A concrete wall running below Reservoir Road has long puzzled many as to its origin and exact purpose. Below are some practical theories that may explain its purpose and suggest when it was likely constructed.
My first theory was more of a stab in the dark. I have suggested in the past that it may have been built following the 1883 dam breach, during which a major landslip occurred leading to the possibility that the wall was a way to stabilise the land after the significant slip. Another possibility I considered, was the severe flood of 1904, the most damaging storm since 1895, which also caused widespread slips.
However, I recently discovered another news article dated in February 1887 which refers to a concrete wall constructed to address leaks from the water race, attributed to land subsidence. This was reportedly caused by a stream that flowed through a gully above, passing beneath both the water race and the road and weakening their foundations. However, the term “concrete wall” in this context may be misleading. It could actually refer to a known brick headwall at the end of a drainage pipe that ran under an earth bridge, a known location for a serious leak in the water race between The Dam and Coleman’s Tunnel. In its favour though, the location of this water leak is near the concrete wall, but it is not perfectly aligned.
The most credible explanation I have come across to date comes from a news article I recently found dated September 1902. This report appears to describe the wall in question, indicating it was built when the water race was decommissioned and replaced by a pipeline. A Venturi meter was also introduced at this time to measure water flow in the new pipeline. According to this article, the wall was built to prevent the river from eroding further towards Reservoir Road and to provide a stable foundation for the replacement pipeline extending past that area. Prior to this pipeline, the water was conveyed from the dam and through Reservoir Valley via the leaky water race.
The concrete wall sits just below the bank on Reservoir Road and is hidden from view.
Tags: Concrete Wall Waterworks
