📍Things To Do At Lake Wivenhoe: Comprehensive Visitor Guide To Brisbane’s Biggest Dam. (2024.)

WANT TO KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT VISITING LAKE WIVENHOE?

Lake Wivenhoe is Brisbane’s primary water storage facility and the largest dam in South East Queensland. It’s also one of the most gorgeous, framed by small mountains and gently undulating hills, the breathtaking impounded Brisbane River has plenty of excellent facilities and opportunities to enjoy numerous water and land-based activities from the ten beautiful day-use areas scattered around its shoreline, which each offer a different experience.

From the ever-popular Logans Inlet and Spillway Lookout to the multi-use trails and Wivenhoe Hill and the quiet and secluded Hays Landing and Billies Bay, here are all the best things to do at Lake Wivenhoe to make visiting it a day trip to remember.

1. Boating.

Boating is one of the best things to do at Wivenhoe Dam. What’s great about this activity is that you can launch from one of the three fully concreted boat ramps at Logans Inlet, Billies Bay or Harmon Cove and zip all around the lake, exploring it in a faster and more exciting way and seeing areas of the impounded river that you can’t do as efficiently with any other water-based activity.

2. Paddling.

For those who prefer reconnecting with nature and would rather enjoy the natural ambience of the environment than the sound of motors being the soundtrack of their peaceful lake adventure, then paddling through the calm waters is definitely the way to go.

Casual kayakers, canoers and stand-up paddleboarders can stay close to the launch sites from one of the 6 day-use areas scattered around the shoreline that allow it. Meanwhile, more enthusiast paddlers can easily spend an entire day covering as much real estate as they can on this enormous body of water. However, you’ll need to be aware of the times as most launch points are only open during certain hours and staying overnight, aside from the Lumley Hill & Captain Logan campgrounds is not permitted.

What’s even better is that it is not just a lake experience. Atkinsons Crossing from the Spillway Lookout and O’Shea’s Crossing is the natural Brisbane River before it was dammed, providing a much narrower and more intimate route in addition to the typical paddle across a vast expanse of water that lakes offer.

Note: If you stay at the campgrounds, you can hire a kayak from there.

3. Sailing.

Midway between boating and paddling, sailing is another fantastic activity that Wivenhoe is perfect for thanks to the huge amount of real estate it has to explore, allowing you to spend plenty of time out on the water, but without the sound of engines drowning out the sounds of nature.

4. Swimming.

Another fantastic way to spend time at Wivenhoe Dam is by splashing around in the water. With two dedicated cordoned-off areas, one at Logan Inlet and the other at Billies Bay, it’s a great activity for when the temperatures get into sweaty armpit territory.

It’s even better when you take some things along with you, such as sunglasses and a floaty so you can relax and watch the clouds go by or one of those floating tents for a fun secret hideout. Plus, you won’t need to worry about floating off into the distant watery deep as the “ropes” allocated for the area should stop that from happening.

5. Picnic/ BBQ.

The day-use areas around Wivenhoe Dam are home to some of the best picnic and outdoor BBQ spots in South East Queensland, and they each have their own charm and appeal.

Logan’s Inlet is the lake’s most visited area and caters to that having the most number of picnic tables, both sheltered and not, benches and gas BBQs free for the public to use. There are also plenty of grassy areas for traditional blanket picnics and setting up your own gazebo for a more cushy get-together. Plus, it has a boat ramp, gentle slopes for launching kayaks, canoes and paddleboards, a decided swimming area, perfect for those looking to head out on the water, and a children’s playground, making it an all-around favourite.

Meanwhile, Cormorant Bay is great for a more natural feel with trees occupying a significant amount of real estate, whereas the Spillway Lookout has very few picnic tables and BBQs, but the view from the lookout and Atkinsons Crossing is lovely, so it just depends on what speaks the most to you.

6. Photography.

For those who love taking pictures, Wivenhoe is a fantastic setting for various types of photography. The many day-usee areas provide many different perspectives of the lake and in combination with the trees and the facilities at each one, there is no shortage of unique landscape compositions you can create to capture the tranquil beauty of the place, especially if you’re there at sunset or when there’s a storm rolling in. It’s also great for lifestyle photography and shooting your friends and family enjoying the outdoor recreation opportunities.

Animals are another fantastic subject to capture as there are always birds hanging out. Noisy miner birds, magpies, pelicans, crows and blue-faced honeyeaters are among the most common that are around, especially at Logan Inlet. But I’ve also seen wedge-tail eagles, egrets and pied butcherbirds many times. Kangaroos also love hanging around this place, and you can sometimes see just one or a whole gang! However, they usually only appear on really quiet days. On weekends and when it’s busy, such as public holidays, they are rarely there.

7. Wivenhoe Hill Walks.

For some physical activity off the water, the trails at Wivenhoe Hill provide a lovely land-based alternative. Consisting of 4 easily combinable grade 3 tracks that individually range from 3.2km to 5km one-way, there is a total of 16km of multi-use pathways to explore.

However, they’re not the most scenic trails, with few clear views of the lake, and the black track being all asphalt. But it also makes a good place to go searching for nocturnal animals. You could also have some fun with it if you have kids or friends, particularly if they are foreigners who aren’t fond of the night by getting into character and convincingly telling them terrifying tales about the scary AF Drops Bear, the rabid cousins of the sweet narcoleptic Koala, while you’re already far enough into the bushland for them to comfortably tuck tale and run back to the safety of the car.

