Windamere Dam
Tranquil getaway near Mudgee
DAM LEVEL
92%
CAPACITY
367GL
SIZE OF LAKE
20 KM2
Windamere Dam is a popular inland sport and recreation destination near Mudgee, offering year-round attractions for water sports and fishing enthusiasts, nature lovers, bushwalkers, campers and picnickers. It operates in conjunction with Burrendong Dam to supply water for irrigation, stock and household needs in the Cudgegong and Macquarie valleys, as well as providing flood mitigation and environmental flows.
Dam fact sheet (PDF, 1426.21 KB)
Look out points
Dam wall
Drive over the dam’s spillway to access parking near the dam wall on the lake’s northern foreshore. Walk across the dam wall for views of the lake and Cudgegong Valley. The rock embankment wall is 825 metres long and 67 metres high.
Cudgegong Waters Park
Cudgegong Waters Park is situated on the lake’s southern foreshore, 13 kilometres south of the dam wall. The park offers views of the lake and valley. The office is open daily and phone number is 02 6358 8462.
HOURS - Entry is free
- Open 24 hours
TOP SAFETY TIPS
- Wear a life jacket
- Supervise your children
- Look out for underwater hazards
- Keep a safe distance when boating
- Follow all algae alerts
Learn more about safety at our sites.
REPORT A HAZARD OR INCIDENT
Please phone 1800 061 069
In an emergency call 000
We’re the people taking care of the state’s water at the source – capturing, storing, delivering. Learn more about WaterNSW.
Boat ramps
Camping
Children’s Playground
Picnic Shelters
Shower facilities
Toilets
Visitor centre
Things to do
Camp
Accommodation options around the lake include cabins, onsite caravans, and powered and unpowered sites. Facilities include a small kiosk, boat ramp, children's playground, and toilet, shower and barbecue facilities.
Camp Cudgegong is a local Scout site that allows public bookings for accommodation.
Water sports
The lake is a popular spot for water sports including skiing, jet skis, sailing, canoeing and swimming. A boat ramp is available at Cudgegong Waters Park. Please note: There is no access via the WaterNSW boat ramp.
Fishing
Golden perch (yellow belly) is the top catch. Lake Windamere is also stocked with Murray cod and silver perch, and catfish are found in the lake. Rainbow and brown trout can be found in the Cudgegong River downstream of the dam.
Map and directions
Windamere Dam is 30 kilometres south-east of Mudgee on the NSW Central Tablelands. The dam is 230 kilometres north-west of Sydney via the Great Western and Castlereagh highways.
No model aircraft or drones
Facts and History
Windamere Dam is situated on the Cudgegong River 30 kilometres upstream from Mudgee and 19 kilometres south-west of Rylstone on the NSW Central Tablelands. The dam is about 230 kilometres north-west of Sydney.
Find out more
WINDAMERE DAM
Facts and History
Windamere Dam is situated on the Cudgegong River 30 kilometres upstream from Mudgee and 19 kilometres south-west of Rylstone on the NSW Central Tablelands. The dam is about 230 kilometres north-west of Sydney.
The dam’s storage capacity of 368,120 megalitres is more than half the volume of Sydney Harbour.
Windamere Dam is named after a property on which it was built.
Why the dam was built
Windamere Dam was completed in 1984 to meet irrigation, stock and domestic needs in the Cudgegong Valley.
The Cudgegong Valley is renowned for its agricultural production. Water from Windamere Dam is used to irrigate grapes, fruit and vegetables, maize, grains and lucerne.
In addition to irrigated agriculture, the dam supplies water to Mid-Western Regional Council for town supplies, industry and domestic requirements, as well as providing environmental flows, flood mitigation and recreation.
Windamere Dam operates in conjunction with Burrendong Dam to supply downstream water needs in the Macquarie Valley.
How the dam was built
Windamere Dam is a rock-fill embankment with a clay core. The rock wall is 825 metres long and 67 metres high.
An unlined rock cutting spillway is located about one kilometre west of the dam wall. The cutting provided all the rock-fill needed to build the dam wall.
Construction began in 1974 and finished in 1984.
A 55-metre high control tower with variable inlets allows for the control of the quality and temperature of water releases.
WaterNSW acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands and waters on which we work and pay our respects to all elders past, present and emerging. Learn more