Baroon Pocket Dam (Southern Area)

Baroon Pocket Dam at North Maleny is the southern recreational area of Lake Baroon, a water supply area for the Sunshine Coast.

There are two recreational areas for Lake Baroon, the northern area  is accessed from Montville near the dam wall  built on the Obi Obi Creek.

The southern recreational area accessed from North Maleny has the added advantage of a designated swimming area. There are BBQs and picnic tables next to the parking area and a playground for the kids to play while you cook up some snags for lunch.

There are a couple of spots to set up for lunch with the lower spot having better tables and the playground near. Some of the tables are covered with good views across the lake. The toilets, however, are only at the spot further up the hill making them inconvenient for young kids and wheelchairs to get to. Otherwise, the lower spot is the pick of the two.

A boat ramp provides access for watercraft, including electric motored boats. Lake Baroon is a stocked impoundment so fishing is an activity to pursue, whether it is from watercraft or from the shore. A SIPS Permit is required to fish at Lake Baroon.

The swimming area is a netted section on a grassy bank of the lake. Swimming is permitted only within this area

On the eastern side for the recreation area is the Martin Williams Nature Walk, named after Lake Baroon’s first ranger who died in 2007. The walk is an example of bushland that has been regenerated from former farmland, weeding the land and replanting native plants and habitat.

The track has two loops, the second being an extension of the first. There is not a lot to view the lake from on the walk, although there are some glimpses along the way. The walk is more showcasing the bushland and restoration of habitat.

As the bushland is being restored, the trees are not mature enough to provide normal homes for animals. Look up into the trees and you notice there are lots of nesting boxes for animals to use, such as gliders, parrots, and other birds.