Cruises

Cruises from the Central Coast of NSW fall into three groups: oyster and pearl farm trips on the Hawkesbury River from Mooney Mooney, small-group boat tours of Lake Macquarie from Swansea and Speers Point, and whale watching and coastal cruises from Newcastle.

Hawkesbury River cruises from Mooney Mooney

Broken Bay Pearl Farm runs the river cruises from 12 Kowan Road, Mooney Mooney. The Broken Bay Pearl Oyster Farm Cruise is a 1-hour trip up the Hawkesbury to a working oyster lease, with a guide explaining the journey from farm to pearl. The vessel has a canopy with open sides and goes ahead in light rain and wind, so bring warm clothing and a raincoat.

The Hawkesbury River Cruise and Oyster Tasting adds a 30-minute land-based tasting of Sydney Rock, Pacific and Akoya oysters (subject to availability) with a shucking demonstration. It runs Tuesday to Sunday at 11.30am and 12.30pm, with check-in before departure.

Lake Macquarie boat tours with CoastXP

CoastXP runs small-group eco-tourism boats on Lake Macquarie and gives out premium weatherproof jackets. The Lake Macquarie Ocean Explorer Tour leaves Chalmers Street Jetty at Swansea at 8.30am for a 75-minute run to sea caves, Moon Island Nature Reserve and Catherine Hill Bay, with dolphins, seals, turtles and seabirds on the watch list.

From the same jetty, the Lake Macquarie Whale Watching Cruise is a 2-hour humpback trip that runs from May to November.

The longest option is the Lake Macquarie Adventure Cruise and Nature Walk. It is a 4-hour trip that departs Speers Point Public Jetty at 10am, with a boat tour of the lake, a guided 2 km bushwalk in the Lake Macquarie State Conservation Area and a grazing box for lunch.

Whale watching and coastal cruises from Newcastle

The Newcastle cruises leave from Dock C at the Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club in Wickham. The Whale Watching Cruise in Newcastle is a 2-hour humpback trip with a guide, leaving at 9am daily from June to November, with an 11am departure on some weekends and public and school holidays.

Outside whale season, the Newcastle Coastal Adventure Tour runs from November to May. It is a 2.5-hour cruise along the Hunter coastline past sea caves, cliffs, dolphins and turtles, with water and juice included.

Choosing a Central Coast cruise

Pick the departure point that suits your base: Mooney Mooney for the Hawkesbury, Swansea or Speers Point for Lake Macquarie, Wickham for Newcastle. Pick by season too. Whale watching runs only in the migration months, and the Newcastle coastal tour takes over from November. For a food-led trip, Central Coast food and drinks has more tastings.

Frequently asked questions

When can you go whale watching near the Central Coast?

The Lake Macquarie Whale Watching Cruise runs from May to November, and the Whale Watching Cruise in Newcastle runs from June to November. Both are 2-hour trips.

Where do the Lake Macquarie cruises leave from?

The Lake Macquarie Ocean Explorer Tour and the Lake Macquarie Whale Watching Cruise leave from Chalmers Street Jetty, Swansea. The Lake Macquarie Adventure Cruise and Nature Walk leaves from Speers Point Public Jetty at 10am.

Is lunch included on any Central Coast cruise?

The Lake Macquarie Adventure Cruise and Nature Walk is a 4-hour trip that includes a premium individual grazing box for lunch.

Do the Hawkesbury River cruises run in the rain?

The Broken Bay Pearl Oyster Farm Cruise goes ahead in light rain and winds. The boat has a canopy with open sides, so bring warm clothing and a raincoat.

Choose a river, a lake or the open coast, and book your Central Coast cruise to match the season.