If you think you’ve seen most of Lake Macquarie, then think again. There are so many hidden bays and gorgeous landscapes still to explore. Myuna Bay is one of them. Its Aboriginal meaning is ‘clear water’ and that’s exactly what we found.
This bay is absolutely breathtaking and with shallow water, it’s perfect for stand-up paddleboarding! Bring a picnic rug and morning tea and enjoy the atmosphere. Don’t forget your walking shoes, because only a short distance from this foreshore the kids can have some fun spotting turtles!
Getting to Myuna Bay
Coming from the Toronto direction, once you’ve passed the Wangi Wangi turn-off, on Wangi Road, you’re looking out for the Myuna Bay Rest Area. There is a turn-off on the left-hand side, just past the playground. This is the parking area for the walk.
You’ll find toilets here and a playground, it’s the perfect place to have a picnic and immerse yourself in the tranquility of Myuna Bay. You can bring your dog on this walk as long as it’s on a lead. The trail is pretty flat, but it’s not paved, so a 3-wheel pram would be the best choice.
For the walk itself, it’s only about a 15 min walk to turtle spotting. We explored the area, stopped for some morning tea, and took just over an hour for our visit.
Myuna Bay trail
This gorgeous walking trail starts at the end of the parking area where the gate is.
On the right-hand side, you’ll be able to see the old Myuna Bay Sport & Recreation Centre through the trees, which was closed down in March 2019. Plans for its relocation to a safer area are underway with an estimated reopening date of 2023.
You’ll come to a white wooden bridge, which crosses over the entrance to Whiteheads Lagoon. The lagoon was named after a Frenchman who tried to grow grapes in the area.
On the left-hand side, set amount the trees, is the Myuna Bay Scout Camp. What an amazing spot! Have a walk around, and explore the shoreline up to the entrance of the Eraring Outlet.
Eraring outlet & footbridge
The Eraring Power Station opened in 1984, and at one point supplied up to 1/3 of total electricity to NSW.
The power station uses cold water from the lake to cool its turbines. It draws the water at night, then returns it back during the day via the outlet. When you reach the outlet, you’ll see the water gushing out, especially as you cross the footbridge. The returning water is warm, so this could be the reason why our sea turtles love hanging out there.
Spotting turtles
We came, we saw, and we absolutely loved spotting turtles. The turtles seemed to like the spots just along the side of the gushing water. Start your spotting at the top on the viewing platform. Be patient and wait for them to emerge from the gushing water. We also went over the other side, a little further down the outlet, and could see them in the calmer water.
During the winter months, there’s a ban on fishing from May through to August. Substantial numbers of juvenile fish gather in the warm water and this helps protect them.
Myuna Bay Foreshore Reserve Playground
There’s nothing better than a play and a picnic after an adventure. Head back to the car park and grab the picnic rug because it’s time to chill out with one of the best views in Lake Mac. We brought along some morning tea and a soccer ball just to make the most of it.
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References:
Lake Mac Libraries: Myuna Bay {Accessed 02/04/2021}
Lake Mac Libraries: Eraring Power Station {Accessed 02/04/2021}
Haslin Constructions: Eraring Reservoir & Pump Station {Accessed 02/04/2021}
