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| Lake Macquarie from Eagle Lookout, Green Point Foreshore Reserve |
Route: Swansea, Belmont, Warners Bay, Teralba.
Distance: 30km
From Swansea, take the cycleway on the eastern side of the highway across the bridge to Blacksmiths. From here, either continue along the cycleway (which follows the highway) or follow the lake edge along Lakeside Parade (and then rejoining the highway by taking the cycleway along Soldiers Road).
While it is possible to cycle along the highway all the way to Belmont, it is preferable to take the back streets through Marks Point. Don't be deterred by the dead end streets that meet the lake; these can be connected by cycling through short sections of parkland (see my Google map).
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| Birdlife on Lake Macquarie, Belmont South |
Belmont has a large shopping centre with bicycle and camping shops. The route, however keeps to the foreshore of the lake, passing by the mariner along a short stretch of cycleway.
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| Jetty near Belmont Marina | Green Point Foreshore Reserve |
After the cycleway ends, continue along Ross Street (note the left-hand turn up the short hill), which leads to Green Point Foreshore Reserve. The reserve has a network of cycle ways (with potentially confusing intersections). The short detour to Eagle Lookout is recommended for panoramic views of Lake Macquarie. At the major intersection just after the lookout, turn left and cycle down the hill towards Green Point. The cycleway then climbs up the other side (via several switch backs) to Leichhardt Road (in Valentine). Cycle to the end of the road, turn left into Andrew Road and cycle back down the hill the the lake edge. Turn right into Dilkera Ave, where there is a small shopping centre.
Unfortunately, from here until the next cycleway, there is little option other than to cycle along a busy (and in some places narrow) stretch of road (Macquarie and Bareki Roads). Perhaps one day the local council will connect the Green Point and Warners Bay cycleways.
From Warners Bay there is a cycle path all the way to Teralba. Warners Bay has a shopping centre and excellent parklands for enjoying a picnic.
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| Parklands at Warners Bay |
Teralba is a small village with a very small shopping centre (butcher, newsagent/post office, service station and take-away), but seems to have the only caravan park in the area. A larger shopping centre (with a supermarket) can be found in Booragul (about 4kms south of the caravan park).
© 2008 Robert Taggart. Last updated 17 November 2008.