Description

Mount Bold, the largest reservoir in South Australia, is about 45 minutes drive south of Adelaide. The reservoir is surrounded by more than 5,500 ha of land, including three Trees for Life sites, and much native vegetation that has conservation significance. The reserve is predominantly stringybark woodland, but also has Manna Gum woodland, swamps and creeks. More than 160 native animals call Mount Bold home including the Southern Brown Bandicoot. Capacity: 46.4 gigalitres (one gigalitre is one billion litres), that's enough to fill the Adelaide Oval with water more than 93 times Constructed: 1932-1938 The dam at Mount Bold was built to increase the water supply for the Adelaide metropolitan area as it grew in the years following the end of World War One. Millbrook Reservoir had been completed in 1918 and just 13 years later its supplies were no longer sufficient to support Adelaide's growing population. When it was finished in 1937, Mount Bold was South Australia's first major reservoir built on-stream rather than diverting water into it from other sources. Between 1938 and 1961, Mount Bold also supplied its own electricity through a small hydro-electric plant. Mount Bold Reservoir is one of 16 across the state that help supply water to more than 1.7 million South Australians. This free day use area offers toilets, nice scenery and walking tracks. No camping or overnight parking allowed.