Originally the Aboriginal Booren Yiack, then Barren Jack and now Burrinjuck, the name has become renowned as a nature and water wonderland on the headwaters of the Murrumbidgee River 60km from Yass.

Lake Burrinjuck attracts a quarter of a million tourists each year, not just for almost every watersport imaginable, but some of the state’s best bushwalking, birdwatching and picnicing in 75 hectares of unspoilt natural playgrounds.

You’ll meet friendly locals such as kangaroos, wallabies, wombats and echidnas along with magnificent Lyrebirds, spectacularly coloured King Parrots and Crimson Rosellas, wood ducks, eagles and countless other birds. A range of trails cater for walkers, from the short and easy to the more challenging, including the famous Hume and Hovell Walking Track which stretches all the way to Albury.

The dam can hold over one million megalitres, over twice as much water as Sydney Harbour, covering 5,500 hectares. But of course, Burrinjuck is a very different waterway. Water sports include water-skiing, swimming, tubing, parasailing, windsurfing, canoeing and sailing in many types of craft.

It’s paradise for the fishing enthusiast and afterwards everyone can join in tennis, volleyball and other games including the unusual Frisbee golf. There are several tourist parks to choose from when staying at the lake including Burrinjuck Leisure Resort, Good Hope Resort, Hume Park and Burrinjuck Waters State Park offering cabins, cottages and powered or un-powered sites. There are several boat ramps and a general store/takeaway for basic supplies.