Bottom basin | Channel | Middle basin | Rushcutters bay | The neck | Top basin

The bottom basin of the Lower Manoburn dam forms a large bowl of ice by the Lower Manorburn dam face. This section of the dam is deeper and is more exposed to the wind and sun and so the ice is often not as strong as in the other two basins.

View of bottom basin from the road. In the distance is the channel heading towards the middle basin. 24th July 2010. Photo courtesy of Ryan Hellyer.

Unlike the Upper Manorburn dam, the Lower Manoburn dam face is not safe to skate up to. There is always a flow of water moving over the dam face and skating close to this can be very dangerous and should not be attempted. When the ice conditions are very good it is often possible to skate to the edge of the dam face and lean on the concrete wall beside it though.

The dam face at the end of the bottom basin of the Lower Manorburn dam. July 2007. Photo courtesy of Ryan Hellyer.

For this reason, it is most common to get onto the ice at the middle basin and work your way down the channel rather than skating on the thin ice by the edge of the bottom basin. When the ice is strong enough though, the most common entry point is via the jetty which is situated close to the road side.

David Patchett on the jetty. The most common place to get on the ice at the bottom basin and also a convenient stop off point for those wanting to reset and enjoy the view. 24th July 2010. Photo courtesy of Ryan Hellyer.

Standing close to the dam face. If you venture this close to the dam you must be very careful to keep an eye on the ice strength as the ice thickness rapidly decreases as you approach the dam face itself. 24th July 2010. Photo courtesy of Ryan Hellyer.

View of the bottom basin, taken from the exit from the channel, pointing towards the Lower Manoburn dam road. 24th July 2010. Photo courtesy of Ryan Hellyer.