Located 39km south west of Ravenshoe is one of Queensland's best kept sweetwater secrets.
Koombooloomba Dam was constructed in 1961 on the Tully River system for hydroelectric power generation. It has a surface area of 1550 hectares, has an average depth of 12.9 meters and holds some 200 700 mega-litres of water when full.

Road and conditions: Tully Falls Road. 39km from Ravenshoe to the dam. First 10/15km is a leasurely drive through bushland and residents, on a good bitumen road. Next 7/8 is driving through heavy dense rainforest on a windy,
wet bitumen road. Thick fog will always be encountered, so light on low beam, NOT HIGH. Drive carefully through here. Remaining road is dirt and only needs any more then an inch of rain to turn the road into a hazard.
Again, fog is a problem. Fallen trees can be a problem also, so bring a rope to tow it off the road.

Facilities: Self Composting toilets, single lane boat ramp. Small craft can be transfered onto water with ease. Mates and i have also built a BBQ near the bare batch around the toilets. Great camping spot. Well grassed and
maintained.

Boating: Single dirt ramp, but as i said, small craft can be on water with ease. No speed limit, and no restrictions. If ski-ing, or fishing, be carefull around the timbered area's of Koombooloomba - these area's are just as dangerous overhead as they are under the boat, so dont go raging into the place.

Fis : Sooty Grunter, Barramundi, Spangled Perch, Redclaw, Sleepy Cod, and the very few and far between Saratoga.
Koombooloomba Dam is also home to the quite rare Lake Eacham Rainbowfish (Melanotaenia eachamensis).

Lures/techniques: Barra will take lures and livebaits. Sooties will also take lures and a variety meaty baits (ox-heart). Best to bring a wide range of lures for the Sooties, shallow runners and spinnerbaits are tops. For the
barra, id stick to the bombers and 'the usual' (Rob Gaden's, Vipers blah blah blah). Use your sounder for depth readings... some of the timbered area's can trick you with depth. Some spots in the place are mighty deep,
and some are mighty shallow.

Notes: Dam surrounded by Rainforest. Extremely clear water, so bright lures will work a treat. Plenty of timber at the tail end of the dam, and plenty of rocky outbreaks towards the wall end. Water levels can vary, of course Koomba' is for hydro purposes and the dam must always be flowing out for the Tully River, but levels can change quick. Biggest thing to note, would be the road. Get reports from Rangers of locals first, then have a go. If your towing a boat and trailer, take care. If your towing a caravan, then best to get it airlifted into the place. you will have a nightmare. Theo Davis

Related Links
Water Level Link - Stanwell Corp
Cassowary Coast Regional Map - pdf format

Koombooloomba Dam Map