This cache is one of two placed by the Waroona Visitor Centre & Gallery to encourage you to visit this beautiful part of the Shire of Waroona.
The Water Authority calls this impoundment of water 'Drakesbrook Dam', but the locals always refer to it as 'Drakesbrook Weir'. Of course Wikipedia agrees with the Water Authority, but Waroona Visitor Centre & Gallery is bound to agree with local convention.
Drakesbrook Weir is an irrigation dam which collects the overflow from Waroona Dam and services the Waroona Irrigation District.
The concept of construction of an earth dam at Drakesbrook to provide water flow for irrigation to the district was raised at a public meeting in 1930 during the depression. The Waroona Irrigation District was constituted in 1931 and construction of the Waroona Weir (Drakesbrook Dam/Drakesbrook Weir) began at the same time and was completed in 1932. Sustenance workers built the dam using picks, shovels, wheelbarrows, horses and drays.
The Drakesbrook Dam, or Waroona Weir as it came to be known in later years, became a popular swimming area for the local community with swimming classes for local children learning to swim and opportunities for other recreational pursuits.
Today it is known as Drakesbrook Weir and the area is a very popular venue for canoeing, swimming and fishing. The dam is stocked annually with rainbow trout, and has a population of redfin perch and marron.
The Drakesbrook Weir underwent a makeover from 2010 to 2012 resulting in this scenic and much loved recreation area becoming an even more popular and interesting place to visit.
The completion of the upgrade was recognised on Monday the 30th April 2012 with an official opening taking place. The upgraded area now has modern and safe facilities including a new swimming pontoon, retaining walls, reticulated lawns, more shelters and seating, an improved swimming area, with beach sand, solar lighting and a well-constructed walk trail that will cater for most levels of fitness. All of this complements the existing barbecue facilities, shady parking and previously upgraded toilet facilities.
In 1842, John Gilbert, ornithologist and James Drummond, Colonial Botanist, discovered the noisy scrub bird in the valley of Drakes Brook, while exploring and collecting for English Ornitholigist John Gould. In 1948 a memorial to the "sweet voiced bird of the bush" was placed at the Dam wall overlooking the Weir.
The newly constructed walk trail to be known as the “Noisy Scrub Bird Walk Trail” provides a link from the picnic area to the noisy scrub bird historical marker and seating with excellent views of the surrounding countryside and waterway. This caters for bird enthusiasts, nature lovers, historical buffs, tourists and the general community.
This cache is a drab camo'd round screw top container 12 cm dia x 11 cm high hidden beneath a Xanthorrhoea. Initial contents are a car, zebra, reindeer, frog, dice, dinosaur, goat, tiger, log book, 2 pencils and a pencil sharpener.
When trading items please consider trading up or trading even and leaving items that you would want to find, and please don't take the pen, pencils or sharpener. If you can't trade up or trade even I don't mind seeing TNLNSL in the log. Also please don't put the pen or pencils in the log book bag, it tends to destroy the watertight integrity.
Trackables (geocoins and travel bugs) are not tradeable items. Please feel free to take them without making a trade, but please leave a note in the logbook and your online log, and do log them online.
If you have any problems with this cache please let WanderingAus know, as he is helping out Waroona Visitor Centre while they learn the ropes.