The Zones

Hidden away near the start of the Pacific Motorway is a perfectly preserved former coal-mining village by the sea. The remnants of its past can be found throughout a majestic coastline and untouched wilderness, almost like a heritage treasure hunt.

Originally built in 1887 to provide drinking water to Newcastle, Walka Water Works has a long and complex industrial history. It still stands today, a perfectly preserved site that now provides refuge for native wildlife and a picnic spot for families.

With a creek originally constructed as an anti-tank defense line during the war and a lagoon that holds significant Aboriginal cultural connections, this easily accessible part of Lake Macquarie is an overlooked treasure.

Introducing The Zones, our series of local site visits.

Settled alongside the Hunter Estuary, just a short drive from the city, Stockton Sandspit is a haven for threatened shorebirds and an ecological jewel in an industrial landscape.