Recent discussion about the inclusion of a Narrabri Creek weir in the shire council’s possible future works projects prompted a reader to forward this item from the Bourke Western Herald.
The Western Herald recently published a historic photo of the Bourke weir, one of the most important and historic pieces of infrastructure in the Bourke Shire.
“The measurements of water levels at the weir determine how Bourke shares its water supplies, and that has been the case since the original lock and weir were installed in the Darling River in the late nineteenth century,” Western Herald editor Marek Weiss wrote.
“Bourke Shire Council Works Manager Peter Brown knows full well the importance of maintaining the weir structure and managing the water resources, particularly in savage drought.
“It was no different more than a century ago.
“The accompanying photo, above, is supplied by Peter as an example of the infrastructure his forbears managed in the early days of settlement.
“Construction of the original weir and lock began in November 1895 and it was opened in July 1897.
“The lock was constructed as the government of the colony recognised the extent to which settlers and townspeople on the Darling River were dependent upon the river to maintain safe navigation to enable the necessities of the time, such as flour, potatoes, beer and forage, to be transported.
“It also provided a permanent water supply to the town.
“The dimensions of the lock, as originally designed, were 200 ft (61m) in length and 37 ft (11m) wide.
“It was designed to accommodate a steamer and large barge together. The lock has 4 ft (1.2 m) wide walls on each side. It had a penstock chamber and four outlet culverts on the river side wall regulated by penstocks.
“The lock contained two ironbark timber gates at each end.
“The original weir was movable and consisted of 30 balanced timber wickets supported by iron trestles, supported on a wrought iron brace.
“The weir could be lowered to the bed of the river by a tipping, to pass large flood flows, and raised again once the flood receded.”
To order photos from this page click here
Bourke’s historic weir on the Darling River
Sep 6, 2019
Recent discussion about the inclusion of a Narrabri Creek weir in the shire council’s possible future works projects prompted a reader to forward this item from the Bourke Western Herald.
The Western Herald recently published a historic photo of the Bourke weir, one of the most important and historic pieces of infrastructure in the Bourke Shire.
“The measurements of water levels at the weir determine how Bourke shares its water supplies, and that has been the case since the original lock and weir were installed in the Darling River in the late nineteenth century,” Western Herald editor Marek Weiss wrote.
“Bourke Shire Council Works Manager Peter Brown knows full well the importance of maintaining the weir structure and managing the water resources, particularly in savage drought.
“It was no different more than a century ago.
“The accompanying photo, above, is supplied by Peter as an example of the infrastructure his forbears managed in the early days of settlement.
“Construction of the original weir and lock began in November 1895 and it was opened in July 1897.
“The lock was constructed as the government of the colony recognised the extent to which settlers and townspeople on the Darling River were dependent upon the river to maintain safe navigation to enable the necessities of the time, such as flour, potatoes, beer and forage, to be transported.
“It also provided a permanent water supply to the town.
“The dimensions of the lock, as originally designed, were 200 ft (61m) in length and 37 ft (11m) wide.
“It was designed to accommodate a steamer and large barge together. The lock has 4 ft (1.2 m) wide walls on each side. It had a penstock chamber and four outlet culverts on the river side wall regulated by penstocks.
“The lock contained two ironbark timber gates at each end.
“The original weir was movable and consisted of 30 balanced timber wickets supported by iron trestles, supported on a wrought iron brace.
“The weir could be lowered to the bed of the river by a tipping, to pass large flood flows, and raised again once the flood receded.”