Around the lake, through the year
What is on, and when to book early.
Some of these are a walk from your room. The January sailing fills this motel every year — if you are coming for it, book well ahead.
- Busiest
- Late Dec – JanSummer holidays and the skiffs
- Quietest
- May – JuneBest chance at short notice
- Whales
- June – NovOff this coast, both directions
- Beach patrols
- Sept – AprilDaily 9am–5pm, main beaches
The calendar
Through the year, around the lake.
Dates are as published by the organisers. Confirm with the event before you travel — regional calendars move, and we would rather you checked than took our word for it.
4–11 Jan
Book early
Australian Skiff Championships
Belmont Bay / Belmont 16s
Up to 70 × 16ft crews, hundreds of sailors. Walking distance from the motel.
23–26 Jan
Lake Mac Festival
Speers Point, Warners Bay, Swansea, Morisset
Australia Day long weekend, Red Hot Summer Tour, night markets, fireworks.
January
iQFoil & Wingfoil Nationals + Australia Day Regatta
Lake Macquarie
Back-to-back sailing on the lake across the road.
14 Feb
Howlin’ Newcastle
Newcastle Foreshore
Country festival on the harbour.
9–15 Mar
Book early
Newcastle Surfest
Merewether Beach
Australia’s largest surfing festival, WSL Challenger Series.
14 Mar
SummerSalt
Speers Point Park
Touring festival, lakeside.
14–29 Mar
Newcastle Fringe Festival
Newcastle venues
250 shows, 125 acts.
27–29 Mar
Newcastle Writers Festival
Newcastle Civic precinct
100 events, 150 writers.
28 Mar – 30 Apr
Newcastle Food Month
Newcastle-wide
A month of one-off menus and events.
Jun – Nov
Whale migration season
Newcastle & Lake Mac coast
Humpbacks north then south again, visible from the headlands.
13 Sep
Lake Macquarie Running Festival
Warners Bay / Speers Point
Marathon, half and shorter distances around the lake.
Walking distance
The Australian Skiff Championships are held across the road.
Every January, Belmont Bay hosts up to 70 sixteen-foot skiff crews and another 30 thirteen-foot crews, plus officials, families and supporters. It is the single closest and most relevant event to this property — you can walk to it.
It is also the week we fill up. Group and sporting-club bookings are welcome, and they are far easier to arrange on the phone than one room at a time online.
If you are coming for the skiffs
- Book as far ahead as you can — this is our busiest week of the year
- Ask for rooms held together if you are a crew
- Front balcony rooms look toward the bay; rear rooms sleep better after a long day
- Ring rather than booking online so we know you are together
The real calendar
NSW school holidays.
The strongest single predictor of how busy Lake Macquarie will be. Summer is the peak: the last week of December through late January books out across the whole region.
- Summer
- 22 December – 26 JanuaryPeak. Book as far ahead as you can.
- Autumn
- 7 – 17 AprilEaster and the autumn break. Water is still warm.
- Winter
- 6 – 17 JulyQuieter, and whale season is under way.
- Spring
- 28 September – 9 OctoberBeach patrols resume, whales are heading south.
May and June are the quietest months here — coldest, wettest, no school holidays. If you want the lake to yourself and the best chance of a room at short notice, that is your window.
Book direct
Coming for an event? Book early.
Book on this site and you get our best available rate with no third-party booking fee. Prefer to talk to someone? Call reception and we will sort it out.