14th October, 2025.
Warragamba Dam was officially opened by former New South Wales Premier Bob Heffron on 14 October 1960—so today is its birthday. The ceremony was attended by thousands of guests, workers and their families for a day of celebration. The opening included an opening of the dam's crest gates, releasing a spectacular display of water. Warragamba Dam was built to address Sydney's critical water shortage during World War II and was never intended to be a flood mitigation dam. Work began in 1948. Warragamba Dam is the largest domestic water supply dam in the world. It holds over 2,000 gigalitres of water for Sydney's supply. Approximately 1,800 men of more than 25 nationalities worked on building the dam. Many of those workers were post-World War II immigrants who came to Australia for a new life and lived in the temporary town of Warragamba during the construction period—a town that still survives today. Fifteen people died during the construction of the dam and its associated emergency supply scheme from workplace accidents including falling objects and equipment malfunctions.