Tuggerah Lakes

Three interconnecting lagoons - Tuggerah Lake, Budgewoi Lake and Lake Munmorah - make a monumental trio collectively constituting an estuary, thanks to both a saltwater and freshwater inflow. Isolation from the sea creates a sacrosanct environment that supports a vast diversity of plants and animals.

Seriously, the birds here outnumber the tourists by about 100-to-one!

This estuary is recognised as globally significant, with 63 recorded bird species. Winged residents include the little tern, eastern osprey, white-bellied sea eagle, black swan and regular visitors include migratory shorebirds from Asia and North America. Mostly separated from the sea, these lagoons cover an area of some 80 square kilometres with the whole area stretching from the Bucketty Ridges through Somersby Plateau and Kulnura, via the fertile valleys at the foothills of the Watagan Mountains at Yarramalong, Ourimbah, Dooralong or Jilliby to the coastal and alluvial plains at Wyong, Tuggerah, Munmorah, Bateau Bay, The Entrance and Long Jetty.

_{Words: Lyndsey Douglas of WritersWho in collaboration with Love Our Waterways.}

Recreational fishers and commercial fisheries, residents and holidaymakers alike enjoy the delights of Tuggerah Lakes, co-existing with this wildlife and plantlife. The meandering rivers between the lagoons create a sublime aquatic habitat for freshwater fish of different persuasions. These waters are also home to the enigmatic platypus. Everyone dreams of seeing them, but its introverted nature means any spotting is a sign you should buy a lottery ticket! The plants growing on the streams’ banks are well-adapted to tolerate waterlogged soil and provide a home for frogs and insects. This is called the riparian zone, home to Eastern Long-necked Turtles, Eastern Water Dragons and many yabbies that come to feast on the local insects, frogs and organic matter. In the brackish water of the lakes where salinity and turbidity levels fluctuate, there are plenty of prawns, fish, seahorses and invertebrates living by seagrass meadows. The muddy foreshores are rich in micro-organisms, attracting wading birds and fish looking for a feed.

Treat your feet, walk this way, from long to short

1. Whether your hiking boots are well-worn or you’re bouncing about barefoot, there's bushwalking and trails for every ability right by the lakes edge on pathways designed to prevent trampling to the precious plant communities. For a self-guided walk around The Entrance, the Coast to Lake walk can’t be missed. Considered a ‘string of pearls’, this popular track covers 7.6 kilometres of stunning scenery, attractions and landmarks.
    
2. A far shorter stroll is the Saltwater Creek Boardwalk; a 200 metre picturesque construct on the edge of Tuggerah Lake featuring education and conservation signboards. Prams, strollers, wheelchairs and bicycles can access the boardwalk with ease.
    
3. For the best of both worlds try Mackenzie Reserve; close to coffee, water, play equipment, and shade. Seek out the beautiful Budgewoi footbridge which leads to Dunkey Island. While the pathways are a fantastic place to take your fur-baby out and about, keep them on a leash and please pick up their poo-llutants.

Meet the dedicated local volunteers creating a nourishing new habitat for the critically endangered Regent Honeyeater bird. Consider volunteering with the Central Coast Wetlands group to save this special little species.

Storm water flows into Tuggerah Lakes, bringing nasties along for the ride. Council monitor water quality diligently but you can do your bit to help by washing your vehicles on the grass and composting grass clippings.

This is one rubbish film you don’t want to scroll by. Three pieces of rubbish isn’t much to collect but my oh my it makes a big difference to the flora and fauna who call Tuggerah Lakes home! Simple actions: major change.

Even the birds travel thousands of nautical miles to holiday here! The Tuggerah Lakes estuary is a peerless bird-watching landscape. After all, the Bar-tail Godwit makes the annual nine-day pilgrimage to Tuggerah Lakes all the way from Alaska – the longest flight of all the world’s birds! Exhausted, they fatten up by feeding in the saltmarsh mud of the lakes’ foreshore over summer, before returning home. The estuary is also home to many other species and has been crowned an Important Bird Area (IBA’s). IBA’s contain critical habitats for key bird species. It is crucial that we conserve IBA’s to ensure our birds live to see many more happy days. Remember to place rubbish in the bin and pop a bell on your cat’s collar so native birds have a heads up. And as special as they are, if you spot a nest, it’s best to stay away to prevent disturbance. When this happens, it is unlikely that species will breed again that year. Binoculars are your friend.

Tuggerah Lakes is a special place for amphibians, aviary species, animals and all of us. Grab a coffee, kick back and soak it all in with this comprehensive eBook covering the A-Z of the estuary habitats and impacts.

Enjoy an interactive journey through the Tuggerah Lakes estuary, feast your eyes on historical photos, the region’s most stunning wildlife, and learn how you can protect it for generations to come.

It’s our collective responsibility to restore the Tuggerah Lakes estuary to its former glory. Discover some of the amazing projects both completed and underway to rehabilitate this treasured part of the world.