Lake Illawarra, NSW: Swimming, boating, paddleboarding & walks
Swimming in Lake Illawarra, NSW, is allowed but not particularly popular. You’re better off boating from one of the sailing clubs, walking the Lake Illawarra Art Trail or taking paddleboarding lessons.
Lake Illawarra in New South Wales is a coastal lagoon with a narrow entrance to the sea at Windang. It separates Wollongong and Shellharbour on the Illawarra Coast, about 90km south of Sydney. Lake Illawarra is fed by both freshwater from the Illawarra Escarpment and saltwater from the tides of the Pacific Ocean.
How big is Lake Illawarra, NSW?
Lake Illawarra covers an area of 33 square kilometres. It is about 9.5km long and 5.5km wide, and fairly shallow. This New South Wales lake’s maximum depth is 3.7 metres.
Lake Illawarra feels somewhat underused as a recreation area, although there are parks, lookouts and playgrounds all around it. These include the Wollamai Point Park, Hooka Point and the Purra Bay Playground in the north. Towards Shellharbour, there’s the Wilson Memorial Park, Koona Bay Reserve, Central Park, Oak Flats Skiway Park and Boonerah Point Park.
For other things to do at Lake Illawarra, there’s always boating. There are several boat ramps and sailing clubs around the lake. Indeed, Lake Illawarra is generally more popular for boating, fishing and prawning than it is for swimming. This is mainly because the Illawarra region is blessed with so many top drawer ocean beaches. Why would you swim in the often murky lake when you’ve got several great surf beaches?
Lake Illawarra sharks
It’s also worth pointing out that bull sharks and great white sharks have been spotted in Lake Illawarra in the past. They’re not a common occurrence, however.
But Lake Illawarra is arguably better for cycling and walking than it is for swimming. Lakeside trails extend most of the way around the shore. The most appealing section is near the lake entrance on the southern side. Here, a 3km Lake Illawarra Art Trail lined with sculptures and art installations kicks off in Reddall Reserve.
This is where you’ll also find Stand Up Paddle Boarding Shellharbour. The company offers beginner paddleboarding lessons for from $40.
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