In case you didn’t know this about me, I love where I live.  

I think Lake Macquarie is one of the most beautiful places in the world… and I’ve lived in a few different places. 

From a tourism point of view, it ticks a lot of boxes; from stunning beaches, world-class bushwalks and bike paths, mountains, waterfalls, quaint townships, a 5-star resort and even its own airport.  

And, all that is aside from its central feature, the impressive body of water that sits at its heart. 

It’s no surprise to me that people have wanted to fish and swim and boat, trek and explore, both in and around this great lake for centuries. 

But, what secrets does Australia’s largest coastal saltwater lake hold? 

Last week a creative team at Lake Macquarie City Council unlocked a pandoras box by launching a website that details some of the city’s hidden gems. 

‘Secrets of Lake Mac’ boasts impressive photography, facts and figures of locations and memories peppered throughout the locale. 

From shipwrecks to swing bridges, tank stops to zoos, and Hugh Jackman – the compilation shares moments of history that many of us may not know about. 

Months in the making, ‘Secrets’, says its creators, is primarily aimed at the local community to encourage Lake Mac residents to feel proud of their city, and to increase awareness of everything we have to offer – including all the hidden gems in their own backyard.  

The campaign, which will run as long as the secrets keep coming, also includes information on panels at Lake Macquarie shopping centres, and social media posts hinting at some of the city’s quirky and unique facts. 

Lake Macquarie has long been the Hunter region’s under-the-radar destination, the ideal spot to escape the crowds that often trickle through to better-known holiday haunts. 

‘Secrets’ may prompt a few ‘uh-hah’ moments from locals, a few nostalgic grins from those in the know, and it may even kickstart a list of ‘Things to Do’ in the family calendar. 

I’ll admit I struggled to even narrow down my choice of photos to use in this article. 

Where to first? I’m off to Mount Sugarloaf. Did you know it snows there? 

For more stories like this:

• Floraville home smashes previous suburb record by $900k
• Lake Macquarie swimming baths plan
• Lake Macquarie to Sydney flight plan taking off

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