Dam enthusiasts walk wall of popular Somerset catchment

"Seqwater were booked out within ten minutes of opening the bookings"

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VERY few people have seen the inside of Somerset Dam in the past 60 years, but last weekend, more than 500 visitors walked the walls.

The two-day Wall Walk Weekend event was a joint initiative between Seqwater, and the Somerset Dam and Districts Progress Association. The goal was to educate visitors about the history and workings on the dam, ahead of major upgrades scheduled for 2020-2021. Seqwater Chief Executive Officer Neil Brennan said the tour had given visitors with unique insight into the dam. "By taking part in the tour, residents were able to view the machinery used to operate the dam as well as the valves and steel gates that are used to release water - even graffiti inside the dam walls from operators dating back to the 1950s."  The weekend included tours inside and on top of the dam, and a showcase of local talent in the nearby Coronation Hall. Progress association president Noelene Hunter said that her group worked very hard to bring as much of the community to the event as possible.  "We put our feelers out to all of the various artisans in the Somerset Region," she said. "The hall was packed with wonderful art, some sculpting, metalwork, it was a great response."  The weekend showcase received massive support from community members and visitors alike. Among the visitors were members of some of the oldest families in the region, including descendants of Henry Plantagenet Somerset, the pioneer pastoralist and politician whom both the dam and the Somerset Region were named after.  The youngest of Henry Somerset's grandchildren, Charles Somerset, 75, said the last time he walked on the dam wall was during its official opening, all those decades ago.  The Wall Walk itself was also far more popular than expected.  "Seqwater were booked out within ten minutes of opening the bookings," Noelene said. "They had about 500 people go across the wall in two days, and there were hundreds more enquiries." Given the level of interest, Noelene said she expected Seqwater to offer more Wall Walk opportunities in future.  "Probably in a few month's time, there'll be another Wall Walk, but there probably won't be another showcasing of artists at the hall." Seqwater had covered the cost to gift use of the hall to the Progress Association for the two days, and Noelene said she was unsure if they would be willing to do so again in the event of future walks. Regardless of future possibilities, the community made the best of the opportunity they were given. "We took it and ran with it and had a great time," Noelene said.