Local area

Lake Cathie

Lake Cathie
Lake Cathie – a peaceful seaside village featuring lake and ocean views. An ideal family holiday destination or well suited for retirement living. New sub-division growth has seen many prestige homes built in the area whilst maintaining its village atmosphere.

Lake Cathie, pronounced “Cat-Eye” is just 12 kilometres south of Port Macquarie. The village is renowned not only for its famous salt water lake, which is periodically opened to the sea, but it has the biggest bowl in the world weighing in at two tones, situated in front of the Lake Cathie Bowling Club.

The warm shallow waters of the lake are ideal for young children. Pack up your picnic hamper, slip, slop, slap and pick your spot along the grassy foreshore, where picnic tables and BBQ’s are plentiful. But don’t leave without venturing up to the northern headland, where a fantastic forest walk has been established, along with a viewing platform which offers fabulous views across the Lake and out to the ocean.

Bonny Hills

Bonny Hills
7 km North of Laurieton, and just 5 minutes South of Lake Cathie, is the delightful seaside location of Bonny Hills. With a population of around 2,200 residents, most of have attracted by its climate and lifestyle. The terrain, coupled with warm offshore currents, ocean breezes and a sub-tropical setting, creates a magical mixture of elements ensuring remarkable small temperature ranges averaging 18 to 25 degrees in summer and 7 to 17 degrees in Winter. Rainbow Beach is a long sunbleached belt of white sand stretching 30 kilometres from Bonny Hills to the Tacking Point Lighthouse near Port Macquarie. It is patrolled at Bonny Hills during the summer months by the local surf life saving club and features the gently flowing Vinegar Creek – a great spot for the children. The beach reserve has been upgraded with additional amenities, including electric barbecues and a range of colourful and safe playground equipment with a slippery dip and swings. There is also a skateboard park for the older children. Bartletts beach is nearby with its ocean-beach boat launching ramp, popular with visitors and local residents. The Bonny Hills community centre features cultural activities, craft demonstrations, dramatic plays, musicals, recitations, aerobics and modern jazz exercises. Public tennis courts are adjacent.