A short drive south east of Williamstown in the Barossa Valley is Warren Reservoir Reserve. Here you can explore by foot or mountain bike along two trails, or bring your kayak and paddle the waters. You can also enjoy a relaxing afternoon sharing a picnic with family and friends or plan a longer walk to connect to South Para Reservoir Reserve and Williamstown or through Mt Crawford Forest and on to Para Wirra Conservation Park
. The flora graphic used here for Warren includes Flame Heath (Astroloma conostephioides), Heath Tea Tree (Leptospermum myrsinoides) and Native Currant (Acrotriche depressa).
At a Glance
Open daily, sunrise to sunset. Closed on Total Fire Ban Days and for operational activity (gates will be closed).
Car parking available
Walking/running
Fishing, permit required
Kayaking/canoeing
Dam wall lookout
Picnicking
Fees apply only for fishing permits
No dogs
Activities and facilities
If you’re visiting Warren Reservoir Reserve over the next couple of weeks, please be aware that from Wednesday 10 February, access via the southern entrance will only be available on weekends, while we upgrade the access road and visitor facilities.
The main northern entrance, as well as the reserve and reservoir, will remain open during the construction period, for all of the usual adventure and activities.
There are two trails within the reservoir reserve to experience: the 5.5km West Warren loop and the 8.8km North Warren Loop. The unsealed trail is suitable for walking and running and each trail provides a great Australian bush experience with water views.
The West Warren Loop also forms part of a link trail to South Para Reservoir Reserve, over a total 4.5km trail, while the North Warren Loop walk links in to more than 20km of trails to take hikers through Mt Crawford Forest, adjacent South Para Reservoir and on to Para Wirra Conservation Park. Some hiking experience and planning for the longer journeys, connecting to campsites, is recommended.
Fishing
With a fishing permit, you can drop a line in the from the shoreline in the fishing zone or on the water from a kayak or canoe.
The reservoir is stocked with Murray cod (catch and release), golden perch and silver perch. Fishing limits are detailed on PIRSA's website.
Cycling
The 5.5km West Warren loop and the 8.8km
Kayaking/canoeing
There are two launch areas at Warren for kayaking and canoeing. Take in the surrounding landscape from the water. With a fishing permit, you can also drop a line from your kayak or canoe. Please note, there are no lifesaving services or resources at Warren Reservoir.
Dam wall lookout
A short walk from the western car park is a vantage point to view the dam wall and reservoir.
Picnicking
There are three picnic areas for you to enjoy, one is fully accessible and one has toilet facilities. In addition, there are several picnic areas along the two trails so you can pack a picnic basket and take a break to sit back, relax and enjoy the serenity. See the site map for details.
Dogs are not welcome at reservoir reserves as they can carry harmful organisms that can easily contaminate the water and they pose a threat to local native birds and wildlife. Assistance animals are accepted.
Blue-green algae
Algae occur naturally in reservoirs and occasionally algal blooms can occur. This is more likely in the warmer months of the year, and they are not always visible.
Regular testing is undertaken as part of SA Water’s routine water quality monitoring. During a blue-green algal bloom, water treatment is adjusted to ensure the continued supply of safe, clean drinking water for customers.
Some blue-green algae produce toxins which can be harmful to humans and animals. Contact with the untreated water in the reservoir when high levels of blue-green algae are present can be harmful to your health.
When blue-green algae levels are extreme, reservoirs are closed to all activities that involve contact with the water, including fishing and kayaking/canoeing.
Signage on site will be updated and specific access and closure details are available on each reservoir page on this site.
Capacity: 4.7 gigalitres (one gigalitre is one billion litres), that will fill about 2,300 Olympic swimming pools
Constructed: 1914-1916
Warren Reservoir was built during World War One with a number of workers given a leave of absence to join the armed forces.
It was built to ensure water supply to the local area. When the natural springs supplying Eudunda dried up every summer, Warren Reservoir was built to ensure a reliable water supply for the local area.
The construction project supervisor Edgar Bradley was given a new Model 'T' Ford, at a cost of $444, so he could drive between Warren and Millbrook, where he was also supervising dam works. Edgar learnt to drive so he could make the 30 km journey between the two reservoirs in just one hour. The trip by horse and buggy had taken more than two.
There is a time capsule cast into the door lintel of the valve house built in 1926 including a bottle of wine, some coins and a newspaper. Sorry, not accessible to visitors.
Water Quality
Warren Reservoir is one of 16 across South Australia.
Treating drinking water before it’s supplied to people’s homes, businesses, schools, hospitals and more, is important to make sure it is clean and safe to drink straight from the tap. You can learn how SA Water treats water and maintains the quality its customers value and rely upon.
Warren Reservoir is not currently used to directly supply drinking water.
At a Glance
Open daily, sunrise to sunset. Closed on Total Fire Ban Days and for operational activity (gates will be closed).