Is this our most precious resource? The dam supplies water to the Newcastle region. Where would we be without it these past few days of heatwave conditions?
The dam is in a wilderness area to the north of Newcastle; we are not talking about alps here. The mountains and the plateau are shared out between the water catchment of Hunter District Water; state forests, reserves and conservation areas; Mount Royal National Park and  Barrington Tops National Park reaching about 1500 metres above sea level.

Barrington Tops covers over 74 000 hectares listed as a World Heritage Area protecting much of it as Wilderness. It was born from an ancient volcano and forms part of the Great Escarpment.  The rugged landscape... forests and streams... provides habitat for a wide range of plants and animals. In this area many northern and southern plant species meet the limit of their range...protects more than 50 rare or threatened plants and animals..... NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service.