Hume Dam

On November 28, 2019 it was 100 years since Australia’s then Governor-General, Sir Ronald Munro-Ferguson, turned the first sod to construct the Hume Dam. The Dam was not officially opened until 1936.

The Bethanga Bridge spanning the Hume Dam was one of 583 bridges designed by Percy Allan. A YouTube video by Russell Gawthorpe pays tribute to Percy Allan and features the Bethanga Bridge. Click on the link to view Russell’s video:

Click on the link for a pdf document with a quick overview of the Hume Dam’s construction: Hume Dam Construction

Construction Illustrated & Described

A 2001 PowerPoint presentation, written and narrated by then president of A&DHS, Gerry Curtis, outlines planning and construction of the dam, the machines used and the people involved. Gerry’s 83 minute video has been restored and can now be viewed on YouTube:

In 2021, a four-part series covering similar themes was written and narrated by Greg Ryan. Click on the links:

Part 1 (13 minutes):  Prior to Construction
Part 2 (20 minutes):  The Spillway Wall
Part 3 (13 minutes):  The Embankment
Part 4 (25 minutes):  Wrapping Up

Remedial Work

Extensive remedial work was completed in 2013 to construct a concrete buttress to strengthen the Southern Training wall and enable the wall to better withstand a possible future earthquake. Click on the link to view a 5 minute video of the construction: