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Australia’s largest coastal saltwater lake just got an upgrade

Credit: Destination NSW

Kassia Byrnes Kassia Byrnes
One of Lake Macquarie’s most popular waterfronts just got a major makeover.

Sweeping surf beaches with unique rock formations, scenic walking tracks, incredible dining options, a laid-back atmosphere: there are plenty of reasons to holiday in Lake Macquarie. But one of the most fascinating features, and the area’s namesake, is Australia’s largest coastal saltwater lake – and the water’s edge just got a $2.8 million makeover.

Exploring the lake

a family walking out onto the old belmont wharf
Take a boat tour, or push out on your own. (Credit: Destination NSW)

This expansive lake cuts a striking, irregular shape through the land. Connected to the Tasman Sea via the Swansea Channel, its calm waters are perfect for watersports. You’ll find plenty of places to hire kayaks or stand-up paddleboards, or join a tour – there are even night-time tour options.

It’s also a renowned boating and sailing destination (whether you’re heading out in your own, or joining a tour), which makes this renewed wharf even more exciting.

“Enjoying the lake is a pivotal part of life in Lake Macquarie, so it’s critical we continue to deliver modern, accessible infrastructure that makes it easy for our community to get on and around the water and do what they love," said Lake Macquarie Mayor, Adam Shultz.

The new Belmont wharf

aerial of the new belmont wharf
The new wharf is longer and better.

For the last 50 years, Belmont has enjoyed a timber jetty, jutting out into the lake. This has quickly become one of the most popular waterfront hubs in the area, offering waterfront dining, scenic walks and biking trails and plenty of watersports.

Now, it’s been upgraded to be longer, stronger and better equipped to weather the elements. Not to mention, a new pump-out facility to help protect the environment (also great news for swimmers diving into the 70-metre netted Belmont Baths).

“This new wharf will serve the community for many years to come, offering a purpose-built place to access activities on the lake and take in the spectacular scenery," said Shultz.

“Lake Macquarie is made for days on the water, and now Belmont Street has a wharf to match," agreed Minister for the Hunter and Member for Swansea Yasmin Catley.

The wharf is a great, scenic stop along the popular seven-kilometre walking/cycling track Green Point Foreshore Reserve. Follow the lake foreshore between Belmont and Valentine, through bushland and ocean boardwalks, learning local history along the way.

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

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Things to do in Belmont

a couple wlaking along Green Point Foreshore Reserve
Follow the seven-kilometre Green Point Foreshore Reserve. (Credit: Destination NSW)

Of course, the new wharf isn’t the only reason to stop in Belmont.

Once a BHP mining site, the Belmont Wetlands take up 240 hectares of a larger coastal reserve. The perfect place for bird watching, with over 140 native and naturalised bird species having been spotted there. Keep your eyes peeled as you follow the Fernleigh Awabakal Shared Track, wandering over raised platforms and walk/cycling paths.

Belmont 16s Sailing Club is popular with locals and visitors for delicious meals served with a side of lake-edge views. There are a few options to choose from. For the best views and casual bites, stop into Martha Drink & Dine, or try fresh seasonal meals at the over-water SALT Kitchen. Just need a coffee fix? Pop into Good One, it’s a local favourite.

The details

bird flying aorund the old belmont wharf
The old wooden wharf stood for just over 50 years. (Credit: Destination NSW)

Where: Brooks Parade, Belmont
When: Open now.

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Kassia Byrnes
Kassia Byrnes is the Native Content Editor for Australian Traveller and International Traveller. She's come a long way since writing in her diary about family trips to Grandma's. After graduating a BA of Communication from University of Technology Sydney, she has been writing about her travels (and more) professionally for over 10 years for titles like AWOL, News.com.au, Pedestrian.TV, Body + Soul and Punkee. She's addicted to travel but has a terrible sense of direction, so you can usually find her getting lost somewhere new around the world. Luckily, she loves to explore and have new adventures – whether that’s exploring the backstreets, bungee jumping off a bridge or hiking for days. You can follow her adventures on Instagram @probably_kassia.
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3 vintage train journeys to step back in time and explore NSW

(Credit: Krista Eppelstun)

    Elizabeth Whitehead Elizabeth Whitehead
    Continue
    From country landscapes to the coast, Vintage Rail Journeys blends the grandeur of the golden age of rail travel with immersive local experiences.

    Travelling aboard the historic Southern Aurora train is the ultimate scenic journey through regional NSW. Operated by Vintage Rail Journeys, the former Southern Aurora is a step back in time, from the lovingly restored carriages to the Off Train Experiences that spotlight local history, artisanal crafts and regional producers.

    Once the overnight express that ferried passengers between Sydney and Melbourne throughout the 1960s, this train has been revived to its former mid-century glory, from the cabin layouts to the original lettering. Today, the train takes passengers on scenic and historic five-day journeys – starting and ending in Sydney – through three distinct regions of NSW: The Riverina, Golden West and North Coast.

