Lake Morris & Copperlode Falls Dam.

Australia’s tropical city on the northeast coast - Cairns - is blessed to have sources of pristine drinking water due to vast mountainous catchment areas surrounded in virgin rainforest.

Visitors to Cairns can discover the source of this drinking water by taking a 30-minute scenic drive through the rainforest from Cairns City to Lake Morris.

Head out of the city on the Cairns Western Arterial Road (Reservoir Rd) and turn left up Lake Morris Rd. One of best city lookouts is just a short distance along this road.

Continue on the windy road where the rainforest literally envelopes you. The road can be somewhat of an obstacle course with fallen tree branches and debris covering the road. Drive slowly, enjoy the forest and take care on hidden corners, as cyclists frequently use the road for hill-climb training.

Lake Morris is an artificial lake formed in the late 1970’s behind the Copperlode Falls Dam. The beautiful lake covers 332 hectares and stores 37,000 megalitres of water.

At the end of the road to Lake Morris visitors are greeted with lake and dam lookouts, picnic areas and interpretative signage. Toilet facilities are available. On a hot day, at an elevation of 400 metres, the area is some 4 or 5 degrees cooler than the coastal area of Cairns.

Copperlode Falls Dam was built near the headwaters of Freshwater Creek, which visitors can enjoy in the lower reaches at Crystal Cascades in the Redlynch Valley. Freshwater Creek also runs through Goomboora Park in Brinsmead, a popular place for people to bring their dogs to run free.

Hikers can walk the 3 km trail from near Lake Morris downhill to connect with the Crystal Cascades.

Cairns is a growing city. In 2022 its population was approximately 165,000 but is projected to grow to 265,000 by 2050. The city has an abundant supply of pure drinking water, especially due to the foresight of engineers who perceived the building of the Copperlode Falls Dam as early as 1935.