This guide shares 12 dams in the Greater Sydney area that you can visit. Some are heritage-listed and have picnic areas and beautiful vantage points.
There are currently more than 100 major dams in New South Wales and more than 20 storage dams in the Greater Sydney region.
Dams exist to store water that can be used for irrigation and as a source of drinking water for urban areas. Most of Sydney’s drinking water is sourced from catchment areas created by these dams.
Below, we will share 12 historical dams in Greater Sydney where you can enjoy the views, have a picnic, or do a walking track. Our favourite? Cordeaux Dam!
1. Manly Dam
Manly Dam in Manly Vale is one of the oldest dams in Sydney, built at the end of the 19th century, followed by several upgrades in later years. Its purpose was to supply water to the Manly and surrounding areas.
During the first half of the 20th century, Manly Dam slowly reached its limits of capacity, and the dam pumps were eventually dismantled in the 1930s.
Manly Dam is now a heritage-listed, decommissioned dam. It forms part of the Manly Dam Reserve, a large recreational area with various activities to do around the lake, such as hiking, mountain biking, swimming, water skiing and picnicking.
| Manly Dam | |
|---|---|
| Status: | Decommissioned |
| Location: | Google Map |
| More info: | Manly Dam Reserve |
2. Woronora Dam
Woronora Dam, located south of Sydney near Helensburgh, is a key water supply dam for the Sutherland Shire, the northern suburbs of Wollongong, and the Illawarra region.
Built between 1927 and 1941, it features a curved gravity wall and a heritage-listed valve house perched above its spillway. The dam can hold about 70 gigalitres of water in Lake Woronora.
Woronora Dam is open daily and offers picnic areas, walking trails, playgrounds, and some great lookout points over the reservoir. Walking across the curved dam wall is quite the experience, with the lake on one side and the gorge on the other.
| Woronora Dam | |
|---|---|
| Status: | Operational |
| Location: | Google Map |
| More info: | Woronora Dam |
3. Cataract Dam
Completed in 1907, Cataract Dam is one of the oldest and largest water supply dams in New South Wales, located about 84 kilometres southwest of Sydney, near Appin. It has a storage capacity of almost 100 gigalitres.
The heritage-listed Cataract Dam was constructed as part of the Upper Nepean Scheme, and provides water to the Macarthur and Illawarra regions, the Wollondilly Shire, and metropolitan Sydney. The three other dams in that scheme are the Cordeaux, Avon, and Nepean dams.
Cataract Dam is a beautiful sight, with a castle-like sandstone building on top of the wall and various lookout points nearby to explore. The area around Cataract Dam is home to various picnic shelters, playgrounds, electric barbeques, and parking areas.
| Cataract Dam | |
|---|---|
| Status: | Operational |
| Location: | Google Map |
| More info: | Cataract Dam |
4. Cordeaux Dam
Cordeaux Dam is the second dam that was built as part of the Upper Nepean Scheme. Construction of this dam was completed in 1926, and now functions as a water source for the Wollondilly Shire, the Macarthur and Illawarra regions, and metropolitan Sydney.
The Egyptian-inspired design of the dam makes it quite a remarkable sight. And with a large picnic ground with electric barbeques nearby, a visit to Cordeaux Dam is guaranteed to be a great day out.
When walking on top of the dam wall, make sure to walk all the way to the end to have a look at the large spillway. When the water level is high, this spillway looks like a waterfall.
| Cordeaux Dam | |
|---|---|
| Status: | Operational |
| Location: | Google Map |
| More info: | Cordeaux Dam |
5. Warragamba Dam
The heritage-listed Warragamba Dam in the outer South Western Sydney suburb of Warragamba in Wollondilly Shire is responsible for the creation of the enormous Lake Burragorang. This lake is the primary water supply reservoir for Sydney.
Warragamba Dam has an excellent visitor centre where you can learn everything about the dam, how it works, how it was built, and so much more. There are also various lookout points nearby, with fantastic views of the dam.
When visiting the Warragamba Dam, a drive to the Burragorang Lookout is recommended. This lookout is an easy 40 km drive southwest of the dam and offers superb views of the lake and surrounding mountains.
| Warragamba Dam | |
|---|---|
| Status: | Operational |
| Location: | Google Map |
| More info: | Warragamba Dam |
6. Avon Dam
Avon Dam was constructed around the same time as the nearby Cordeaux Dam and has a similar Egypt-inspired design, with large pylons complete with decorative lotus columns at both ends of the dam wall.
A large picnic area with barbeques, tables, and shelters is located near the entrance of the Avon Dam recreation area. From there, you can either walk or drive to the dam.
