From golden sand beaches, to the 174kms of lake shoreline to explore, Lake Macquarie, one of the largest saltwater lakes in the southern hemisphere, is an incredible aquatic playground filled with ways to experience adventure on and off the water. From kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, swimming and surfing to boating and fishing, you’ll find there are so many water activities to enjoy and so much to explore.
Explore Best Beaches Winner Caves Beach 
Caves Beach, named one of the 10 best beaches in Australia in 2025, is famous for its eponymous series of coastal caves that have framed countless sunrise photos and Instagram reels. However, beyond a great photo shoot there are numerous ways to uncover and admire Caves Beach.
Kick of the day with a sunrise surf lesson from, Learn to Surf Newcastle or Women Soulful Surf, which both operate at Caves Beach and Blacksmiths Beach, or grab a coffee and brunch at popular local hotspot Mylo’s. Enjoy your favourite breakfast classic with your feet on the sand and admiring the larger-than-life public artwork, Norfolk by renowned artist Kelly Ann Lees.
To see the caves from the ocean, book in a trip with Coast XP on an Ocean Explorer trip from Swansea to Catherine Hill Bay, or sign-up for a deep fishing charter with Day Trippin Charters and try your hand at reeling in a trophy winning catch.
Leave the everyday in your wake 
Enjoy the freedom of exploring the lake at your own pace by hiring a runabout, day boat or wheelchair-accessible pontoon boat from Lake Mac Watersports at Cams Wharf, or from Trinity Point Marina on the western-side of Lake Macquarie.
Wake up to absolute lakefront views on a houseboat from Lake Macquarie Houseboats in Kilaben Bay, outside Toronto – it’s perfect for families, friends and couples looking for a unique experience.
Join a lake cruise combined with a guided bushwalking tour or a luxury dining experience with CoastXP, or slow down and discover the hidden waterways of the lake on a Loop the Lake cruise from Booragul with Lake Macquarie Cruises – you can also savour a memorable meal on the water during its Lunch on the Lake and Sunset Dinner tours.
Or make your way around the lake in style on a sailing yacht with Sail Lake Macquarie, departing from Trinity Point Marina near Morisset, Silver Sun Sailing in Belmont, or Lake Macquarie Sailing Tours.
Paddle around the shore
With plenty of sheltered inlets and creek mouths dotted along the seemingly endless shoreline, it’s easy to see why Lake Macquarie is a magnet for stand-up paddleboarders and kayakers. Plan your kayaking adventure with our Kayaking Trails e-brochure and launch into the water from one of the public boat ramps around the lake. Popular spots include the ramps at the Thomas H Halton Park at Croudace Bay; Warners Bay Lions Park in Eleebana; and at Speers Point Park. Or head out on your SUP from the shallows of sheltered Swansea Bay Beach at Swansea, Naru Beach Reserve in Marks Point or the foreshore opposite Valentine Bowling Club in Valentine, between Eleebana and Belmont.
Travelling light? You can hire a SUP or kayak from Lake Mac Watersports at Cams Wharf, or Kite and SUP at Warners Bay. Kite and SUP also offers SUP lessons, and rents out wind wings and wind-surfing gear if your prefer the breeze to do most of the hard work.
If it’s speed you’re after, visit Trinity Marina and pick up a e-Flight Board for thrilling way to explore and experience the lake, or meet the team from Propel Flights at Speers Point Park to try electric foilboarding.
The adventure doesn’t have to stop when the sunsets though, Showtime Kayaking runs small group, night-time tours in clear illuminated kayaks, allowing you to see the lake sealife come alive after dark.
Tackle the surf or dip your toes in the lake
Cool off on a warm day with a dip in the lake or on one of the spectacular beaches on Lake Macquarie’s more than 30 kilometers of coastline. Swim between the flags at one of the four patrolled beaches up and down the coast: Redhead Beach, Blacksmiths Beach, Caves Beach and Catherine Hill Bay.
Enjoy a more calm dip at Belmont Baths or newly renovated Toronto Baths, both are netted swimming enclosures with accessible ramps , or at one of the council-run swim centres around the lake. Or take the kids to splash around at shallow lake beaches such as Naru Beach at Marks Point; Pelican Foreshore Park, south of Naru Beach; and Swansea Bay Beach, on the other side of Swansea Channel near the Pirrita Island boardwalk.
Seek out the perfect break at renowned surfing spots like Redhead Beach, Blacksmiths Beach and Nine Mile Beach, as well as at Hams Beach, Caves Beach and Catherine Hill Bay south of the Swansea Channel.
Fish for your supper
Lake Macquarie is a paradise for fishing enthusiasts of all skill levels. Launch your own boat into the water or hop on a fishing charter to experience the thrill of catching some of the more than 280 different fish species, including bream, flathead, snapper and mulloway, not to mention the mighty Australian salmon, that make their home in the lake.
Prefer to keep your feet on solid ground? Grab your fishing rod and cast your line from the picturesque lake foreshore, one of the many public jetties dotted around the shoreline, or the scenic banks of the Swansea Channel. And don’t miss the excitement of the annual catch-and-release fishing competition, Let’s Fish Lake Mac, held every November.