Birchville Dam

Birchville Dam is a popular destination located in the Moonshine Valley of Upper Hutt, New Zealand.

The dam is situated in the Belmont Regional Park and is accessible via the Birchville Dam Track, which is a lovely forest walk with a swing bridge. The trail starts from Tulsa Park and zigzags uphill through private land and Akatarawa Forest to the summit, where visitors can enjoy spectacular views over the Hutt Valley.

Birchville Dam was built in the early 1930s to supply water to the Upper Hutt area. The dam is a concrete gravity structure that stands at a height of 27 meters and has a capacity of 1.4 million cubic meters. The dam is surrounded by beautiful natural scenery, including lush forests, rolling hills, and the Hutt River. The Birchville community is spread out along both banks of the Hutt River in a long, fairly narrow valley.

The Hutt River Trail now provides formal walking paths for tourists and residents along both banks of the river from Totara Park to the Akatarawa Stream. In places, the remains of the old waterworks can be seen, adding to the historical significance of the area. Birchville is a popular weekend holiday resort, and the area has a rich history. The suburb of Birchville was named after the Birch family, who were early settlers in the area. When the Parkdale subdivision was developed during the 1970s, confusion arose over what the appropriate name for the suburb should be. In 1982, the New Zealand Geographic Board clarified that Birchville, rather than Parkdale, Rivervale, Akatarawa, or Gillespies Road, was the official locality name.

Overall, Birchville Dam is a must-visit destination for anyone traveling to the Moonshine Valley of Upper Hutt, New Zealand. Visitors can enjoy a lovely forest walk, take in the stunning views of the Hutt Valley, and learn about the area's rich history.