Sitting in the hills above our accommodation in Derby is a hulking grey relic of the towns mining past which is today being overgrown by the forest which surrounds it, Mt Paris Dam.

Mt Paris dam rises through the forest majestically as you approach

Built by hand between 1935 and 1936 to hold back the Cascade River so that the water could be used for the Mt Paris Tin Mine located some 11km away. Today it is a great afternoon or morning destination for visitors to Derby.

When full the dam held about 1300 megalitres and covered almost 21 hectares of the side of the mountain.

To get to the dam from your cabin you can either take the turnoff between Branxholm and Derby, or head up the road which leads from just across from the pub in Weldbough.

Mt Paris Dam during construction. 70 men built the structure, working in rough conditions.

Coming from the Branxholm turnoff it is a 13km drive uphill through beautiful towering forest until you reach a small turnoff on your left hand side. Suitable for 2wd vehicles (although watch in very wet weather) there is a small parking area from which its just a short walk down to where the main section of the dam is.

Empty since the 1970’s, in 1985 a hole was blasted through the middle of dam wall allowing the river to flow once again through a scenic gully. It’s here we recommend spending time exploring along the stream and the edge of the surrounding Eucalyptus, Myrtle and Blackwood forest.