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Cardinia Reservoir

Cardinia Reservoir

Cardinia Reservoir, a water supply dam that is located East of Melbourne, was built in 1970 and provides water for many suburbs in Melbourne.

The dam was constructed to supplement the dwindling supply of water in the 1960s, following shortages across the city. The choice of site was influenced by the presence of Cardinia Creek that meandered through the well-defined Dandenong Hill Ranges and down to the Western Port Bay. The dam took three years to construct.

Cardinia Reservoir Park Address, Boating, Fishing & Walks

After construction, Cardinia Reservoir took another four years to fill with water, a period of time that saw much of the water sourced from the Silvan Reservoir. At the time, government policy made it mandatory to add fluoride to water supply meant for the public. These advancements, coupled with the soaring demand for water, saw the exportation of bottled water to countries in Europe and America.

As Melbourne’s second-biggest water reservoir, Cardinia Dam also receives water from the Victorian Desalination Plant and this facilitates the supply of water to various parts of Melbourne.

One of the major attractions at Cardinia Reservoir is the stroll across the wall of the dam to behold the sheer enormity of this feat of engineering. The panoramic views, particularly in the morning, offer a stunning view of beautiful photography.

Unfortunately, access to the reservoir for boating or fishing is not permitted. Instead, many people come to the reservoir for long walks, BBQ’s and to watch the many kangaroos that live here. The best time to view the kangaroos is when they feed around dusk. Dogs are permitted in the Reservoir Lake Park but must remain on a leash at all times.

About the author

Michael Jones

Michael created and runs the Dandenong Ranges Point website, as well as the Holiday Point travel brand that incorporates a network of 16 location based travel information and attraction websites around Australia, Asia, and around the world.

With 25+ years of online experience and a passion for travel (having lived in Melbourne most of his life and has visited the Dandenong Ranges many times), Michael not only researches and writes content for the website, he also tinkers behind the scenes with the website functionality & design.

Please reach out if you have any questions or suggestions.

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During daylight saving hours, the park is open via the main gate from 9am - 8pm, and the Red Hill Road gate from 9am - 5pm

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