The Waranga Dam is a major earthfill embankment dam with an uncontrolled spillway located approximately 150 kilometres north of Melbourne in the North Central region of the Australian state of Victoria. The impounded off-stream reservoir is Waranga Basin and forms part of the Goulburn River irrigation system, irrigating an area of 626 square kilometres. The dam and reservoir are located in Shire of Campaspe near the City of Greater Shepparton and is located 8 kilometres. north-east of Rushworth, 12 kilometres. south-west of Tatura, and near Murchison. When full, the reservoir covers an area of 58.5 square kilometres.
The area now covered by the Waranga Basin includes a swamp that was known as Warranga (an indigenous word) or Gunns after William Gunn, one of the early pastoralists who established his squatting run, also called Waranga, in the area surrounding the swamp. William Gunn was a Braehour Gunn who emigrated to Victoria in 1853 from Wick, Scotland. His half-brother was the Honourable Donald Gunn of Manitoba, Canada. Gold was discovered near Waranga Swamp in 1853, making it one of Victorias oldest goldfields.
