editYan Yean Reservoir Park offers picnic areas barbecue facilities walking tracks and views of the reservoir and surrounding mountains 15 The wetlands are used by birdwatchers Species include musk duck Australasian grebe great crested grebe white faced heron dusky moorhen Eurasian coot Latham s snipe musk lorikeet eastern rosella superb fairywren red wattlebird grey butcherbird and grey fantail 16 References edit Ritchie E G October 1934 Melbourne s Water Supply Undertaking PDF Journal of Institution of Engineers Australia 6 379 382 archived from the original PDF on 18 February 2011 a b Clode Danielle 11 September 2006 Continent of curiosities A journey through Australian natural history Cambridge University Press p 45 ISBN 0 521 86620 0 a b c d e f Yan Yean history in poster format PDF Melbourne Water Yan Yean Reservoir Melbourne Water Archived from the original PDF on 7 March 2016 a b Jamie First The A Z story of Melbourne s suburbs heraldsun com au 7 January 2014 accessed on 11 September 2019 R C Seeger The History of Melbourne s Water Supply Part 1 Victorian Historical Magazine vol 19 no 3 June 1942 pp 107 119 and vol 19 no 4 Dec 1942 pp 133 38 a b History of our water supply system Melbournewater com au accessed on 11 September 2019 R C Seeger The History of Melbourne s Water Supply Part 2 Victorian Historical Magazine vol 22 no 1 June 1947 pp 23 47 Melbourne Water Yan Yean Reservoir fact sheet Archived from the original on 28 July 2011 Retrieved 2 September 2009 The Yan Yean Reservoir Illustrated Sydney News NSW 1853 1872 15 Apr 1865 Illustrated Sydney News 15 April 1865 Retrieved 21 April 2016 a b c d 1853 2007 Flow of History Yan Yean Reservoir Onlymelbourne com au accessed on 11 September 2019 Harley Preston Blackburn James 1803 1854 Australian Dictionary of Biography National Centre of Biography Australian National University http adb anu edu au biography blackburn james 1789 text2019 published first in hardcopy 1966 accessed online 10 June 2015 1853 2007 Flow of History Yan Yean Reservoir onlymelbourne com au accessed on 11 September 2019 Andrew Brooks A brief history of Victorian floods theage com au 2 December 2017 accessed on 11 September 2019 Flashback Devastating floods hit Melbourne in 1923 Smh com au 1 December 2017 accessed on 11 September 2019 Parks Victoria Yan Yean Reservoir Park parkweb vic gov au Archived from the original on 7 April 2012 BirdLife Melbourne Birding Sites Yan Yean Reservoir Park birdlifemelbourne org au Retrieved 21 April 2016 Bibliography editJones Michael Nature s Plenty a history of the City of Whittlesea Sydney N S W Allen amp Unwin 1992 ISBN 1863730761 Dingle Tony Doyle Helen Yan Yean A History of Melbourne s Early Water Supply 2003 Monash University Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Yan Yean Reservoir amp oldid 1206110298, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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