Lake Awoonga, Reservoir in Queensland, Australia

Lake Awoonga is a reservoir on the Boyne River near Benaraby, about 30 km from Gladstone. Its dam is a rock-fill embankment over 650 m long and 54.4 m high, with a concrete upstream face and a downstream slope divided into thick vertical ribs. The wall holds back 777,000 megalitres at full supply level.

The first dam on the Boyne River was a 12-metre concrete weir built in the early 1950s and raised by 6 metres soon after. In the 1980s Thiess Brothers rebuilt it as a rockfill embankment with a concrete upstream face, completed in March 1985. A third raising in 2002 brought the full supply level to 40 metres AHD.

Lake Awoonga is stocked each year with about 200,000 fish, mostly barramundi plus some mangrove jack, bred at the Gladstone Area Water Board hatchery. Anglers come for barramundi in the 10–25 kg range; the largest recorded, in November 2008, weighed 36.5 kg. The lake is one of the few Australian reservoirs holding mangrove jack, with more than 50,000 released.

The lake has picnic areas, boat ramps, and parking available at several locations including accessible facilities for visitors with disabilities. Walking trails suit different fitness levels, and camping options range from basic to more comfortable accommodations nearby.

The lake is known for barramundi, a large fish that draws anglers from across the region seeking to catch this prized species. Early mornings offer the best chances to spot wildlife like kangaroos and wading birds coming to the shore for water.