Tucked away just past the sea caves at Caves Beach is a coastal walk which showcases the gorgeous cliffs and landscape of the area. You’ll stumble upon Spoon Rock Bay and the break wall that protects it. Discover scenic views right into Newcastle, and appreciate our unique Pinny Beach with it’s coarse, pebbly sand. The Caves Beach walk along the coast to Pinny Beach is a great family walk with a lookout and many spots along the way to take in the view.
Getting started
Take the left hand turn at the Swansea round-a-bout and make your way up Park Avenue and turn right onto Caves Beach Rd. The entry to the walk can be found adjacent to Copper Valley Close.
You’ll find a wide open space and a locked gate, which is to stop any vehicles from entry. This is your starting point for the walk. The path is pebbled and relatively flat for about 500m around to Spoon Rock Bay.
Stinky Point & Spoon Rock Bay
Your first stop at Stinky Point will give you a taste of the view to come. Then once you capture a glimpse of Spoon Rock Bay you’ll be kicking yourself if you didn’t bring your swimmers. This is a gorgeous protected bay that’s perfect for kids. The breakwater (break wall), which was built many years ago by a coal company, provides perfect protection.
Read all about Spoon Rock Bay here: A slice of paradise at Spoon Rock Bay.
Coastal walking trail
If you stick to the scenic route, the coastal walking trail has lots to offer. Weaving it’s way up the cliff from Spoon Rock Bay the ground changes from the pebbled path to a natural trail.
You’ll find some sections of the trail that have very uneven ground, so be sure to wear good walking shoes and not thongs. There also isn’t a lot of shade, so broad brim hats, sunscreen and plenty of water are also essential.
This trail is about 1 hour round trip, but you can take it further if you’re up for it. You can actually go all the way through to Catherine Hill Bay! We found this was plenty for the kids and they welcomed a swim when we came back to the bay.
Spoon Rock Lookout
Once you’ve climbed up the cliff you’ll have reached Spoon Rock Lookout. It’s the perfect spot to stop, take in the view, and have a drink and snacks. You can see in the distance Redhead and almost right into Newcastle on a clear day.
This is a great vantage point for spotting humpback whales during their migration up the coast and on their way back down South.
Quarries Head & Pinny Beach
The lookout is your high point, then it’s a slight decline as you make your way down to an open headland called Quarries Head. From here you have prime view of Pinny Beach. As you can see from the size of the waves, we saw it on a day with a really big swell.
Pinny beach has coarse sand and a steep drop off into the water, so it’s not the ideal swimming beach and it’s NOT patrolled as well. However, as you can see, the view is spectacular across Pinny Beach over to the next headland.
This was as far as we went before the kids started talking about heading back for a swim.
Pinny Beach development
In November 2019, the Newcastle Herald reported the Pinny Beach project was going ahead. Apparently, Murray’s Beach was the first development of 7 that has gone ahead, with Pinny Beach part of the Master Plan. If the development gets approved, it is apparently going to be the “most exclusive and secluded developments of the Hunter”.
Lake Macquarie family walks
The Caves Beach walk to Pinny Beach is suitable for most families. Toddlers might find it a bit much so I wouldn’t recommend. For older kids it’s a medium level trail, even if you just go up to the lookout, it’s a great family walk. My kids had no problems with it and at the time they were 8 and 10. Definitely no strollers, prams or wheelchair access for this one.
The day we went it was quite hot, so we packed towels, and some beach gear to go for a swim at Spoon Rock Bay on the way back.
Hot tip: bring thongs for the kids to walk back to the car after a swim. The pebbled path is hard on the feet, especially in the hot weather. They won’t want to put shoes and socks back on after their swim.
Get out and about this weekend.
If you want to check out some more family friendly walks in Lake Mac, click through to our Out & About section.
This article is proudly sponsored by..
