Having a place in the natural environment to celebrate special moments in the year or to simply rest your defences is a necessity. Somehow it scoops you up, invites you to breath directly from the lungs of the earth and makes the world feel a little lighter. This place, Big Brook Dam, has been that vital place of retreat for me over the time I’ve lived in Pemberton.
Built in 1986 to supplement the Pemberton town and Trout Hatchery water supply, Big Brook Dam is one of the most picturesque and iconic locations in the Southern Forests region. The main picnic area features a sandy entrance into the dam, which makes for easy swimming for families. Undercover barbecue areas, picnic benches and toilets are provided.
The sentinel-like Karri trees that surround Big Brook Dam are the third tallest tree in Australia and one of the tallest in the world. Native to the South West of Western Australia, their distinctive straight trunks give way to a high canopy that when grouped, have a cathedral-like effect. The thin, spear-straight upper branches are locally known as ‘widow-makers’ due to fatal incidents of forestry workers being taken by the velocity and trajectory these branches can deliver on the long decent below.
The sealed path around the dam’s perimeter offers benches for resting and huts for rain protection and bird watching.
