Baroon Pocket Dam is one of the many dams that are nestled in the beautiful Sunshine Coast Hinterland. It was built in 1989 to supply water to the coastal areas of Maroochydore and Caloundra.
The dam area covers 380 hectares and is surrounded by the Obi Obi National Park and by far Baroon Pocket is the prettiest dam as the surrounding landscape is primarily rugged trees cradling the dam even to the waters edge.
In this scenic recreational area the visitor can pass the time with swimming, fishing, picnicking, walking or sailing. Only a few houses are dotted near the dam. On the Montville aspect which is near the overflow, there is a forested children's playground with barbeques, picnic tables, seats, shelter sheds and toilets. Picnicking here is a pleasant experience amidst the tall shady trees and selected open areas although the brush turkeys and lace monitor lizards seem to move in closer to the visitor when cooking on the barbies.
During the opening hours of the dam wall, the visitor can drive right to the spillway where another large shelter shed is situated with picnic tables, seats and nearby toilets.
The visitor can take a short but ambling stroll down the inviting and lovely track lined with open sclerophyll forest while in the lower canopy is an abundant array of different sized grass trees dominating the area. This quickly opens out to a magnificent panorama of the dam overflow where a viewing platform is situated heralding the stark contrast to the walking track behind. Here the waters of the Obi Obi Creek cascades down over the spillway to the gorge and valley below, with a roar of mists pluming high in the wetter times and a gentle trickle when it is dry, to continue its journey when it meets the Mary River near Kenilworth. Taking the shorter route back to the carpark is a set of stairs and from below the carpark spillway is a longer 2.4 kilometre walk and this circuit takes the visitors through the lush and cool rainforests to the Obi Obi Gorge below.
Just before the entrance to the dam wall is a hideaway with carparking amongst splendid tall trees which drape the area in shadows and sunlight and a pleasant coolness. Here the beginning of the Sunshine Coast Great Walk begins for the intrepid hiker whether undertaking only a few kilometres or the challenging fifty eight kilometres being the total walk.
On the Maleny side of the dam another lovely picnic area verges against the waters of the dam. A playground, many barbeques, picnic tables, seats and shelter sheds are scattered around the area plus one set of toilets. The Maleny side of the dam has the bonus of having a small kiosk which is only open on weekends and school holidays and sells Devonshire teas, cappuccinos, light lunches and ice-creams.
The kiosk is called Reflections on the Lake and the owners also operate the hiring out of the small boats next to the boat shed. Such watercraft as catamarans, sailing boats, canoes, aqua bikes, paddle skis, small yacht and fishing boats are hired out to enhance the visitors times and exploration of Baroon Pocket Dam. Near the kiosk is a walk that takes approximately 20 minutes and along this track with picturesque and graceful pine trees intersperse with gums and tall grasses. While closer to the finish the walk opens out to tranquil views of the lake.
A story that was shared with me many years ago by one of the construction workers who worked on building the dam was that when the dam was just finished some of the excavation equipment was left onsite for a short while before removal. Unfortunately, mother nature intended differently as it rained heavily in the area soon after completion of the dam and the dam began filling up so quickly that an urgent, mad scramble by the workers had to be made to rescue the equipment before rising waters covered the machinery completely. The story has an admirable ending as the workers just in the nick of time rescued the heavy and expensive equipment.
Time spent on either side of the dam is pleasant as the sweeping scenery surrounds the visitor with great natural beauty, abounding wildlife and varied activities or just simply the quiet and serene relaxation of a pristine area.
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