Tuggerah Lake

Water type: Estuary
Basin: Tasman sea
Climate: Arid (desert)
Country: Australia

Natural lakes

Tuggerah Lake, an intermittently open intermediate wave dominated barrier estuary that is part of the Tuggerah Lakes, is located within the Central Coast Council local government area in the Central Coast region of New South Wales, Australia. The lake is located near Wyong and is situated about 90 kilometres north of Sydney.

Drawing its catchment from the Wyong River, Ourimbah Creek and Tumbi Creek, at the southern half of Tuggerah Lake, the lake is generally quite shallow with an average depth of 2.4 metres. It is connected with the Tasman Sea through a tidal channel at its southern end known as The Entrance. It is also connected with two smaller lakes, Budgewoi Lake and through that to Lake Munmorah. Tuggerah Lake has a catchment area of 714 square kilometres and a surface area of 81 square kilometres. When full, Tuggerah Lake covers an area of around 5,400 hectares.

Tuggerah Lake is well known for its recreational fishing with species such as luderick, bream, flathead and whiting caught from the shoreline and boats. Prawns can be plentiful over the summer months during the dark of the new moon. Fishing in Tuggerah Lake is generally poor during late winter and early spring, particularly when westerly winds are prevalent.