8. Take A Scenic Drive.

Another great way to experience Lake Wivenhoe is to take a scenic drive around it. The route is full of beautiful country scenery, and while you can’t see the water the whole way ’round, when you can, it’s only even more picturesque.

And if you’re going to or from Brisbane, you can either take the highways to the lake or go through the stunning D’Aguilar National Park, which has one of the best roads to drive in South East Queensland thanks to its endless curves and undulating hills and many easily accessible lookouts along the way. You can even make a loop out of it, visiting the lovely heritage city of Ipswich before heading back to the capital.

9. Stay The Night.

If camping on a hill with the sounds of water lapping at the shore nearby sounds like the perfect getaway, then you’re in luck. At the Logan Complex, near the public day-use area, Logan Inlet, are two privately operated campgrounds to stay overnight at this beautiful lake.

The Captain Logan Campground is for camping in tents and has mostly unpowered sides, while the Lumley Hill Campground is for larger self-contained vehicles, with numerous powered and drive-on sites for vehicles such as caravans and motorhomes.

Wivenhoe Dam Visiting Hours.

Most of the day-use areas are open for the public’s enjoyment seven days a week between these hours:

• September – April: 5:30 am to 6:30 pm.
• May – August: 6:00 am to 5:30 pm.

One of the best ways to spend time at Lake Wivenhoe is by heading out on the water. However, with boats, there are some restrictions with the types of vessels permitted. All watercraft are only allowed to launch or land at designated areas to protect the shoreline and off the private properties that surround much of the lake.

Conditions for motorized boats are as follows:

• Must have low-emission outboards or engines limited to 4 strokes, or two strokes from direct-fuel injection motors.
• Vessels are limited to 6 knots.
• Waterskiing, jet skiing, wakeboarding and tubing are not permitted. Nearby Lake Somerset allows these activities.

Motorised boats must only be launched from:

• Logan’s Inlet.
• Hamon Cove.
• Billies Bay.

Paddle craft can be launched from:

• Western Shoreline.
  • Logan’s Inlet.
  • Hamon Cove.
  • Atkinson’s Crossing via the Spillway Lookout. (access to the Brisbane River below Lake Wivenhoe.)
• Eastern Shoreline.
  • O’Shea’s Crossing.
  • Billies Bay.
  • Hays Landing.
  • Branch Creek.

There are two stop off points along the remote shorelines of the lake for boats and paddlecraft that each have a picnic table, rubbish bin and toilet.

• McKeys Hill (north-east).
• McGraths Bay (south-west.)

Twin Bridges.

Providing the perfect wild swimming and paddle activity alternative, Twin Bridges, just downstream from Lake Wivenhoe, swaps wide open spaces and gently undulating landscapes for a much narrower and more intimate tree-lined channel.

It’s a stunning location, with easy access, both for parking and launching. Go for a dip close to the shoreline or spend a few hours peacefully kayaking upstream to the other paddle launching facility at the Spillway Lookout.

D’Aguilar National Park.

Just east of Lake Wivenhoe, D’Aguilar is Brisbane’s closest national park. Home to one of the best driving roads in South East Queensland thanks to its endless winding curves and gentle elevation changes, it also features many beautiful accessible lookouts, picturesque walking trails and day-use areas, rugged biking trails and walk-in-only campsites, making it a fantastic place to spend time in nature, whether you want to or are able to get out of the car or not.

Ipswich.

South of the lake, lies the heritage city of Ipswich. Once the forerunner to be the capital of Queensland, this beautiful place still has plenty of charm thanks to its old buildings, throwbacks to its railway past and aviation present, plus lovely country atmosphere. Some of the top attractions are visiting the Railway Workshops Museum and the RAAF Amberley Aviation Heritage Centre, hiking to the culturally significant White Rock and summiting Flinders Peak.

Lake Somerset.

Lake Somerset lies north of Lake Wivenhoe and is essentially the supply lake for the supply lake. But it’s also a gorgeous recreation area offering up plenty more real estate to go boating, kayaking or swimming. The drive to and along it, particularly the eastern side of Wivenhoe and the western side of Somerset, are both incredibly picturesque, perfect for those days when you just want a scenic and gently winding road to enjoy.

Where Is Lake Wivenhoe?

Lake Wivenhoe lies north west of Brisbane along the Brisbane Valley Highway in the Somerset region of Queensland Australia.

How To Get To There?

From Brisbane (Along Highways):

From Brisbane (Scenic Route Through D’Aguilar National Park):

What To Take to Wivenhoe Dam.

• Sunscreen.
• Hat.
• Sunglasses.
• Lip Balm.
• Camera/ Waterproof Camera.
• Food/Snacks.
• Drinking Water.
• Cooler.
• BBQ/Picnic Stuff.
• Beach Shelter/Gazebo.
• Beach Chairs.
• Sports Equipment.
• Paddleboard/Kayak/Canoe & Equipment.
• Binoculars.
• Book/ Music Playlist.

Interesting Facts About Wivenhoe Dam.

• Type Of Dam: Earth-Fill Embankment Dam.
• Year Completed: 1984.
• Maximum Capacity: 1.165 million megalitres at full supply level, but can store 3.132 million megalitres at maximum capacity.
• Catchment Area: 7020km².

Accommodation: Where To Stay.

• Lumley Hill Campground.

From a long list of water-based activities such as swimming, boating, kayaking, jet skiing, waterskiing, wakeboarding, tubing and windsurfing to land-based activities such as picnics, BBQs, birdwatching, hiking, there are plenty of fantastic ways to spend time at Lake Wivenho.e.