Myall Lakes are located on the NSW Central Coast about 2.5 hours north of Sydney.
The most popular spots for windsurfing here are in the most southern lake in White Tree Bay.
This spot has a reputation as a place for flat water blasting in a NE breeze (which is the most predominant direction in summer) however it is said to work in a westerly or SWer due to the fetch of water and minimal land elevation. Many GPS speed events have been conducted at this spot.
The lake is surrounded by national park and lots of trees so this spot doesn’t really work for kitesurfing.
The water is clean, shallow and very safe close to the shore making this a great family holiday destination and a great place to learn to windsurf. Close to shore it is sandy and the middle of the lake the bottom is a mix of sand and compacted mud. Booties are therefore not a mandatory requirement here.
If you are running a monster fin or a foil you will need to walk out a way to the deeper water and once out there the depth varies between 1 – 3 metres making it pretty safe at speed. Whilst there is a bit of weed around, it is unlikely you will need a weed fin; but if you have one make sure you bring it along.
Access/Rigging/Launching
There are 2 main areas for launching which both work in the same wind directions:
1. Myall Shores NRMA Holiday Park -this spot is located on the northern-end of White Tree Bay and is the best place to launch from if you are looking for a good family holiday spot and is also a safe swimming area.Travel via Bulahdelah to avoid the cost and miss-timings of the ferry & head along Bombah Pt road. You can rent a cabin or camp at this spot meaning you can leave your gear rigged and stroll to the water’s edge each day. The Holiday park also has BBQ facilities and there is a cafe nearby serving pizza, snacks and also acts as a general store. Be sure to bring most of your essentials with you as there isn’t a lot available otherwise it is a 20-30 min drive to one of the nearby towns.
2. White Tree Camping area – this spot is located on the ocean-side (south-east-side) of the lake. This is a rustic national park camping ground where you can stay and launch from.
From both spots you can also access the surf if the wind is light and you are into catching a wave.
Other spots nearby
Another option for a base would be to stay at Hawks Nest (which is another superb sailing spot) across from Nelson Bay and drive up to the lake (about 30 mins).
To the north-east of Myall Lakes you can drive approx 95 km (1:30) to Smiths Lake and a further 15 km (10 mins) north to Wallis Lake which are both epic spots for flat-water sailing.
