Company Dam

Company dam was completed in June 1867 by the Grenfell Water Company and was originally constructed to supply water to gold claims and crushers in the area. With an estimated capacity of 10 million gallons of water storage it was claimed to be one of the largest dams for mining in the colony. As the mining era came to a close the dam fell into disrepair. The arrival of the railway in Grenfell in 1901 led to a new purpose for the dam, to supply water to the steam engines. The area is now Crown Land. Nowadays, Company Dam, or 'Comps Dam' to the locals, is utilised year-round as a recreational area popular for walking, running, cycling and canoeing. Company Dam is home to a large number of birds, with over 50 different species recorded. Since 2004 the site has been used for birding NSW's Important Bird and Biodiversity Area Survey and is a Key Biodiversity Area (KBA). There are many species of plants including lilies, bush peas, heath plants, daisies, native grasses, as well as a number of orchids, the most prolific being the Green-comb Spider Orchid.