Lake Macquarie (New South Wales)

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Lake Macquarie (pronounced "ma-KWORRy") is Australia's largest coastal saltwater lake, covering an area of 110 km² near the city of Lake Macquarie, New South Wales. It is saltwater due to being connected to the Pacific Ocean by a narrow but short channel. The land separating it from the ocean is only a few kilometres wide along most of its length. The lake is of irregular shape and in the middle of the lake is an island, (Pulbah Island), popular for camping. There is no point on the coast from which you can see the entire expanse or its 150km foreshore. However, a good view can be obtained from lookouts in the nearby Watagan Mountains.

Lake Macquarie was discovered in 1800 by Captain William Reid. Reid had been sent from Sydney to retrieve a load of coal from Newcastle Harbour (the Hunter River). Reid took a wrong turn and found himself in a lake rather than a river, with no coal to be seen anywhere. The name "Reid's Mistake" was kept until 1826, when it was renamed in honour of Governor Lachlan Macquarie. The Indigenous Australian name was Awaba Lake.[1]

Recreational fishing is improving as fish stocks respond to the recent removal of commercial fishing and the significant increase in water quality that has come from a concerted environmental program undertaken by the state government and council. Since settlement lake-bed silt has increased in some areas due to unsealed roads, road shoulders and diffuse effects of urbanisation, however the quantity is far less than in nearby Lake Munmorah, and swimming is quite tolerable. Average water depth is approx. 8m reaching a max. of approx. 15m east of Pulbah Island.

Sailing and Yacht racing is popular, boasting multiple Yacht Clubs such as the following:

• Lake Macquarie Yacht Club, Belmont [2]
• Belmont 16ft Sailing Club [3]
• Royal Motor Yacht Club of NSW, Toronto
• Marmong Pt Sailing Club
• South Lake Macquarie Amateur Sailing Club
• Speers Point Amateur Sailing Club
• Teralba Amateur Sailing Club
• Wangi RSL Amateur Sailing Club

Recently, much attention has focused upon Blacksmiths Beach, due to its secluded nature and excellent surfing beach. It is anticipated this area of Lake Macquarie will undergo a great deal of population growth in the following decade.