The Maroondah Dam Waters quenching Melbourne's Thirst.The Maroondah Dam is a great place to take the family for a fun filled daytrip. Not too far from Melbourne at all. A very pleasant drive as you pass through the most beautiful Upper Yarra Valley region and past lots of well laid out wineries.  Maroondah Reservoir is part of the water catchment area for Melbourne's water supply. The piped water supply commenced operation in 1857, with the completion of the Yan Yean Reservoir, adjacent to the Plenty River.  In 1927 the Maroondah Dam was completed and if you would like more historical information on Melbourne's water supply may I suggest you visit Melbourne Water Storage Supply    If you are interested in Dams and the science that goes into the building of these amazing structures, the nature that lives in and around these abundant water catchment areas or classic stories built around a dam theme you may like to check out this selection of books from Fishpond
The Maroondah Dam is a small reservoir that supplies water to Melbourne. The concrete gravity dam, now operated by Melbourne Water, has parklands that are open to the public. The park has been landscaped with gardens set out in the early English tradition. Visitors can enjoy the atmosphere amongst the usual Australian Eucalyptus and beautiful English azaleas and rhododendrons. The roses are magnificent when out in bloom and they line the stairway to the top of the dam wall. Autumn is beautiful in the park as all the colours of the autumn leaves add to the visual excitement of the place.  It's only taken me 60 years to finally get around to visiting this magnificent Parkland. The Daytrip was so worthwhile as yes, the views, the scenery and the experience will remain with me forever. There are some great areas around the Maroondah Dam to explore and a great way to do this is to book a very different and exhilarating tour with Viator Or perhaps try these tours out... Whatever you decide to do, this area is a fantastic place to explore with all the family and here at this amazing place you will get to experience the awesome power of modern day man and nature tamed.  The FacilitiesThe Maroondah Dam Park facilities include...
  For those who would like to work their way to the top of the huge dam wall, the view is worth all the effort.Even SuperNan finally reached the top and after completing my Rocky Dance I looked around and took the magnificent view all in...Wow! A suggestion/tip would be to take a bottle of water on the climb with you and really take your time to reach "The Summit". There are areas to rest up should you need to. I was amazed at how low the water level really is, a true sign that the drought has kicked in. Now I understand the implications of water wastage first hand. You are able to walk along the top of the Maroondah Dam from one side to the other. On one side is the Dam itself and on the other is the huge drop down to the park area...looking over the edge, my knees began to buckle, no good to look if you don't like heights. On the western banks you can continue your climb up to the Lookout area, I left that for another day...cough, cough! Looking out over the water towards the surrounding Mountain ranges I was so shocked to see this...  The Summer of 2009 Bushfires surrounded the Maroondah Dam. The forest burned right down to the waters edge.  Without actually seeing the aftermath personally, I had no idea just how close Victoria had come to loosing the beautiful Hamlet of Healesville, only 2 minutes drive from the Maroondah Dam. I took this photo from the top of the dam wall overlooking the surrounding mountain ranges. Here you are able to actually see the brown and burnt forest. The trees have burnt all the way down to the waters edge in some places. Nature is amazing though, as new shoots are sprouting from the charred remains and life is beginning again.     Climbing up I took the stairs. This is a pretty walk and is historically known as the Rose Stairway. Autumn is when it is at its best and Spring you can enjoy all the azaleas and rhododendrons out in full bloom, the colour is gorgeous. I took the easy way back down to the carpark, a gentle sloping stroll through the trees with their leaves just starting to change colour. Fresh air, the delicious and varied bird calls and the sun twinkling through the tree-tops, what a magic place, great for the soul. Visit the dam in the Winter and hopefully you can see the turbulent force of the water as it rushes headlong down the spillway. It wasn't Winter however the view we saw was pretty good.  For a great family getaway not too far from Melbourne why not visit the Maroondah Dam. Enjoy a Family Picnic and perhaps drop into visit the Hedgend Maze in Healesville if you have time. How to get there...The Maroondah Dam Park is located 3 kms from Healesville in the Upper Yarra Valley. Approximately 70kms east of Melbourne. Follow the Maroondah highway (Melway ref: 270 K10) Check out Google MyMaps and make up a road trip planner, it's easy. The Reservoir Park is open... # 8:30am---8:00pm daylight savings time # 8:30am---4:30pm non-daylight savings time Please note that there are Gate Opening/Closing times. For Special needs access visit this link Parks and Gardens The Park is beautifully maintained and it is requested that it be left like this when you leave...for the enjoyment of more visitors to this beautiful place. Enjoy the flora and watch out for the diverse fauna/animal life. You just may come across...
Dogs are not permitted on the walking tracks from the Maroondah Dam to Donnelly's Weir however they are allowed on lead as you walk through the parklands.  Best to check out the extended weather forecast before you make your plans, be prepared for all conditions... I do hope that you have enjoyed your Maroondah Dam Park experience. There are some beautiful places to visit and explore in my wonderful city of Melbourne and it's surrounding countryside. If you would like to visit more of Melbourne's Parks and Gardens I am sure that you will enjoy the experience. Return Home from The Maroondah Dam.
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