The City of Lake Macquarie is a local government area in the Hunter Region in New South Wales, Australia. It was proclaimed a city from 7 September 1984. The city is situated adjacent to the city of Newcastle and is widely considered as a part of the Greater Newcastle area. The city is approximately 150 km (93 mi) north of Sydney. One of its major tourist attractions is its lake, also named Lake Macquarie.
Lake Macquarie, after which the LGA is named
Lake Macquarie at Croudace Bay
Speers Point, which is shown in relation to Newcastle, is the seat of government for the city of Lake Macquarie.
The Hunter Region, also commonly known as the Hunter Valley, Newcastle Region, or simply Hunter, is a region in northern New South Wales, Australia, extending from approximately 162 km (101 mi) to 310 km (193 mi) north of Sydney. It contains the Hunter River and its tributaries with highland areas to the north and south. Situated at the northern end of the Sydney Basin bioregion, the Hunter Valley is one of the largest river valleys on the NSW coast, and is most commonly known for its wineries and coal industry.
View across the Hunter Valley
The mouth of the Hunter River at Newcastle
Lieutenant John Shortland was the first European to survey the Hunter River in 1797.
Parts of the Upper Hunter Valley can be very dry and experience drought conditions during the growing season.
