Lake Canobolas, formerly known as Meadow Creek Dam across the Molong Creek, is located approximately to the southwest of Orange, below Mount Canobolas, an extinct volcano and one of the highest peaks between the Blue Mountains and Perth. Between 1918 and 1957, the dam was managed by Canobolas Shire Council and used for water supply to the town of Orange. Since that time the administration of the area surrounding Lake Canobolas and the dam were taken over by the Orange City Council and were developed for recreational purposes. The area of now comprises the lake, an earth sanctuary, a nature reserve, and a Scout Camp and lies within the Cabonne Shire.