Welcome to Kabi Kabi/Gubbi Gubbi country and Borumba Dam
Borumba Dam is located south-west of Imbil and supplies drinking and irrigation water. The dam was built across Yabba Creek and was originally completed in 1964 with an upgrade in 1997.
During the construction of the dam, a small village of construction workers and their families lived in temporary accommodation near the dam site. This site is now the location of the camping grounds.
View the slideshow for a snapshot, but click on the photo gallery for all photos.
Yabba Creek in flood (196-) during build of Borumba Dam 1960-1964 – donated by Keith Buchanan 
Skiing on Borumba Dam – mid 1980s – donated by Kaili Parker-Price 
Borumba Dam construction 1960-1964 – base of the spillway – donated by Keith Buchanan 
Borumba Dam construction 1960-1964 – water monitor and NCK crane in use – donated by Keith Buchanan 
Borumba Dam postcard c1964 – donated by Ian Stehbens 
Borumba Dam – 1964 – Gympie Regional Libraries 
Skiing on Borumba Dam – mid 1980s – donated by Kaili Parker-Price 
Borumba under construction – taken by Pauline and George Price – donated by Kaili Parker-Price
Photo Gallery of Borumba Dam – click on an image to view full screen
Yabba Creek in flood (196-) during build of Borumba Dam 1960-1964 – donated by Keith Buchanan 
Night shift during Borumba Dam construction 1960-1964 – donated by Keith Buchanan Borumba Dam construction 1960-1964 – water monitor and NCK crane in use – donated by Keith Buchanan Borumba Dam construction 1960-1964 – base of the spillway – donated by Keith Buchanan 
Borumba Dam construction 1960-1964 – donated by Keith Buchanan 
Borumba Dam building 1960-1964 – spillway – donated by Keith Buchanan 
Borumba Dam under constuction – John Oxlery Library, State Library of Queensland #34842 
Borumba Dam under construction – John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland #344841 
Borumba Dam under construction – John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland #34843 
Borumba Dam under construction – John Oxlery Library, State Library of Queensland #34844 
Borumba Dam – 1962 – Gympie Regional Libraries 
Borumba Dam – 1962 – Gympie Regional Libraries 
Borumba Dam – 1962 – Gympie Regional Libraries 
Borumba Dam – 1962 – Gympie Regional Libraries 
Borumba Dam – May 1997 – Gympie Regional Libraries Borumba Dam – 1964 – Gympie Regional Libraries 
Borumba Dam – May 1997 – Gympie Regional Libraries 
Borumba Dam – May 1997 – Gympie Regional Libraries 
Borumba Dam – May 1997 – Gympie Regional Libraries 
Borumba Dam – May 1997 – Gympie Regional Libraries 
Borumba Dam on Yabba Creek, ca 1970 (built 1960-1964) – Thiel Photographers, Brisbane – Keith Waser collection 
Borumba Dam on Yabba Creek, ca 1970 (built 1960-1964), Thiel Photographers – Keith Waser collection 
Borumba Dam on Yabba Creek, ca 1970 (built 1960-1964), Thiel Photographers, – Keith Waser collection 
Borumba Dam on Yabba Creek, ca1970 (built 1960-1964), Thiel Photographers, Brisbane – Keith Waser collection 
Borumba Dam, completion last week. Photo of spillway, greenstone wall, overflow discharge shoot, pondage – Gympie Times 1964 
Borumba Dam – May 1997 – Gympie Regional Libraries Borumba Dam postcard c1964 – donated by Ian Stehbens 
View below Borumba Dam – 1996 – Gympie Regional Libraries Skiing on Borumba Dam – mid 1980s – donated by Kaili Parker-Price 
Skiing on Borumba Dam – mid 1980s – donated by Kaili Parker-Price 
Skiing on Borumba Dam – mid 1980s – donated by Kaili Parker-Price Skiing on Borumba Dam – mid 1980s – donated by Kaili Parker-Price 
Borumba under construction – taken by Pauline and George Price – donated by Kaili Parker-Price 
Borumba Dam spillway construction – donated by Kaili Parker-Price 
Borumba Dam – Minister For Public Lands & Irrigation – A. Muller and other members of the inspection party – Yabba Creek Dam site diamond drilling – 22-2-59 
Borumba Dam – Minister For Public Lands & Irrigation – A. Muller and other members of the inspection party – Yabba Creek Dam site – 22-2-1959 
Borumba Dam – Minister For Public Lands & Irrigation – A. Muller and other members of the inspection party – Yabba Creek Dam site – 22-2-59
Official Documents, Plans and Maps
To view the interviews of the Borumba Dam visit here
Click on a tab to view more images
References:
King, Joy (2001) “Imbil: jewel of the Mary Valley: a historical reference” [available for loan]
Wild Heart Bountiful Land
Produced by the Queensland State Archives in partnership with Cooloola Shire Council, Wild Heart Bountiful Land is an historical overview of the Mary River Valley. [free eBook]
Mary Valley Rattler
A history of the railway in the Mary Valley [Web site]
Queensland Places
Centre for the Government of Queensland, contains all the places in Queensland with or has had a population over 500. [Web site]
Regional Profile
A statistical snapshot of our region [Web site]
Australian Bureau of Statistics
Data from the 2016 Census [Web site]
Sponsorship
Proudly funded and supported by the Queensland Government and the State Library of Queensland.
Disclaimer
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that ‘Voices of the Valley’ may contain images, voices or names of deceased persons in photographs, websites, film, audio recordings or printed material.
All opinions expressed in the Voices of the Valley interviews are those of the interviewee and do not reflect the views of Gympie Regional Council.
About Us
Gympie Regional Libraries provide a free, innovative library service to the residents, ratepayers and visitors of the Gympie region, boasting six service points located at:
* Gympie
* Goomeri
* Imbil
* Kilkivan
* Rainbow Beach
* Tin Can Bay
Get In Touch
Gympie Regional Libraries
8-14 Mellor Street
Gympie QLD 4570
(07) 5481 0859
library@gympie.qld.gov.au
In the Mary Valley
Imbil Library
123-125 Yabba Creek Road
Imbil QLD 4570
(07) 5484 5488
More Local History
Gympie Regional Memories
Local History blog – many more stories of our region
Curated Photo Collection
See more photos of our region organised by themes
The Past in Print
Free local history ebooks – download them to a device
Heritage Talks
View digitised versions of our heritage talks
Gympie Region Heritage Trails
Use QR codes to follow the heritage trails
Voices of the Valley 