The Whispering Wall
Whisper at one end of this curved dam wall, and someone 140 metres away can hear you clearly.
What was reported
The Barossa Reservoir dam in South Australia, finished in 1902, has a curved concrete wall about 140 metres across. Two people standing at either end can hold a quiet conversation, hearing each other's whispers as if they were standing close by.
It's a popular stop for visitors to the Barossa Valley, who test it with whispers and secrets.
Explanations offered
The curve of the wall acts as a whispering gallery: sound travelling along the concave surface is reflected again and again and stays close to the wall, losing little energy on the way. The same effect works in St Paul's Cathedral and other curved buildings.
- When
- Built in 1902
- Where
- Barossa Reservoir, Williamstown, South Australia, Australia
- Witnesses
- Visitors
- Status
- Explained
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.