Type

Picnic areas

Where

Lake Macquarie State Conservation Area in Sydney and surrounds, North Coast

What to
bring

Drinking water, sunscreen, hat, binoculars

Please note

There is limited mobile reception in this park.

Nestled in the bush within Lake Macquarie State Conservation Area, you’ll find idyllic Marmong picnic area. It’s perfect for families and those looking for a moment of serenity by the lake, yet there’s also plenty to do.

It’s a beautiful spot to stop for a bite to eat while bushwalking along Awaba Bay Foreshore walk. With an abundance of birdlife, it’s also a great place to get out the binoculars for a bit of birdwatching. You can also enjoy a refreshing swim in the lake or throw in a line and try your luck fishing. It's a great paddling destination if you have your own kayak or canoe and, if you’re out on the water, you might catch a glimpse of a dolphin or a sea turtle.

For those who just want to relax, there's plenty of soft, grassy patches to spread out a blanket, admire the scenic views across the lake and laze away the day under the trees with a good book.

For directions, safety and practical information, see visitor info

Visitor info

Maps and downloads

Learn more

Activities galore

Whatever pace you like to take life at, there's stacks to do on Lake Macquarie. Kayak the serene waters, meander along Awaba Bay Foreshore walk or try Wangi circuit walking track for a gorgeous helping of nature. Picnic at Alexanders, throw a line over your boat, or take things a little bit faster with some waterskiing.

An important place

The plentiful nature and beauty of this area have made it a special place for thousands of years. The Awabakal Aboriginal people were the original inhabitants, enjoying plant foods such as cabbage palm and lillypilly, and shellfish like pipis, cockles, mussels, whelks, and oysters collected from rock platforms, the lake's foreshore, and beaches. Local people caught fish with lines or spears, or trapped them in weirs built at the entrance of tidal channels. The beautiful Pulbah Island is considered sacred by the Awabakal People.

Holidaying history

The special atmosphere of Lake Macquarie has long drawn holidaymakers. A ferry service between Wangi Wangi Point and Toronto led to a growth in tourism in the 1910s and 1920s, and a number of swimming enclosures and guesthouses catered for the area's many visitors. Miners came to Wangi Wangi Point from the Cessnock coalfields, and it became a tent city during December and January when the mines closed for Christmas. You can still stay at Wangi Wangi Point in the Tourist Park.

Wonderful wildlife, diverse habitats

The animals love it here too, making their home among the diverse habitats. Green sea turtles, dolphins, sugar and squirrel gliders, and kangaroos all call the park their home. If you look up, you'll find sea eagles, kookaburras, lorikeets, and the threatened pied oystercatcher in the trees and sky above the lake. On bushwalks, look out for lovely orchids, spectacular wattles, and coastal banksia.