Cataract Dam, Gravity dam in New South Wales, Australia
Cataract Dam is a gravity dam made of sandstone stretching 247 meters in length and rising 56 meters high, holding back the Cataract River. Its castle-like structure with massive stone walls shapes the landscape in a distinctive way.
Built between 1902 and 1907, it was Australia's largest engineering project at that time. The construction marked an important moment in the country's industrial development.
The Manor house on the grounds reflects how people in early 1900s Australia built their homes and what they valued in architecture. Walking around it, you can see the Federation Queen Anne style in its details and the outbuildings that served everyday needs.
The dam supplies water to several communities through a water filtration plant. The site is easy to reach and offers spots where you can view the structure and its surroundings.
The walls were built from massive sandstone blocks, some weighing up to 4 tonnes each. This heavy masonry method was typical of engineering projects from the early 1900s.
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