One of the most beautiful dams in South East Queensland, is also one of the most secret.
Hidden deep in the Gold Coast hinterland, the 63-year-old Little Nerang Dam, when full, covers an area of about 50 hectares.
The site used to be a popular recreation destination, with the surroundings making for a perfect picture-postcard scene.
Water flowing over the Little Nerang Dam spillway
Seqwater, the organisation that manages it, used to describe it on their website as "One of the most beautiful dams in South East Queensland”.
The dam was built in 1962. It had a road to the top, with a carpark, a play area for kids, and a toilet. It was popular with people for picnics, for parents with kids, and old people from retirement homes who used to get driven up there for outings. It was a pleasant walk and push-bike ride.
According to a toilet app, the toilet is still there.
People enjoyed it safely for more than fifty years.
Little Nerang Creek below the dam. The potable water intake is upstream from these waterholes.
Little Nerang Creek
Little Nerang Creek
Initially managed by Gold Coast Water, management of the dam was transferred to Seqwater in July 2008.
Following the Australia Day weekend rainfall event in January 2013, the access road to the recreation area at Little Nerang Dam was closed to the public due to 'safety and stability' concerns. A razor-wire barricade was set up on the approach road from Neranwood.
After the public access to the dam had been closed for about five years, a group of locals petitioned Seqwater to have public access restored. There were some meetings and discussions. On 19th July 2018, the General Manager of Operations for Seqwater, Fiore Zulli, announced 'Seqwater will not be reinstating any public access to Little Nerang Dam in the near future'.
Seven years have passed since this decision. During that time the Gold Coast Springbrook Road has been totally blocked by land-slips and their repairs for nearly 50% of the time. (30 March 2017 to October 2018 (19 months) due to Cyclone Debbie, and 31 March 2022 to 21 December 2023 (21 months). This prevented easy access to the Springbrook bushwalks.
Also the Gold Coast City Council has been promoting a Nature-Based Tourism program, which would be assisted by the addition of another Hinterland water appreciation opportunity. The restriction of access to water recreation spots in this area has contributed to overuse of the nearby Austinville Valley waterhole and the Twin Falls waterfall pool.
These problems would be helped if the Little Nerang Dam road was made safe and reopened to the public.
'To demonstrate our commitment, we will: Provide recreation opportunities that are within our capacity to deliver safe drinking water. This is our fundamental principle.'
Because the recreation areas are below the potable water intake, there would be no risk to water quality if the dam were to reopen for public access.
The Minister in charge of SEQ Water is the Hon Ann Leahy, the Minister for Local Government and Water. If you would like to write to her to ask for the Little Nerang Dam to be reopened, click the link below to open an email to her. Add your own comments, sign it, and press Send.
