The Nature of Kangaroo Valley

Having metaphorically destroyed Kangaroo Valley, yesterday, today I show it in a "different light". Quite literally.

Today, the valley was clear, and yet the shadows from clouds, and the "spotlight' effect of the sun gives a good view of the details of the deeper parts of Kangaroo Valley, and the far distant Shoalhaven River Valley. It even shows the Buddawang Ranges.

The Buddawang Ranges are a small range of hills which poke out above the surrounding Sandstone Plateau, on the south side of the Shoalhaven Valley. They are south of the road which runs from Braidwood to Nowra, through Nerriga and Sassafras. Sassafras is an area of rich basalt soil, similar in nature to Robertson.

One can clearly see the typical sandstone clifflines on the southern boundary of the Shoalhaven Valley.

Much closer to hand lies the ridge which runs from the village of Fitzroy Falls, along towards the Barrengary Mountain, which is the entry into the Kangaroo Valley (along the main road from Moss Vale - to the west). Along that ridge lies a huge "surge tower" which is an integral part of the mini-hydro electrical plant which is found between the Kangaroo Valley and Fitzroy Falls.

This blog entry started out as a "scenic tour" of Kangaroo Valley, however, I ought briefly explain something to do with the "surge tower".
Apart from the energy-generating significance of the Kangaroo Valley hydro scheme, this pipeline has become a vital part of the Sydney Catchment Authority's plans for "drought-proofing" Sydney. Plans have been announced for pumping a far greater amount of water from the Shoalhaven River catchment into the Sydney Basin.

This pipeline is the critical link between the Shoalhaven River and the Sydney Basin water catchment system. It runs from the main dam, on the Shoalhaven, Lake Yarrunga, (a.k.a. Tallawa Dam), via the small, but critical Bendeela Pondage), then water is pumped up the Barrengary Mountain to the Fitzroy Falls reservoir. From there, water is again pumped up, and under the village of Burrawang, and down into the Wingecarribee Reservoir. So less than 20 kilometres of pipes and canals result in linking the huge Shoalhaven River catchment into the Warragamba Dam and Nepean River catchments (via the "Glenquary Cut" from the side of the Wingecarribee Reservoir).

I shall talk more about the diversion of Shoalhaven River water into the Sydney Catchment later.