Lake Macquarie NSW 

It’s remarkable how green the grass can be on the other side of the fence, with Lake Macquarie NSW being a prime example for the locals who enjoy its waters yet perhaps never fully appreciate the bounty of natural gifts.

I’m among them, as I’ve swum, sailed, skied, slept and fished on the Lake all my life while never really considering it a holiday destination. But a visit with a RAM TRX and Whittley 2180CR in tow, along with a holiday cabin just 35 minutes from home, changed all that.

For the first time, I viewed the waterway through a tourist’s lens and loved what I saw.

Green isn’t the only colour associated with the lake, of course. There’s the sapphire blue of its channel waters, lapping golden sand islets and ringed by the moonstone tones of a rock shoreline. Sunsets are garnet and amber.

The waterway’s character varies enormously too, which isn’t surprising for the largest coastal saltwater lake in the Southern Hemisphere. Dimension-wise, it stretches 24km and has a circumference of 170km. The surface area, 120sq km, is twice that of Sydney Harbour.

A city has sprouted around the lake, with 90-plus towns and villages. Some 215,000 people call it home, 35,000 of whom hold boat licences. There are 30 public boat ramps in all, and a similar number of jetties.

First up is Swansea Bar, where lifejackets are a must. Marine Rescue Lake Macquarie’s radio centre overlooks the Heads and its boat base is at Pelican, further up the channel. Once inside, there are courtesy moorings on the eastern side of Swansea Bridge to await a bridge opening – phone Marine Rescue on (02) 4971 3498 or radio them.

Tide flow in the western channel is significant, and bear in mind that there’s a one-hour tidal difference between the Heads and bridge. At the “drop over”, 5km upstream where the channel meets the lake, the variation is three hours.

Much of Lake Macquarie’s foreshore is rocky or pebbly, the notable exception being the sandy beaches and islands around Pelican and Marks Point. This is runabout and jet ski heaven.

Cruising boats tend to head to Pulbah Island, a nature reserve covering 70ha and largely lined by boulders and rocky outcrops. It remains sacred to the local Awabakal people, however you can go ashore and stretch your legs.

The lake generally offers good holding and there are numerous courtesy moorings sprinkled along both the eastern and western shorelines. If you prefer a marina berth or commercial mooring, head to Marmong Point’s Empire Marine Lake Macquarie, Marks Point, Trinity Point or Wyee Bay.

Testament to its down-to-earth character, one thing you won’t find is 5-star resort-style living. Four stars, yes, and waterfront B&B options abound.

Lake Macquarie City Council runs three holiday parks on the eastern shore – Belmont, Blacksmiths and Swansea – along with the western side’s Wangi Point, where I enjoyed a two-night stay in a modest yet comfortable two-bedroom cabin surrounded by bushland and wildlife.

A wide concrete pad enabled my 13m RAM/Whittley combo to be easily parked next to the cabin, and nature has provided a rock ramp opposite the holiday park, which suffices for tinnies but lacks the depth for heavier fibreglass boats.

Leave the boat at home for a day, tuck a picnic basket in the car, and head to the Watagan Mountains that rise 640m over Lake Macquarie. There are waterfalls, swimming holes, hiking and biking trails plus lookouts and picnic spots galore, all linked by dirt roads.

Especially with a TRX at your disposal, it would be a sin not to explore this Hunter hinterland. Even for locals, it doesn’t come much greener, although so many and varied are Lake Macquarie’s hues that no two days or places will ever look or feel the same.

Visitor Information: visit the Official Lake Macquarie tourism website

Accomodation: Lake Mac Holiday Parks

Read the full story in the Vol 38.2 April-May Club Marine Magazine.

SUBSCRIBE TO CLUB MARINE MAGAZINE.