Day 2: Copeton Dam

Copeton Dam is situated on the Gwydir River about 60 kilometres upstream of Bingara and 35 kilometres south-west of Inverell on the north west slopes of the NSW Northern Tablelands. The dam is about 570 kilometres north of Sydney.

The dam is one of the largest inland dams in NSW, and is said to be almost three times the size of Sydney Harbour. It was spilling up to 10,000 megaliters per day for the first time in almost a decade.

When we reached it, it looked full but it was not spilling. We drove across the dam wall for amazing views of the lake and mountains.

It is a clay core and rock fill embankment dam with nine radial gates and a gated concrete chute spillway.