11 Free Things to do in Lake Macquarie
11 Free Things to do in Lake Macquarie is your go to guide for having a fun family holiday without blowing the budget. It includes a guide to Lake Macquarie beaches, bushwalks, parks and art trails.
Explore the Sea Caves at Caves Beach
Caves Beach is absolutely gorgeous sandy surf beach. It is patrolled from September to April. The surf lifesaving club has a cafe and there is free parking available at the top of the hill before you walk down to the beach.
“Where are the caves?” you ask. When you arrive at the beach, turn south and walk down the beach along the cliffs. You will find a network of sea caves are best explored at low tide. You can go right inside the caves, some of the caves form tunnels that you can walk right through. When I was there, the sea was very calm and I found a cave that I could swim through. Take care and do so at your own risk.
There are also lots of rockpools to explore and tidal pools to swim in.
If you walk north, you will get to the dog friendly Hams Beach.
Spend the Day at the Beach
Lake Macquarie has many patrolled surf beaches where you can soak up the sun, swim or catch a wave.
- Catherine Hill Bay is located on the southern side of Swansea and has the remains of a historic jetty. Great backdrop for your instagram photos.
- Caves Beach – see above.
- Hams Beach – dog friendly but not patrolled
- Blacksmiths Beach is home to the Newcastle Surf School so you know that the waves must be beginner friendly.
- Redhead Beach is located at the northern end of 9mile beach. It has a surf club where you can grab a coffee and take in the dramatic red cliffs and the historic shark lookout tower.
There is also a creek that runs across the beach which is great for kids to paddle. It also has an area that is off leash for dogs. Beach wheelchairs are available on weekends during the patrol season.
- Dudley Beach is a secluded unpatrolled beach accessed from the Glenrock State Conservation Area. Explore its unspoiled wilderness, rock platforms, rockpools and surfing. Avoid swimming as there are strong rips.
- Grannies Beach is a swimming lagoon at the southern end of Blacksmiths Beach. Great for little kids to paddle in the water.
Walk or Ride Around the Lake
Walk the Fernleigh Track
Stretch your legs on The Fernleigh Track. The 15km long shared pathway from Adamstown to Belmont follows along the old rail corridor through cool forest, sensational sand dunes and dense wetlands. Along the way, discover stories of the railway’s past as the track passes old stations and other railway relics.
It has easy gradients and suitable for all fitness levels. There are numerous entry points which you can find in the map.
Fernleigh Track Map (PDF)
Creative Lake Sculpture Trail
Take a stroll along the Lake Macquarie foreshore and be intrigued by the creative sculptures along the way.
Stretching 5km from Speers Point via Warners Bay to Eleebana along the foreshore, you’ll discover an eclectic collection of contemporary artworks – from sculptures to conceptual installations and 3D murals – by Australian and international artists including Guan Wei, Guy Maestri, Alex Seton, Naidee Changmoh and Antone Bruinsma. Walk, bike and even rollerblade between the sites via the Warners Bay Foreshore Shared Pathway, or drive between them with on and some off-street parking available.
Meander through the Markets
The Homegrown Markets are held at Speers Point Park on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month featuring over 120 stalls. You’ll find everything from gifts, artworks and fashion through to homewares and produce.
Warners Bay Markets are held along the foreshore promenade on Saturdays from 9am – 1pm. Check out this link for dates
Pelican Foreshore Markets are held on the 1st Saturday of the month from 9am – 1pm at Pelican Foreshore Park. It has over 100 stalls with growers, produces and artisans.
Fishing
It’s home to 80 different fish species including mulloway, bream, dusky flathead, tailor, squid, luderick, sand whiting, yellowtail kingfish and Australian salmon.
Make sure you have your fishing licence (kids under 18 do not need a fishing licence) Recreational fishing licence | Service NSW and Get the FishSmart app | Service NSW. It shows you where you are and where the marine parks are, and the legal size and number of each species for sustainable fishing.
Try these popular fishing spots to cast a line.
Swansea Channel – target dusky flathead, bream, whiting and luderick. In the cooler months there can be huge schools of Australian Salmon. Actually, you can catch absolutely anything here. Once I caught an enormous octopus, it chased me all around the tinny. The kids thought it was hilarious!
Belmont Bay – there is a boardwalk and pier that you can fish from. You can catch bream, flathead and snapper.
Shingle Splitters Point is great for shore fishing for flathead and whiting.
Wangi Wangi is located on the west side of the lake and has several jetties to catch flathead and bream.
Caves Beach is known for luderick, bream and drummer. Remember to keep your eyes on the ocean when rock fishing.
Speers Point Park
Play at Speers Point Park on the most epic kids’ playgrounds. Kids can cycle on the bicycle track complete with traffic signs, slide down huge slippery dips, climbing rockets, sail pirate ships and so much more. There is a sensory section, a section for smaller children and a larger section for bigger kids.
There is a cafe for parents who don’t want to play, BBQ and picnic facilities.
Be amazed by the skiff sailing
Most Saturday afternoons from September to March, the Lake around Belmont becomes alive with 16ft skiff sailing. These 3man skiffs with huge brightly coloured spinnakers race out of Belmont 16s. You can watch the race from the club balcony whilst enjoying a beer or glass of wine or get up closer to the action at Green Point as the skiffs hug the shore. After the race, head to Belmont 16s where you can walk around the boats and meet the crews. Hang around and enjoy alfresco dining on the balcony whilst the sun sets over the water.
Browse Antiques at Teralba
Teralba is located on the northern end of Lake Macquarie. Follow the road around from Speers Point Park and cross Five Islands Bridge. How many pelicans can you count on the bridge? Just after the bridge, turn right and you will find Teralba, a quirky little town with the main street covered in art and lots of unusual antique shops and curiosities. It’s worth a wander and a browse.
Watch the Swansea Bridge Open
A fun thing to do with kids is to watch the Swansea Bridge open to let the boats pass through. Up until June 2025, the bridge would open at scheduled times. Now the boats have to pre-book an opening time. So, it’s a bit of a lottery if the bridge will open, but if it does, it is on the hour.
Lake Macquarie is bursting with natural beauty, local charm, and plenty of free activities that prove you don’t need to spend big to make lasting memories. Whether you’re chasing waves, strolling along coastal trails, or soaking upthe laid-back vibes of the Lake, there’s something here for everyone.
Loved these ideas? Be sure to check out our other posts for more travel tips, hidden gems and local favourites around Lake Macquarie and beyond. Just follow the links below to keep the adventure going!
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