Maleny Accommodation

This year marks the Baroon Pocket Dam’s 20-year anniversary.  The government began construction on the dam in 1988. Over the past twenty years the dam had developed into a popular destination for Maleny residents and visitors to the area, while still supplying most of Maroochy and Caloundra with drinking water.  The dam, in Obi Obi Creek, is an impressive infrastructure project on the Sunshine Coast hinterland. It holds more than 60,000 ML of water at full capacity and it has an average depth of 15 metres. The dam is easily visible to travellers on the Maleny to Montville tourist route.It is in a tight valley about five kilometres south west of Montville and seven kilometres north east of Maleny. The dam can be accessed from either township; however the Montville access point, near the dam’s spillway, has more amenities on its foreshore including barbecues, toilets and parkland.There are restrictions on the water as it supplies drinking water to Sunshine Coast residents. Combustion engines are not allowed on the dam, so water skiing is not an option for visitors.  Electric motors are allowed on boats, but a permit is required and there is a limit to the number of electric motors on the dam at any one time.  This is usually not a problem but check with the local authorities during peak holiday times.One of the main boating activities on the lake is sailing. There is a yacht club based at the lake and they have regular race and sail days.  The dam is a perfect setting to watch sailing competition, as the course passes close enough to the shoreline that spectators can get caught up in the action.Other activities in the water include fishing and although there are strict rules on boating in the dam, the fishing can be quite rewarding. The dam is stocked with bass, golden perch and mary river cod and sizable fish have been caught in the dam with natural population developing.  There are also native eels and perch species caught.  If you are planning for a long weekend on Baroon Pocket Dam it is important to organise transport to and from the dam as there is no camping at the dam.  Accommodation is available at Maleny and Montville including camping.