I visited Donnelly's Weir, Healesville, on September 14, 2013. It was formerly known as Donnelly's Creek Weir and Donnelly Weir.
The Maroondah Aqueduct channel, completed in 1891 to channel water from the Watts River (Maroondah) weir to Preston, was 41 miles long and included 25 and a half miles of a clay-formed, concrete-lined channel and 12 tunnels. The sides of the channel were raised in 1908 to increase its capacity, and it was further enlarged in 1927 at the time of the completion of the Maroondah Reservoir.
In 1893, Donnelly's Creek weir was constructed to divert water from tributaries of the Watts River to the Maroondah aqueduct. Donnelly's Creek added four and a half million gallons per day to the Maroondah system.
Donnelly's Creek Weir is constructed on Donnelly's Creek and is about 1 metre high, 750mm thick and 15 metres long. It is built of bluestone and concrete with a metal gate section in the centre. The control wheel for the take-off valve is at the western end of the weir.
Management Road 12 starts here,and continues for 7.5 km to the summit of Mt St Leonards, and is the first sector of the Bicentennial National Trail, which extends 5330 km to Cooktown, in North Queensland.
The area around the Weir was destroyed in the February 2009 fires - the Weir was saved, but track infrastructure and fences were lost, now rebuilt.
The Maroondah Aqueduct is nearby.
Note: Access to the Weir Picnic Ground/carpark is along Donnelley's Creek Rd - a ford has to be negotiated - care needed after heavy rain.
Click here to see a Slideshow of all of the Photos of my visit!
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