Dumaresq Dam Reserve

Dumaresq Dam was built between 1896 and 1898 and was Armidale’s water supply until 1968 when Malpas Dam was completed. It is now set aside as a recreation reserve with a 2.5-kilometre walking track that passes through eucalypt woodland on its way around the dam. As a swimming spot, it is fantastic, with plenty of space to stretch the arm. Swimming a circuit will give you a bit more than one kilometre to think. Dumaresq Dam is circled by a pleasant 2.5-kilometre walking track that passes below the dam wall. It is an easy walk, though rock-hopping is required for one section. A new mountain biking track links to nearby Mount Duval. Both the woodland and the dam offer excellent opportunities for bird watching, and for anglers, the dam is stocked with trout, and occasionally bass. There is a boat ramp for canoes and kayaks, but petrol boats are not allowed. In summer there are plenty of blackberries to pick. Water temperature drops below 20 degrees in April or May. For cold-water lovers, the temperature in winter is around 5 degrees, and there are occasional chances for a snow swim.