Tag Archives: Clark Dam

Yesterday I walked to the source of the Derwent River

Over the past four days I have enjoyed remote, off-the-main-track inland Tasmania from Clark Dam at Butlers Gorge, along the edge of Lake King William to the town ship of Derwent Bridge, and then further north to where the Derwent River commences out of the gates of St Clair Lagoon. I continued further north also to the Weir which controls water into St Clair Lagoon from the Derwent Basin (which is kept filled with water flowing from Lake St Clair). Dozens of posts with all the details of the walks, and accompanied by some grand photos, will be forthcoming over the coming days.

This latest walk means I have walked most of the length of the Derwent River from the mouth to the source. There are only a few gaps to fill if I have the courage (or a moment perhaps of insanity because of the level of difficulty I believe is involved) in the coming weeks.

For the moment, I thought a few photos would be in order to whet your appetite for more.

The photo below shows one aspect of a view across Lake King William in the late afternoon.

The photo below looks across Lake King William early in the morning.

Sun passing through gum leaves.

The Derwent River early morning near Derwent Bridge.

The source of the Derwent River – the water as it leaves St Clair Lagoon. I was standing on the dam when I took the second photo, and watching the water run away eventually to pass New Norfolk then Hobart and finally exit into Storm Bay before dispersing into the wide ocean. The whole experience was quite marvellous. The river was fresh and alive! And so was I!

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Lake King William

Clark Dam

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Clark Dam map

Late in October 2015, on the northern side of the Derwent River, I walked at Clark Dam built on Butlers Gorge, and then along a little of Lake King William. We know that in 1835, George Frankland followed the Derwent River in a southwesterly direction from Lake St Clair across huge plains until the gorge country commenced. The Clark Dam has been built at that junction, and over the decades the plains behind have been swamped with what is now known as Lake King William. The location is a place of extreme weather conditions, from blizzardly snows to ferocious and bitterly cold winds and to scorching sunny days, but always stunning.

Clark Dam is a massive piece of engineering in a beautiful but remote area of central Tasmania.

Chantale’s aerial photograph below puts the Dam and Lake King William into context.

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Michelle’s photos below provide similar information.

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In 1952 a special tribute plaque was installed on the Dam: ‘The Hydro Electric Commission, Clark Dam, A Tribute, To those who conceived this project, who laboured on its construction, who made its accomplishment possible, a united effort to harness the forces of nature for the benefit of mankind.’

Another plaque nearby records: ‘The Hydro Electric Commission, Clark Dam, Named in honour of his Excellency, Sir Ernest Clark, G.C.M.G., K.C.B., C.B.E., Governor of this State, 1933- 1945.’

My chauffeur for the day Andrew, remembered years ago he walked across the Dam wall but that is now impossible.

This means it is impossible to change from one side of the Derwent River to the other at this point. In the photo below despite the walkway beckoning a walker, it was impassably gated at the other end.