Lake Macquarie cruise and nature walk
Lake Macquarie State Conservation Area
Open, check current alerts
Overview
Step aboard CoastXP’s custom-built adventure boat for an all-inclusive lake cruise and nature walk near Newcastle. You’ll journey around Lake Macquarie, which is the largest permanent saltwater lake in the Southern Hemisphere.
- When
- Contact CoastXP for tour dates.
- Accessibility
- No wheelchair access
- Grade
- Medium. The walking track is hard-packed ground with mostly gentle hills. There are some short, steeper sections with 20 steps in the southern part of the walk. Suitable for adults and children over 8.
- Price
- Contact CoastXP for pricing information.
- Meeting point
- Speers Point Public Jetty, Speers Point.
- Bookings
- Bookings required. Please book online.
- Availability
- Available on request. Email or call CoastXP on 1300 852 682 for more information.
This big day out with CoastXP begins on the water at Speers Point. You’ll cruise around the idyllic bays, beaches and islands of Lake Macquarie before alighting at Wangi Peninsula for a guided bushwalk along Wangi Circuit walking track.
The 2km stroll through Lake Macquarie State Conservation Area gives you a closer look at eroded sandstone caves and eucalypt bushland. Then you’ll kick back on the lakeshore with a catered lunch and sightlines over Pulbah Island Nature Reserve.
Throughout the day, your CoastXP guides will share insights about maritime and World War II history, Aboriginal heritage and local geology. The trusty adventure boat will ferry you back to Speers Point to round out the day.
Coast XP is a licensed commercial tour operator with a Parks Eco Pass.
Local alerts
For the latest updates on fires, closures and other alerts in this area, see https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/things-to-do/guided-tours/lake-macquarie-cruise-and-nature-walk/local-alerts
Operated by
Park info
- in Lake Macquarie State Conservation Area in the Sydney and surrounds and North Coast regions
Lake Macquarie State Conservation Area is always open but may have to close at times due to extreme weather or fire danger.
Visitor info
All the practical information you need to know about Lake Macquarie cruise and nature walk.
Getting there and parking
Contact CoastXP for directions.
Parking
Contact CoastXP for parking information.
Maps and downloads
Accessibility
Disability access level - no wheelchair access
Not wheelchair accessible.
Learn more
Lake Macquarie cruise and nature walk is in Lake Macquarie State Conservation Area. Here are just some of the reasons why this park is special:
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.
- Alexanders picnic area This very peaceful picnic area with scenic views, at the southern end of Awaba Bay Foreshore walk is the perfect spot to rest after a bushwalk along beautiful Lake Macquarie - indulge in birdwatching, picnicking, and relaxing among the diverse habitats.
- Marmong picnic area Marmong picnic area is an idyllic place to picnic by the lake, with opportunities for walking, swimming, boating, paddlnig, fishing and birdwatching within Lake Macquarie State Conservation Area.
- Wangi circuit walking track Take a peaceful bushwalk through towering forests to the shores of Lake Macquarie on Wangi circuit walking track, with wonderful scenic views of Pulbah Island, birdwatching and picnicking opportunities, and even sea turtles to see.
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.
- Alexanders picnic area This very peaceful picnic area with scenic views, at the southern end of Awaba Bay Foreshore walk is the perfect spot to rest after a bushwalk along beautiful Lake Macquarie - indulge in birdwatching, picnicking, and relaxing among the diverse habitats.
- Awaba Bay Foreshore walk Take a stroll along the shores of Lake Macquarie on Awaba Bay Foreshore walk, enjoying the spectacular scenic lake views while birdwatching and keeping an eye out for dolphins and green sea turtles.