It give me pleasure in recommending this publication to the thousands of residents living downstream of Warragamba Dam, including Penrith, Emu Plains, Castlereagh, Windsor, Richmond and the communities along the Hawkesbury as it winds it way to the sea.
It is often said that hindsight is a wonderful teacher. Hindsight is the ability to understand, after something has happened, what should have been done.
A great deal of the material in this book is the work of James McClelland and my personal thanks must go to him as his work and insights have allowed me to take up the fight to protect life and property below the dam.
Jumping to conclusions is not nearly as good a mental exercise as digging for facts.
On 13th May, 1816, His Excellence, the Governor, commanded the clergy of the day to read during the Divine Services, that settlers of the banks of the Nepean and Hawkesbury River move to areas that he has marked out, that are out of reach of these inundations, for their accommodation and comfort. He went on to say that the recent losses and misfortunes, to a great degree, were because of their own imprudence and indolence.
It is a different story today, and we must know the facts. The proposed spillway option does not protect life or property below the Dam and, indeed, only comes into use when floods to the proportion of those in 1867 are repeated. That means water lapping the steps of Penrith Post Office in the east and near Russell Street, Emu Plains, in the west.
This book is a must read for those with the view to saving thousands of people from utter ruin and distress.
Councillor Jim Aitken
ISBN: 978-1-875552-33-7
A4 Comb Bound with laminated covers. 117 pages with photographs.
