Junctions Reefs Reserve on the Belubula River will be temporarily closed from 12 October 2026 to 12 November 2026.
A popular local camping and recreation reserve will temporarily close for one month while important rehabilitation and maintenance works are carried out to ensure the reserve remains safe, accessible and enjoyable for visitors into the future.
The temporary closure of Junction Reefs Reserve, near Mandurama between Bathurst and Cowra, will close from 12 October 2026 to 12 November 2026 to ensure public safety while rehabilitation work takes place at two sites near the reserve’s camping ground.
Bakers Shaft Reserve, just north of Junction Reefs, is unaffected by the works and remains open as a camping and recreation option on the Belubula River.
Mining is an important part of Junction Reefs’ history, dating back to the late 1800s and continuing off and on over the next century.
Public access to the reserve was restored in 2021 after Crown Lands worked with mining company OceanaGold and the former Crown Land Manager board to negotiate a deed of access while the company concluded its tenure on the site.
The reserve features the heritage-listed Junction Reefs Dam (also known as Belubula Dam) which was built in 1897 to provide water and hydropower to a nearby gold mine. With its distinctive arches and brick curves, it’s the only one of its type in NSW and the first multi-arched dam built in Australia.
Crown Lands Executive Director of Land and Asset Management Greg Sullivan said:
“Heavy machinery is needed as part of the latest round of rehabilitation works by the company, and so to ensure the safety of the public we need to close the reserve for a short time.
“We appreciate it’s a popular camping and recreation area, and with the weather warming up we know more people will be looking to take advantage of it.
“However, this work is necessary to ensure the future of Junction Reefs Reserve as a safe and sustainable recreation option for locals and visitors, and there are other camping areas including Bakers Shaft Reserve nearby that can be used while it’s closed.”