Revel in a sense of freedom as the sails of your boat flap and fill and you begin to surge across the largest coastal saltwater lake in the country. Whether you want to enjoy a skippered yacht cruise during your visit or bring your yacht to this renowned sailing destination, there are plenty of secluded bays and inlets to discover across the lake’s 110 square kilometres of sheltered waters.
Get out on the water
Make the most of your holiday in Lake Macquarie by chartering a skippered yacht for a private sailing excursion. Sail Lake Macquarie, which operates from Trinity Point Marina near Morisset, offers breakfast and twilight cruises on its beautiful Bénéteau Oceanis 48-foot luxury cruising yacht MR. You can charter the MR for a three-hour private tour of the lake, with drinks and a grazing board, or splash out on a private romantic cruise for tour and toast your loved one with champagne.
Gather 12 of your closest and dearest for a memorable group outing onto the lake with Lake Macquarie Sailing Charters, which sails from Lake Macquarie Yacht Club in Belmont or Belmont Wharf. Take a two-hour or four-hour sightseeing cruise on the luxury racing yacht Margarita, or extend your charter for a couple more hours and choose your own aquatic adventure. Or take an indulgent
Sailing on Lake Macquarie is for everyone: the non-profit organisation Sailability operates sailing programs for people with physical and intellectual disabilities at Belmont 16s in Belmont and Toronto Amateur Sailing Club in Toronto – contact Sailability for more information.
Enjoy all the action from the shore
Lake Macquarie has produced a number of world-class sailors, including successful Olympians, and it’s easy to see why as you watch a flotilla of local sailors taking advantage of strong, consistent winds to hone their racing skills.
Thrill to the sight of massed vessels competing during the regattas and state, national and international sailing competitions regularly hosted by sailing clubs around the lake, including Toronto Amateur Sailing Club, Royal Motor Yacht Club and Wangi Wangi Amateur Sailing Club on the western side of the lake, and Belmont 16s and Lake Macquarie Yacht Club on the eastern shore. You might like to time your visit for one of these exciting events – check out the Lake Macquarie Sailing Calendar for details of upcoming races – and take in the spectacle from vantage points like the Toronto Foreshore Reserve, the foreshores around Warners Bay and Speers Point, and Croudace Bay near Belmont.
Slip into a marina
You can bring your yacht into the lake via the Swansea Channel – the Swansea Bridge opens on a regular schedule on weekends and public holidays, and you can request the bridge be opened at other times.
Linger in the lake by berthing at Empire Marina Lake Macquarie, one of the largest marinas in the state. This pretty marina, on the western side of the lake at Marmong Point next to the Museum of Art and Culture, yapang, can host vessels up to 20 metres in length and offers shipwright and boatyard services, including boat detailing.
At Trinity Point Marina, also on the western side of the lake at Morisset, you can organise an overnight berth for vessels up to 30 metres in length, or take advantage of the complimentary three-hour visitors berth to enjoy a delicious lunch at the marina’s refined 8 at Trinity restaurant.
Or moor at the compact Marks Point Marina at Marks Point near Belmont, which offers a self-contained two-bedroom apartment if you’d like to spend the night on dry land.