McVEIGHS LOOKOUT


Grid Reference DU 029279
Department Melbourne Water
Work Depot Warburton
Region Port Phillip East
Grading Secondary
Elevation (ASL) 640m
Height Cabin on ground
Construction Timber (original)
Steel (current)
Cabin size 2.4m x 2.4m
Public access to site No
In use since 1957? - 197? (original)
197? - (current tower)
CFA Region 13 - Central
The original McVeighs tower. This photo was taken from a slide, provided by Robin Fisher.
Robin was a long time employee of Melbourne Water (ex MMBW) and he manned Poley tower for 6 years in the early 70's.

McVeighs Lookout was built during the construction of the Upper Yarra Dam (1947-1957) and was used to keep a check on the burn-offs after the logging and clearing of the Dam site. Although it doesn't cover a great area, it looks in many gullies that are overlooked by neighbouring towers and it also covers a great deal of the Armstrong Catchment, not covered by any other tower. It has a great view. It not only overlooks the rolling hills of the Upper Yarra Catchment but it also looks over the Upper Yarra Dam.
A steel cabin replaced the original wooden tower in the sixties.
In 1994, most of the Melbourne Water Catchments became National Parks but Melbourne Water still has full control over management of the Parks and the closed Catchment policy is still in force.
The running costs of the tower are shared with the DSE.
Melbourne is one of the very few cities in the world with a water supply coming from closed Catchments. This ensures Melbourne of very good quality drinking water. Some of the Catchments have been closed to the public since the start of this century and this results in beautiful Old Growth Forests of mainly Mountain Ash, (Eucalyptus Regnans). To protect these forests from devastating bushfires, Melbourne Water have had their own Towers for fire detection. Early detection of wild-fires is vital for Melbourne Water. A wild-fire effects the harvest of water for many many years. In the first few years the water yield increases but is polluted and after the re-growth starts to take of, the water yield drops dramatically as the young eucalyptus saplings consume all the water they can get.

Please click on thumbnails for enlargements
Current McVeighs Lookout
with 'false' roof and verandah 		McVeighs before the 'false'
roof and verandah 		McVeighs after a new
coat of paint (Oct 2003)

Photos and information supplied by Andre Belterman

McVeighs tower was evacuated during the devasting Black Saturday fires (7th Feb 2009) but was not impacted by the fire.

In 2008, Melbourne Water was looking into the idea of replacing McVeighs tower with another one a bit further south, which would give them a better view into McMahons Creek and Starvation Creek water catchments. Plans for a 50m tower were drawn-up and a site was chosen but the costing came in well above budget. One option being considered is the installation of a camera on the new site and the towerman in the current tower to monitor the screen. Currently (June 2009) no dicision has been made on any progress.

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