Set between Lake Macquarie and the Pacific Ocean, Swansea is a laid-back town on the northern coast of New South Wales. There are sun-drenched beaches, hidden sea caves, scenic bushwalking tracks and an endless line-up of water sports.
Things to do in Swansea
From kayaking on Lake Macquarie to high-octane jet-boat rides, water sports are Swansea's biggest drawcards. You can sign up for windsurfing lessons, rent a water ski or try your hand at stand-up paddleboarding. Zooming around the lake at speeds of over 40 knots, JetBuzz thrills passengers with 360-degree spins, sudden stops and fishtail skids.
For a nature fix, don't miss Wallarah National Park. It offers fantastic bushwalking opportunities, including the scenic Coastal Track. It stretches all the way to Pinny Beach and is a great place to admire the park's lush cabbage-tree palms, some of which grow up to 25 metres tall.
Perfect for sunseekers, Swansea offers easy access to some of the state's best stretches of sand. Blacksmiths is popular with families for its calm waters, golden sand and daily patrols by the Swansea Belmont Surf Lifesaving Club. Caves Beach is home to a handful of fascinating sea caverns, while snorkelers will love the shallow shipwrecks at Catherine Hill Bay.
Every winter hundreds of humpback and southern right whales migrate along the coast of New South Wales. Guided whale-watching trips offer a unique opportunity to get up close and personal with the gentle marine giants.
Getting around Swansea
The Swansea town centre is easy to navigate on foot. If you want to explore the rest of the rest of the Lake Macquarie Area, you'll need a car. Local buses run to Newcastle in around 20 minutes and Sydney in around two hours.