Lake Awoonga

Infobox_lake
lake_name = Lake Awoonga
image_lake = LakeAwoonga.jpg
caption_lake =
image_bathymetry =
caption_bathymetry =
location = Via Benaraby, Central Queensland
coords = coord|24.0753|S|151.308|E|type:waterbody_region:AU|display=inline,title
type = reservoir
inflow =
outflow =
catchment = Boyne River
basin_countries = Australia
length =
width =
area = 6,750 ha
depth =
max-depth =
volume = 777,000 ML
residence_time =
shore =
elevation = 40 m
islands =
cities =

Lake Awoonga is a dam located 30km (19 miles) from Gladstone, in Central Queensland, Australia. It is approximately 30 minutes drive from Gladstone, via Benaraby.

[http://www.gawb.qld.gov.au/faqs.html "Awoonga Dam"] as it is also known, is the main water supply for the Gladstone region. Its beautiful recreation areas are provided for locals and tourists by the [http://www.gawb.qld.gov.au Gladstone Area Water Board] . [ http://www.calliope.qld.gov.au/Visitors/docs/attractions.html Attractions in Calliope Shire ] ]

pecifications

Built across the Boyne River south west of Gladstone, the Awoonga Dam is a rockfill structure with a concrete upstream face slab. The embankment was formed from rock excavated from a quarry on the eastern side of the dam wall. The embankment is over 650 metres in length and 54.4 metres in height, with a volume of approximately 2 million cubic metres of rock. The spillway’s height is 40 metres AHD. This design of the current dam allows for further raising, if necessary, through the addition of gates to the top of the spillway. The current capacity of the dam is 777,000 megalitres.

Activities

Swimming is permitted from the shore and there is a boat ramp that provides access for sailing, fishing, and skiing etc. Various watercraft, including house boats can be hired and organised. Fishing cruises are also available. [ [http://www.calliope.qld.gov.au/Visitors/docs/attractions.html Attractions in Calliope Shire ] ]

The waters of Lake Awoonga are controlled by Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol and Queensland Water Police.

The lake is a popular fishing spot, especially for Barramundi. [http://www.gawb.qld.gov.au/recreation.html The Barramundi closed season] does not apply to Lake Awoonga, although some limits do apply:

Fauna

Lake Awoonga is home to a thriving array of small animals, several of which are of conservation significance. Aquatic vegetation maintains an array of small animals that support the fish, eels, turtles, platypus and birds. Other species of birds, reptiles, and native fauna including bandicoots, rufous bettongs, kangaroos, wallabies, Greater Gliders, Yellow-bellied Gliders, and brushtail possums can be found around the lake. [http://www.gawb.qld.gov.au/flora.html Recreation & Hatchery - Flora and Fauna ] ]

The Lake hosts more than 210 species of birds. Species include the southern squatter pigeon (listed as of conservation significance) and a further twenty-two bird species listed on International Migratory Conservation Agreement Lists. Fact|date=June 2008

The Gladstone Area Water Board has a [http://www.gawb.qld.gov.au/hatchery.html fish breeding program] in place and breeds Barramundi, Mangrove Jack and Mullet for stocking into [http://www.gawb.qld.gov.au/faqs.html Lake Awoonga] as well as some of the surrounding waterways. Approximately 300,000 fish are released into [http://www.gawb.qld.gov.au/faqs.html Lake Awoonga] each year (200,000 Barramundi and 100,000 Mullet, and small numbers of Mangrove Jack). The fish are bred at a purpose-built fish hatchery, operated jointly by the [http://www.gawb.qld.gov.au Gladstone Area Water Board] and the Central Queensland Ports Authority. The [http://www.gawb.qld.gov.au/hatchery.html hatchery] is one of the largest breeders of barramundi fingerlings in Queensland and their mangrove jack breeding program has resulted in [http://www.gawb.qld.gov.au/hatchery.html Lake Awoonga] holding the largest stocks in Australia with over 13,000 released. [http://www.gawb.qld.gov.au/hatchery.html Lake Awoonga] fish include Agassiz's Glass Perch, Banded Grunter, Barramundi, Bony Bream, Eastern Rainbowfish, Eeltail catfish, Fly-specked Hardyhead, Forktail Catfish, Gudgeon, Long-finned Eel, Longtom, Mouth Almighty, Sea Mullet, Snub-nose Garfish, Spangled Perch. (Present in low numbers: Hyrtl’s Tandan, Mangrove Jack, Saratoga, Silver Perch, Sleepy Cod, Sooty grunter, and Yellowbelly) Since 1996, over 2.5 million barramundi fingerlings and 470,000 mullet fingerlings have been released into the Lake. [ [http://www.gawb.qld.gov.au/hatchery.html Recreation & Hatchery - Hatchery ] ] . Barramundi in the 10-25kg range are regularly caught from the lakeThe Gladstone Area Water Board has a continuing fishery monitoring program in place using net surveys, to evaluate the success of the restocking effort. Although not deliberately stocked, redclaw crayfish have become well established at the lake. Fact|date=May 2008

"Images of vulnerable species found in the region:"

"Images of other fauna found in the region:"

Fact sheet

* At full the lake is 40m (111 feet) above sea level
* Approximately 300,000 fish are released each year including 200,000 Barramundi, 100,000 mullet and some mangrove jack. By early 2006 a total of over 2.8 million fish had been released into Lake Awoonga including 2.4 Barramundi, 470,000 sea mullet and 13,000 mangrove jack. (These fish were bred at [http://www.gawb.qld.gov.au/hatchery.html Gladstone Area Water Board's Fish Hatchery facility] .)
* [http://www.gawb.qld.gov.au/recreation.html The largest Barramundi] caught (as of April 2008) weighed in at a 33.3kg (73 lbs)
* [http://www.gawb.qld.gov.au/hatchery.html Lake Awoonga] is one of the only dams in Queensland to have been stocked with Mangrove Jack

Lake Awoonga Main Recreation Area and Boynedale Bush Camp

* Boat ramp
* Boat hire (including houseboats, sailing, canoeing and skiing)
* Caravan park and camping grounds
* Café
* Walking trails
* Lookouts
* Parking
* Children's playgrounds
* Picnic and barbecue facilities
* Parking and toilet for the disabled

Camping is permitted at two places on Lake Awoonga, the Caravan Park and the Boynedale Bush Camp.

The Boynedale Bush camp is a basic camping facility around the southern side of Lake Awoonga, ten minutes from the townships of Many Peaks and Ubobo.

ee also

*The Boyne Valley
*Calliope, Queensland
*Kroombit Tops National Park
*Ubobo, Queensland
*Nagoorin, Queensland
*Builyan, Queensland
*Many Peaks, Queensland

Notes and references

External links

* [http://www.sweetwaterfishing.com.au/awoonga.htm Lake Awoonga Fishing Information, Map & pictures]
* [http://www.gawb.qld.gov.au/ Gladstone Area Water Board]