Lake Burbury
| Industry | Hydroelectric power |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1980s |
| Headquarters | Australia |
| Products | Hydroelectric power generation |
Lake Burbury is an artificial reservoir created by the flooding of the upper King River valley, situated east of the West Coast Range, due to the construction of the Crotty Dam. The reservoir’s discharge supplies water to the John Butters Hydroelectric Power Station, which is managed by Hydro Tasmania.
The lake bears the name of former Governor of Tasmania Stanley Burbury and spans a surface area of .
Water source
The main inflows to Lake Burbury come from northern waterways, notably the upper King River and Eldon River. Additional minor eastern tributaries such as the Princess and Nelson Rivers also feed into it. From the west, Comstock Creek enters between Mount Lyell and Mount Sedgwick. The catchment area includes nearby valleys like Linda Valley. Close to its northern boundary lies natural Lake Beatrice, positioned near Mount Sedgwick.
Fishing
Renowned as a favored spot for anglers, Lake Burbury experiences susceptibility to harsh weather conditions. Its supplying rivers comprise the upper King, Nelson, Princess, and Eldon Rivers. The Crotty Dam incorporates structural features designed to enable swift reduction of water levels during extreme flood events.
The Lyell Highway crosses the lake via the "Bradshaw" bridge. Two dams are associated with this body of water: Crotty Dam located within the King River Gorge and Darwin Dam situated near Mount Darwin.
Inundation
The establishment of the dam resulted in the submersion of historical localities such as Darwin and Crotty, along with the North Mount Lyell Railway bridge spanning the King River, which was not recovered prior to inundation. Large portions of the former Kelly Basin Road were also flooded.
Although initial surveys were conducted in the early 1900s, progress on the Crotty Dam project only materialized during the 1980s, marking Hydro Tasmania’s final major dam construction phase. Both Crotty Dam and Lake Burbury were once designated as "indicative places" on the now-defunct Register of the National Estate.
Reserves
Bordering the lake is the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park, while buffer zones encompass areas such as Princess River Conservation Area and Crotty Conservation Area along its eastern shore, with West Coast Range Regional Reserve lying to the west. Hydro Tasmania oversees management of the lake up to an elevation of , exceeding its full supply level of , including control over an island formed by impoundment.
A webcam positioned on the southeast shoreline provides monitoring near where Lyell Highway departs Linda Valley and curves around Mount Owen. This initiative is supported by Anglers Alliance Tasmania alongside government bodies.