Tuggerah Lake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tuggerah Lake |
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Tuggerah Lake as viewed from Craigie Park in Kanwal. The Entrance is also visible in the distant background.
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 Tuggerah Lake
Location in New South Wales
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| Location | Central Coast, New South Wales, Australia |
| Coordinates | 33°19′S 151°29′E / 33.317°S 151.483°E |
| Type | Intermittently open intermediate wave dominated barrier estuary |
| Primary inflows | Wyong River |
| Primary outflows | The Entrance, Tasman Sea, South Pacific Ocean |
| Catchment area | 714.5 square kilometres (275.9 sq mi) |
| Basin countries | Australia |
| Surface area | 80.8 square kilometres (31.2 sq mi) |
| Average depth | 2.4 metres (7 ft 10 in) |
| Water volume | 193,231.2 megalitres (6,823.90×106 cu ft) |
| Surface elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
| Settlements | The Entrance, Wyong |
Tuggerah Lake is a large, beautiful lake on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia. It's about 90 kilometers north of Sydney. This lake is part of a bigger system called the Tuggerah Lakes. It's a special type of water body called a barrier estuary, which means it's partly closed off from the ocean by sandbars.
Contents
Lake Features and Location
Tuggerah Lake gets its water from rivers and creeks like the Wyong River, Ourimbah Creek, and Tumbi Creek. The lake is quite shallow, with an average depth of about 2.4 meters. It connects to the Tasman Sea through a channel at its southern end, known as The Entrance.
The lake is also connected to two smaller lakes: Budgewoi Lake and Lake Munmorah. Tuggerah Lake covers an area of about 81 square kilometers. The land area that drains into the lake, called its catchment, is about 714 square kilometers.
Towns Around the Lake
Many towns and suburbs are located around Tuggerah Lake. These include The Entrance, Wyong, Killarney Vale, and Toukley.
Long Jetty is a town located south of The Entrance. It's named after a long wooden jetty built there. The original jetty was damaged in a flood in 1927. A new one was built in 1927-28, stretching about 351 meters.
Fun Activities at Tuggerah Lake
Tuggerah Lake is a popular spot for fun activities, especially fishing and boating.
Fishing and Prawning
The lake is well known for recreational fishing. You can catch fish like luderick, bream, flathead, and whiting from the shore or from boats. During the summer, especially when the moon is new and it's dark, you can find many prawns. Fishing is usually not as good in late winter and early spring, especially when strong westerly winds blow.
Some areas of the lake, like around Terilbah Island and Pelican Island, have special yellow markers. These markers show where certain types of net and trap fishing are not allowed. Other parts of the lake might also have fishing rules that change over time.
Boating Safety
Because Tuggerah Lake is large but shallow, strong winds can make the water choppy. This can be a bit tricky for small boats. However, the lake is generally safe for most small recreational boats if you are careful and follow basic boating rules.
Many parts of Tuggerah Lake are very shallow, with sand or weed beds that can be seen when the water is low. If you are boating, it's important to use marked channels and go slowly. Mobile phone service is available all over the lake, which is helpful for safety.
Lake Environment
Over the years, a lot of homes and businesses have been built around Tuggerah Lake. This development has changed the natural landscape and water flow. It has led to more silt and dirt building up in the lakebed and along the shores.
Since 2004, a project called the Tuggerah Lakes Restoration project has been working to improve the lake system. Building and development have caused more nutrients to enter the lake, which makes weeds grow a lot. The restoration work focuses on removing weeds and mud from the shallow areas. They also work on restoring the shorelines and using special traps to catch pollution. Dredging channels helps more ocean water flow into the lake, which is good for its health.
Wyrrabalong National Park is a special area that borders both the lake and the sea. It helps protect the last important rainforest on the Central Coast. Tuggerah Lake is also part of an Important Bird Area. This means it's a very important place for many different kinds of water and woodland birds.
