Gong Gong reservoir park is located less than 10 kilometers outside of Ballarat, along the Daylesford-Ballarat road, just past the brewery tap road turnoff.
Technically, the address to tap into your GPS is:
255 Daylesford Rd, Gong Gong VIC 3352
The public recreational park in Ballarat is operated and maintained by Central Highlands water.
Tours and community educational activities are run by CHW on a regular basis on the site
Call CHW on 1800-061-513 for more information.
http://www.chw.net.au/community/gong-gong-reservoir-park
The reserve contains large open grassy areas among european style gardens, gas BBQ facilites, and outdoor numerous sites featuring smoky woodfire BBQ and site heating pits, picnic facilities including tables & chairs, drinking water fountains, public toilets and sufficient car parking for your family and friends.
If you have a fishing license, you can even fish for trout in the gong gong reservoir, but you cannot use any burly to attract the fish, as this will contaminate the drinking water supply.of Ballarat.
Gong Gong park Ballarat is a favorite venue in Ballarat to host wedding ceremonies, receptions and other family functions, and includes paved, flowering vine draped pergolas positioned against beautiful natural bushland backdrops, perfect for wedding ceremonies.
You have to book if you have a party of more than 30 people planned,, and there is a no confetti, and take home rubbish policy to adhere to however.
Your friendly pooch however, is not welcome, due to the population of native animals in the park, some of which are rare or threatened species and for the quiet enjoyment of the facilities by other patrons who would not appreciate misbehaving dogs rampaging noisily though their picnic, or blatantly stealing sausages.
Attached to, or within the Gong Gong park are a number of great bushwalks-
- Yarrowee river Catchment Habitat and Water Trail
- Waterwatch Wetlands Trail
- Native Nesting Box trail
All walks are leisurely walk along and over the river, or through bush land with regular interpretation panels at intervals explaining and highlighting the diverse and wonderful native flora and fauna that the river and park supports.
Inexplicably thought however, access has been limited to many parts of Gong Gong reservoir for an unstated reason with walks fenced off, and signs proclaiming “no public access” in areas where ballarattians were free to venture. Why parts of Gong Gong reservoir has been closed is a bit of mystery.
The Gong Gong reservoir itself is one of the oldest elements of the Ballarat water supply infrastructure, and was built in 1877 has a capacity of 1902 megalitres, (1902ML) and is up to 22 meters deep.
Gong gong reservoir forms one of the largest dams of the white swan system.
The reservoir was named after the Chinese water god Gong Gong, who is considered to be responsible for enormous floods- this naming highlights the importance of the Chinese community’s influence and contribution in ballarat during the gold rush years.
The new upgraded spillway, pictured below was built by Engineer-in Chief for the Ballarat Water Commissioners 1945-1970, A.E. Stohr
More details on the infrastructure can be found in the book