Once at the dam, you can walk across the dam wall to enjoy panoramic views of the lake upstream and gorge downstream.
| Avon Dam | |
|---|---|
| Status: | Operational |
| Location: | Google Map |
| More info: | Avon Dam |
7. Nepean Dam
Located near Bargo in the Southern Highlands, Nepean Dam is an important part of Sydney’s water supply, storing almost 70 gigalitres of water for the region.
Built between 1925 and 1935, this heritage-listed dam features a striking 82-metre-high concrete wall and a scenic spillway. It is the smallest of the four dams in the Upper Nepean Scheme.
Visitors can explore the picnic areas, walking trails, and lookout points, offering great views of the reservoir and surrounding bushland.
Easily accessible from the Hume Motorway, Nepean Dam is a great spot for a relaxing day out while learning about Sydney’s vital water infrastructure.
| Nepean Dam | |
|---|---|
| Status: | Operational |
| Location: | Google Map |
| More info: | Nepean Dam |
8. Fitzroy Falls Dam
Located approximately 20 km southeast of Bowral, the Fitzroy Falls Dam is responsible for creating the Fitzroy Falls Reservoir. It is part of the Shoalhaven Scheme and is now a popular land-based fishing spot.
Please note that Fitzroy Falls Dam itself isn’t very spectacular and isn’t really a destination in itself. Rather, it’s a nice place to visit in combination with a visit to the Fitzroy Falls waterfall on the other side of the road.
When visiting, it may also be worthwhile to go and have a look at Wingecarribee Dam, which isn’t too far away from Fitzroy Falls. It’s pretty similar to Fitzroy Falls Reservoir and has a nice lookout point and a small picnic area.
| Fitzroy Falls Dam | |
|---|---|
| Status: | Operational |
| Location: | Google Map |
| More info: | Fitzroy Falls Dam |
9. Tallowa Dam
Tallowa Dam is a vital water storage facility on the Shoalhaven River, about 160 kilometres south of Sydney.
Completed in 1976, the dam forms part of the Shoalhaven Scheme and provides water to the Shoalhaven and Southern Highlands regions. The concrete gravity dam stands 43 metres high and holds back Lake Yarrunga, a scenic reservoir extending into the Shoalhaven and Kangaroo Valleys.
The dam also features an innovative fish lift that can collect and transport fish over the dam wall to the upstream area, where they can spawn and feed.
Lake Yarrunga is a popular spot for canoeing, swimming and fishing, and near the dam, you’ll find several picnic areas with excellent facilities.
| Tallowa Dam | |
|---|---|
| Status: | Operational |
| Location: | Google Map |
| More info: | Tallowa Dam |
10. Lake Parramatta Dam
Completed in 1856, Lake Parramatta Dam is one of the oldest large dams in Australia. The 15-metre high arch-shaped dam on Hunts Creek was built to provide the local area with water.
The dam was eventually decommissioned in 1909 when Parramatta was connected to the Sydney water system, and since then, Lake Parramatta has been a popular recreational area.
Lake Parramatta Reserve is now home to various bushwalking tracks, including a circuit trail around the lake that offers excellent views of the dam.
| Lake Parramatta Dam | |
|---|---|
| Status: | Decommissioned |
| Location: | Google Map |
| More info: | Lake Parramatta Dam |
11. Prospect Dam
Prospect Reservoir is located approximately 35 kilometres west of Sydney, and is a heritage-listed water storage facility created by the Prospect Dam on Prospect Creek.
The reservoir was completed in 1888 to supply Sydney with water collected from the weirs on the Illawarra Plateau south of the city. The four dams in the Upper Nepean Scheme helped to increase the supply of water in Prospect Reservoir.
The best spot to visit is the large recreational area on the eastern side of the reservoir, with various parks, picnic spots, playgrounds, and lookouts to explore and enjoy.
| Prospect Dam | |
|---|---|
| Status: | Operational |
| Location: | Google Map |
| More info: | Prospect Dam |
12. Oberon Dam
Oberon Dam is an important embankment dam in the western part of the Blue Mountains, and is responsible for the creation of Lake Oberon.
Situated on the Fish River, Oberon Dam was built during and after WWII to help resolve chronic water supply problems in the area.
The dam is considered a medium-sized water storage, with a wall height of 34 metres and a length of 232 metres. The dam wall is open to the public, with picnic areas and vantage points nearby to enjoy. Lake Oberon is also a popular spot for trout fishing.
Note that Oberon Dam isn’t as pretty as most other dams in this list. If you’d like to visit Oberon Dam, we recommend combining it with a trip to the Jenolan Caves or as part of a weekend getaway in the Lithgow area.
| Oberon Dam | |
|---|---|
| Status: | Operational |
| Location: | Google Map |
| More info: | Oberon Dam |
