Welcome to Werribee Water Ski Club inc.

Set amid the gently rolling hills of the Campaspe Valley, Lake Eppalock is truly a people’s lake, offering something for everyone. To the north, it's waters are released downstream to irrigate farms along the Warringa Western Main Channel and the Campaspe River named after the temperamental companion of Alexander the great. Westward a pipeline carries Eppalock waters to Bendigo, Victoria’s third largest city. At weekends and during holiday seasons, the lake becomes a major recreational area for boating, fishing, day tripping and club activities.

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Over the years, the Campaspe's unreliable flows brought a succession of floods and droughts to the settlers in the valley. Investigations date back to the 1890's. Construction was commenced in 1930 on a dam known as Lake Eppalock to regulate the widely fluctuating flow of the Campaspe River. The pump house now stands on the old dam foundations.

 

Construction was stopped in 1933 because of the economic depression when the dam had a capacity of only 1500 megalitres compared with the planned 75000ML capacity. After three enquires by the Parliamentary Public Works Committee in 1935, 1949 and 1959 the dam was enlarged by the State Rivers and Water Supply Commission between 1960 and 1963 to it's present capacity of 312000ML.

 

Since it's completion, Lake Eppalock has developed into the second most popular Victorian inland water body for recreation after Lake Eildon.

 

Under a system of local area committees of management controlling public land around the lake, caravan parks, clubs and commercial establishments provided for recreational facilities and overnight accommodation for some 6755 people.

In 1962, the State Rivers agreed to the development of recreational facilities on land around the margin of the lake that was not required for storage. This land was purchased during the resumption of land for the lake as part of complete holdings where owners did not wish to retain remnants of their properties. The development included areas of land for day visitors and areas of land that could be leased to various organisations interested in aquatic sports and for development as camp sites for youth organisations.

108 sites were originally set aside around the lake, 52 are now occupied under leases ranging up to 25 years by church, school, social clubs and commercial undertakings such as four caravan parks, the Brolga Hotel and Nankervis Boat Storage and Servicing establishment.

 

Recreational activity has remained stable and this has been brought about by the Governments decision in 1977 not to allow any further development pending the results of reports.

 

There were three Recreational Area Committees of Management. Kimbolton, Derrinal and Metcalfe.