Go Fishing - Burrinjuck Dam

Go Fishing - Burrinjuck Dam cover image Being located just under two hours’ drive from Canberra and about four hours from Sydney makes Burrinjuck Dam an ideal weekend getaway for freshwater fishing enthusiasts. It’s great for the family too with a range of budget-friendly accommodation options and friendly wildlife including resident kangaroos and amazing native birdlife, meaning there’s plenty of things to do and see.

Construction of the dam started in 1909; at the time it was the fourth largest dam in the world. The advent of World War 1 resulted in significant construction delays, meaning it wasn’t completed until 1928.

Burrinjuck was built primarily to provide releases of water for irrigation of crops, like cotton, fruit and vegetables, as well as pastures for sheep and cattle.

The dam still supports agriculture across the 660,000 hectares of the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area, which is centred on the towns of Griffith and Leeton. It also supplies stock and household water needs for landholders and towns along the Murrumbidgee River as well as environmental flows, flood mitigation and hydroelectricity.

Apart from irrigation and water supply needs, Burrinjuck is also well known as a popular and productive fishery, especially for native Murray cod. While cod are high on the target list for most anglers who visit Burrinjuck, the dam boasts quality fishing for golden and silver perch, brown and rainbow trout, European carp, redfin and crayfish.

Fed by three major tributaries – the Murrumbidgee, Goodradigbee and Yass rivers – the dam has plenty of fishy water to be explored, including the main basin and the three river arms.

Guide

Go Fishing - Burrinjuck Dam  (PDF, 4090.99 KB)

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