Where

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

Distance

1.6km one-way

Time suggested

45min - 1hr 15min

Grade

Grade 3

Please note

• Drinking water is not available in this area, so it’s a good idea to bring your own.
• There is limited/no mobile reception in this park
• A current NSW recreational fishing licence is required when fishing in all waters
• It’s a good idea to put sunscreen on before you set out and remember to take a hat
• Remember to take your binoculars if you want to birdwatch

Discover why the locals love living here and take Awaba Bay Foreshore walk. Listen to the birds first thing in the morning, enjoy the views of the sparkling lake, and feel the cool breeze off the water on a warm day.

You’ll hear the call of frogs and the laughter of kookaburras, and see lorikeets and sea eagles above the tree tops – don’t forget your binoculars for birdwatching. As you walk along the shore, perhaps you’ll be lucky enough to spot the beautiful dolphins and green sea turtles that call Lake Macquarie home.

Diverse habitats make this an interesting and varied walk; you’ll pass a swamp complex between Alexanders picnic area and Hepplewhites Shack, as well as tall open forest and the grassy areas of the picnic sites. Take the time to stop at one of these and enjoy the peace of this beautiful place, so special to locals and visitors alike.

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.