Harding Dam
Dam information
- Capacity – 64 billion litres
- Catchment area – 1,071km2
- Wall height (above foundations) – 42m
Located 23 km south-east of Roebourne, Harding Dam was built in 1984 and is an important water source for the West Pilbara Water Supply Scheme.
Visitor information
Harding Dam is a crucial drinking water source for the West Pilbara Water Supply Scheme, which provides water to Karratha, Dampier, Roebourne, Wickham and Point Samson.
To protect water quality, it is important that visitors to the dam avoid the 2km reservoir protection zone around the high water mark of Harding Dam, where access is not permitted.
Only bushwalking is allowed within the 1,100km2 source protection area around the Harding Dam catchment.
Fishing, hunting, driving, littering, polluting, camping, fires, timber cutting, vegetation clearing, drones and boating are not permitted. Please always follow the direction of the signs around the catchment.
Facilities
- Picnic areas with free barbecues and picnic tables
- Lawn area
- Toilets (including accessible)
- On-site parking
Opening hours
Harding Dam is open every day of the week, 8am - 5pm. Recreational areas are open 9am - 5.30pm.
Directions
- From Karratha, take the North West Coastal Highway towards Roebourne
- At Roebourne, turn right onto the Harding Dam access road and follow the signs for approximately 29km
The public access road to Harding Dam is via Roebourne. Please do not use the maintenance track as it is not regularly maintained and is for authorised access only.
Operations
For operational enquiries please contact 13 13 75.
Planning a visit?
When visiting a dam, please follow these simple rules to ensure you and your family have a fun, memorable, and safe experience.
- Obey directional and informational signs
- Keep to pathways, roads and recreational areas
- Be aware of uneven ground and walking hazards
- Children must be within view of a responsible adult at all times
- Dogs are not permitted on site
- Swimming, canoeing, fishing and marroning is not permitted
- Drone use is not permitted
- Do not climb walls, fences, bridges, pipework or other operational infrastructure
- Do not trespass into signposted operational and ‘No Entry’ areas
- Never attempt to operate taps, valves or controls
- Do not deface safety and security signage
- Keep emergency and operational access gates and roadways clear
People and domestic animals naturally carry pathogens that can be transferred into streams and reservoirs when they have contact with the water. The pathogens can be difficult to remove, putting our drinking water at risk and potentially making people sick. There are also restrictions on other activities such as off-road driving, camping, lighting fires and littering. Failure to comply with these rules may result in an infringement or prosecution.
All Perth’s metropolitan and regional dams are proclaimed Public Drinking Water Source Areas and are protected under the Metropolitan Water Supply Sewerage and Drainage Act 1909, the Country Areas Water Supply Act 1947 and the Water Services Act 2012. Access is not permitted on the reservoirs or in the streams flowing into it. Failure to comply may result in prosecution.
Please report unmarked safety hazards, suspicious behaviour or pollution to 13 13 75.
For additional information about any of our dams, please call us on 13 13 85.