At a glance
- Hours
- Seven days a week: 5:30am to 6:30pm from September to April, and 6am to 5:30pm from May to August. Seqwater’s mountain bike map (reviewed 2018) says the gates at all car parks close at those times
- Parking
- Seqwater describes “ample car parking” at the dam and does not state a fee or a number of spaces
- Not allowed
- Swimming, motorised boating and camping. Water skiing, jet skiing, wakeboarding and tubing are also banned
- Dogs
- On a leash only, in the Day Use Area (Pocket Park, Picnic Park and Spillway Lookout). Not in the lake, on the foreshore or at the boat ramps
- Fishing
- A Queensland fishing permit is required. Seqwater’s 2022 guide says catch and release only
- Who it’s for
- Families, walkers, paddlers and mountain bikers driving to Hinze Dam, 15 km south-west of Nerang
- What to do now
- Check Seqwater’s recreation and safety notices before you leave, and plan to be back at your car before the gates close
- Last checked
- Tuesday 10 November 2026, against Seqwater’s Hinze Dam pages and its 2022 recreation guide
- Not yet confirmed
- Any parking fee, the number of spaces, and current visitor centre hours (older Seqwater documents give different hours)
Hinze Dam, 15 km south-west of Nerang, is open to the public seven days a week from 5:30am to 6:30pm between September and April, and Seqwater’s mountain bike map says the gates at all car parks close at those times, so leave yourself time to get back to your car. Seqwater says there is no swimming, motorised boating or camping, and that dogs are allowed on a leash only in the Day Use Area. This guide uses Seqwater’s own pages and 2022 recreation guide, checked on Tuesday 10 November 2026.
What are the opening hours at Hinze Dam?
Seqwater’s pages for the dam’s activities, such as dogs on leash at Hinze, give the same opening times for the public.
| Months | Opening hours |
|---|---|
| September to April | 5:30am to 6:30pm, seven days a week |
| May to August | 6am to 5:30pm, seven days a week |
Seqwater’s mountain bike map adds that the gates at all car parks close at these times, so riders should leave enough time to exit the trails. Seqwater’s older guides give opening hours for the visitor centre off Advancetown Road, with a cafe, but they differ from each other, so check with Seqwater before you plan a visit around the centre.
Is there parking at Hinze Dam, and what does it cost?
Seqwater’s Hinze Dam page says the dam has lakeside parks, walking, bike and horse trails, ample car parking, toilets and barbecue areas for public use. It does not give a parking fee or a number of spaces, and the pages we read mention no charge. The 2022 recreation guide refers to an upper car park and a pathway from Picnic Parkland to it, and the guide’s map shows the Day Use Area, Spillway Visitor Centre and Eastern boat ramp as separate points. The one rule that matters for parking is the closing time: Seqwater says the gates at all car parks close at the end of opening hours.
Can I swim, boat or camp at Hinze Dam?
No to swimming, motorised boating and camping, according to the 2022 guide. Electric-powered boats, sail craft and paddle craft are permitted on the lake, and they may be operated only from the Eastern boat ramp and the Western boat ramp. Seqwater’s page on electric boating at the Eastern Boat Ramp says all activities on Seqwater lakes are covered by the Boating Regulations set by Maritime Safety Queensland, and asks boaters to keep a safe distance from other lake users.
| Activity | What Seqwater says |
|---|---|
| Electric boating, sailing, canoeing, kayaking, rowing, stand up paddling | Allowed from the Eastern and Western boat ramps only. Do not launch, retrieve or beach on other land around the lake |
| Water skiing, jet skiing, wakeboarding, tubing | Not permitted |
| Paddling near the dam wall | Do not paddle in exclusion zones or near the dam wall |
| Swimming | Not allowed |
| Camping | Not allowed |
Can I bring my dog to Hinze Dam?
Dogs on leashes are permitted only in the Day Use Area, which Seqwater lists as Pocket Park, Picnic Park and the Spillway Lookout. To protect the drinking water, dogs and other pets must not enter the lake at any time, and they are prohibited from all foreshore areas and boat ramps. Seqwater says dogs must be on a leash at all times, that you may lead a maximum of two dogs at a time, and that you should bring equipment to pick up your dog’s waste and use the bins provided. An exemption applies where an animal is essential to assist a person with an illness or impairment.
What are the fishing rules?
Seqwater’s 2022 guide says a fishing permit is required at Hinze Dam, under the Stocked Impoundment Permit Scheme run by the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, and that permits must be bought before fishing. It lists the places you may fish: from electric-powered, sail or paddle craft on the water, and from the shoreline of the Eastern boat ramp, the Western boat ramp and the paddle craft launch point at the Western boat ramp. Fishing is catch and release only, and the guide advises people not to eat fish from the dam because of naturally occurring mercury, citing a Queensland Health warning. Seqwater’s fishing page says accessing private land to fish is not permitted and asks anglers to dispose of fishing line and hooks properly.
Where can I walk or ride?
The 2022 guide says the dam wall is open for walking and cycling. The Peter Hallinan Mountain Bike Precinct is on the northern side of the dam, accessible via the dam wall, and its entry is off Advancetown Road. Seqwater’s map describes five trails of different lengths and difficulty, open to the public when competitions are not on, and says the trail network may be closed from time to time because of weather, events, maintenance or operational needs. Its map, reviewed in 2018, says dogs and horses are not permitted on those trails, and that riders should wear a helmet. Seqwater’s guide also shows multi-use trails for walking and running, such as the Panorama trail (2.5 km) and the Neranwood trail (2.3 km).
What facilities are there for a picnic?
The Hinze Dam Day Use Area includes Picnic Parkland, Pocket Park and Waterside Park. The 2022 guide says the area has picnic tables, shelters, toilets, free barbecues and a playground, and an interpretive walk with facts about the dam wall, catchment, fish, plants and wildlife. It lists picnic spots at Picnic Parkland, Pocket Park, Waterside Park and the Western boat ramp. Seqwater asks visitors to leave facilities as they found them, to put litter in bins or take it with them, and to watch for snakes, particularly in the warmer months.
What is the dam doing right now?
Hinze Dam is the main drinking water supply for the Gold Coast, according to Seqwater, and it is an un-gated dam, so when it reaches 100 per cent capacity, water flows over the spillway. Seqwater’s page for the dam showed the volume at 312,068 ML at 5am on 10 November 2026 against a full supply volume of 310,730 ML, and marked the dam as spilling. Seqwater offers a free dam release notification service and a public safety app.
Sources
- Seqwater — Hinze Dam (checked 10 November 2026)
- Seqwater — Dog on leash area at Hinze (checked 10 November 2026)
- Seqwater — Electric boating at the Eastern Boat Ramp (checked 10 November 2026)
- Seqwater — Fishing at Western Boat Ramp (checked 10 November 2026)
- Seqwater — Recreation Guide 2022, Hinze Dam (reviewed March 2022)
- Seqwater — Hinze Dam, Peter Hallinan Mountain Bike Precinct map (reviewed July 2018)
Featured image: the Hinze Dam wall, park and path in Advancetown, photographed in January 2016 (photo: Shiftchange / CC0) (text added)
OZ Local Updates is an independent local guide and is not affiliated with Seqwater or the Queensland Government. Hours, rules and closures can change, so check Seqwater’s recreation and safety notices before you go.