Lake Mulwala

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Lake Mulwala, looking from Yarrawonga, Victoria to Mulwala, New South Wales.
Lake Mulwala, looking from Yarrawonga, Victoria to Mulwala, New South Wales.

Lake Mulwala (36°00′S 146°05′E) was created in 1939 by building a dam across the Murray River between Yarrawonga in Victoria and Mulwala in New South Wales to provide irrigation water for the surrounding district. Crossing the Murray between the two towns is possible across the weir, and also across a bridge over Lake Mulwala.

The road bridge across the lake was built before the lake was filled, commenced in 1917 and completed in 1924. It replaced an earlier wooden bridge built in 1889-1891. The bridge was started from both ends, each by the respective state government. Unfortunately, they didn't coordinate their efforts, and the bridge has a dip and a bend in the middle to make the two ends meet.

The Yarrawonga weir is the furthest downstream obstruction across the Murray that does not have a navigation lock through it. When full, the lake is 124.9 metres above sea level. The weir is 1992 kilometres upstream from the Murray Mouth.

Lake Mulwala is a renowned fishery for the native Murray Cod and is one of the few places where this Australian native freshwater fish is still reasonably common.

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