CANNING DAM

GPS 32 09 00 S 116 07 11 E

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This dam lies between Brookton Highway and the Albany Highway and is an important water catchment area for Perth and was the main water source for the city until the 1960s.

Original surveys of the area for a dam site date back to the late 1800s but the dam was only completed in 1940. It has a capacity of 90,352 megalitres and still supplies about 20% of Perth's water needs. At the time it was completed the dam was it was the longest concrete gravity dam in Australia.

Concrete gradually deteriorates over time and a large amount of work has been done to repair cracks in the dam wall. The top 12 feet of dam wall has been replaced with reinforced concrete and a numer of other measures taken to strengthen the structure.

Lack of water flow to the lower Canning River has led to a number of environmental problems over the years.

The Kwinana desalination plant pumps water up to Canning Dam for storage via the Forrestdale Pumping Station.

There is a day use picnic area that can be accessed via McNess Drive.

There are a number of walk and bike trails in the area including the Bibbulmun and Munda-Biddi trails that lead all the way to Albany.

4.4Km east along Brookton Highway from the Canning Road intersection is the terminus for the 15.7Km long Carinyah Mountain Bike Loop Trail.

Other nearby sites of interest are Lesley (a former forestry settlement) along Brookton Highway near Ashendon Road where you can walk the 4Km trail. Christmas Tree Well is also along the Brookton Highway and this site was once a watering point for stage coaches and other travellers.

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