Morisset

Morisset is a gateway to adventure, from bushwalking to the pretty Gap Creek Falls in the Watagans National Park to kayaking on beautiful Lake Macquarie. The town is on the western foreshore of Australia’s largest coastal saltwater lake and near a picnic spot where you can spot wild kangaroos.

Keep an eye out for other wildlife at the waterside Morisset picnic area , in the Lake Macquarie State Conservation Area . Green sea turtles swim near the shore and dolphins frolic in the vast blue waterway. Sea eagles soar above and in the trees you might see kookaburras or hear them laugh.

The calm waters around Morisset are ideal for kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding, two exciting ways to enjoy the natural beauty of the lake. Bring your own kayak or paddleboard or hire one from Lake Mac Kayak and Bike Hire, a mobile hire service that delivers the equipment seven days a week.

Boating and fishing are popular, too. You can launch small craft from the Morisset boat ramp, which is north of the picnic area. With abundant fish in the lake, there are many places on the shimmering waterway to drop a line for bream, tailor, flathead, kingfish and more. Or cast a line from the shore.

Inland is the magnificent Watagans National Park, a popular destination for hiking, mountain biking, kayaking, 4WD touring and camping. The Gap Creek campground is where you’ll find a walking track to the waterfall. There are picnic tables, barbecue facilities and other amenities at the campground.

For breathtaking vistas, drive to Monkey Face lookout and marvel at the Watagans Mountains, part of the Great Dividing Range. A short drive away is the Boarding House Dam picnic area, in a lovely temperate rainforest next to a picturesque creek and dam and the Circuit walking track, a short loop.

The national park is only 20 minutes’ drive northwest of Morisset. You’ll find accommodation options to suit various budgets in and around Morisset, which is less than two hours’ drive north of Sydney and under an hour from Newcastle. Trains stop regularly at the Morisset Railway Station.