    Vintage Rail Journeys Southern Aurora train carriage
    Be transported into the golden age of travel. (Credit: Krista Eppelstun)

    One of the most magical parts of travelling with Vintage Rail Journeys is waking up on the train. Each night, the train stables at a station so guests can enjoy a restful night’s sleep in stillness, before departing again at dawn. Passengers awake to the gentle motion of the carriage, flicking open the blinds to watch the landscape unfold at sunrise. There is no better way to start the day.

    The onboard experience come evening time is just as picturesque. Guests enjoy the all-inclusive food and beverages, nursing cocktails in the Art Deco-inspired lounge carriage or lingering over a three-course dinner in the dining carriage. Outside the window, Eastern grey kangaroos bound across open plains and flocks of cockatoos scatter from the gumtrees. It’s an old-world way of travelling, a slower pace that’s increasingly rare amid the frenzy of modern life. From coastal sojourns to adventures through agrarian landscapes, these are the multi-day Vintage Rail Journeys itineraries transporting guests back in time.

    The Riverina

    Vintage Rail Journeys Southern Aurora train travelling through nsw
    Travel through the agricultural heartland of NSW. (Credit: Krista Eppelstun)

    The Riverina is the agricultural heartland of NSW. Over five days, Vintage Rail Journeys takes passengers through the region to experience its celebrated produce, wines and local history. Travelling in a loop through the Central West, guests can sample sweets at the Junee Liquorice & Chocolate Factory, housed inside a former flour mill, tour an olive grove alongside a second-generation olive farmer, and enjoy tastings at family-owned wineries where the grapes are harvested mere metres away.

    The Riverina is also a region shaped by passionate local historians. The Fairground Follies museum in Bowral houses one of the world’s largest collections of mechanical music and carnival memorabilia – a riot of colour and nostalgia tucked away where you’d least expect it. Meanwhile, Temora Rural Museum offers a glimpse into the history of everyday life in rural NSW. It’s home to the NSW & ACT Ambulance Museum (yes, a museum within a museum), packed with ambulances that span the past 120 years (including horse-drawn!). And seeing it all aboard a vintage train makes it feel not just like you’re visiting history, but living inside of it.

    North Coast

    Forest Sky Pier
    Take in the views from Forest Sky Pier. (Credit: Destination NSW)

    This five-day journey is all about ocean views and slowing down in tune with the rhythm of coastal life. As you make your way north from Sydney, the water is never too far from sight, whether Vintage Rail Journeys is tracing the Gloucester River or travelling alongside sweeping stretches of coastline. You’ll want to sit by a window as the train passes through the Coffs Harbour region – it’s one of the most scenic stretches of the whole journey.

    Guests can also disembark at Coffs Harbour to take in the beauty of the Great Dividing Range at the Forest Sky Pier – a surreal lookout point that looks like a runway disappearing into the sky. The train continues onward to Byron Bay, where guests can disembark to explore the iconic beach town at their own pace. And on the return journey to Sydney, keep your eyes peeled for dolphins – they’re known to frequent the Kooragang Wetlands near Newcastle, which guests visit on a lunch cruise on the final day.

    Golden West

    winery experience in new south wales
    Jump off the train for a winery experience. (Credit: Krista Eppelstun)

    Travelling through the Golden West by rail is like stepping into a Frederick McCubbin painting – a nod to the golden era of rail travel. This five-day journey evokes the era of Australian Impressionism, passing through some of the country’s most painterly landscapes while tracing a path through history.

    Starting in Sydney, the train makes its way to the Hawkesbury River, where the train crosses a historic rail bridge over the bronze, glassy waters below. Guests disembark here to cruise the brackish inlet aboard a historic postal boat before returning to the train to continue into Gold Rush country. Ahead lie grand heritage towns and historic estates, including the 1870s Abercrombie House in Bathurst.

    Special event journeys

    meal onboard Vintage Rail Journeys Southern Aurora train
    Enjoy all-inclusive dining and beverages on the way to special events. (Credit: Krista Eppelstun)

    Regional NSW is home to some truly one-of-a-kind events, and Vintage Rail Journeys offers a memorable way to get there. Planning a trip to the Bathurst Repco 1000? Vintage Rail Journeys’ special itinerary combines accommodation, dining and transport into one seamless experience. Guests take the scenic route to Bathurst, where the train becomes a unique home base for the event, complete with transfers, all-inclusive dining and beverages, and three days of reserved grandstand seating before returning to Sydney Central Station.

    For something a little more playful, guests can also join fellow Elvis enthusiasts on a special overnight journey to Parkes for the town’s iconic annual Elvis Festival. It’s a vintage rail journey – with a little added rock ‘n’ roll.

    Step back into the golden age of rail travel at vintagerailjourneys.com.au.