So where the hell is Budgewoi?

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This is the question which most people are asking. Travelmate.com has the following description:

Picture an island resort nestled among 100-year-old paperbarks protecting a narrow neck of land separating two lakes. Sound too serene to be true? Not if you visit Budgewoi, the resort village that divides Munmorah and Budgewoi lakes at the top of the Central Coast at Sydney’s northern gateway. Sydney and Newcastle families have been holidaying at Budgewoi for generations...and little wonder. With abundant fishing and safe swimming lakes at your doorstep, and surf beaches within walking distance, the town presents the ideal package for a traditional Aussie seaside holiday.

The scenic attractions and tourist traps of Lake Macquarie and the rest of the Central Coast are to the immediate north and south. The John Slade Rotary Park, on the north-eastern shoreline of Budgewoi Lake, not only offers picnickers a well-shaded BBQ area, but absorbing views across the water to the Toukley golf course. Curiously, in an area noted as an aquatic playground, the name Budgewoi is taken from the local Aboriginal word for 'young grass.'

Of course, those of us who live here know that that is not even remotely like the real story. According to our local historian (Bruce Russell, "From Pudgeway to Budgewoi", 1984) the aboriginal name for the area was Budjeri, which meant "good conditions" and described the abundance of wallabies, birds, fish, prawns, trees, shrubs and plants they could use to sustain a healthy tribe.

The early colonists named the area Pudgewoy but over the years it has been know by many other names: Budgeway, Possum's Fence, Sandy Point, Halekulani and the present name of Budgewoi which was made official in July 1978.

Originally used for grazing cattle and agriculture, by the early 1930s Budgewoi was becoming known as a holiday destination and families would come from Sydney to camp over weekends and during holidays. However, getting to the area was not easy so it did not become as popular as other places on the Central Coast.

It wasn't until the 1980s that Budgewoi started to grow significantly. Due to the cheapness of land, many people bought properties in the area when they retired and the population soared. The balance has changed again in the last few years with a lot of young families moving in due to the ridiculous cost of buying a house in Sydney. The current population is about 9000.

Despite the small population, there is a very active shopping centre with a supermarket and about 40 specialty shops. There are six restaurants - Thai, Mexican, Italian, Seafood and French (2) - and numerous take-away shops ranging from Lebanese to fish-and-chips. There is only one pub. As well as these there is also a Lawn Bowls club which acts as the main social centre for the area.

It's not the sort of place to come if you want to live life in the fast lane but it suits those of us who live here. If you like the water and the outdoors life, there is probably no better place to be with kilometres of pristine ocean beaches for swimming and fishing and two lakes for sailing or boating.

I'll add a few more photos when I get the opportunity.

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Photos

Budgewoi
One of the best kept secrets of the Central Coast.

Arial view of Budgewoi
Norah Head lighthouse is in the far distance.

Budgewoi Winter Sunrise
Worth getting up for in the morning.

Lake Munmorah
Looking North.

Frazer Park
One of the local beaches.

Comments

[Samantha]

Surfing
Hi I live in sydney but my dad lives in budgiewoi and i am visiting him in the holidays where do you think is the best place for starter surfers to got to that is easy to get to by foot or by bus if you know that would be awsome! Thanks

[John and Sylvia]

Surfing Beaches
Hi Samantha. The best beach is Soldiers Beach at Norah Head. The bus from Budgewoi goes there. Lakes Beach can get a bit rough and the waves aren't so good a lot of the time. Have fun.

[laura]

i grew up in budgewoi, i went to budgewoi public school and my parents still own the house that i grew up in 20 years ago!!! i love budgewoi and its laid back lifestlye, the beaches are the best that i have ever been to.. what else can i say? its just a wonderful place to be!!!

[norman potts]

lived in budgewoi for twelve months
worked at araring power station for twelve months.bought a house in buff point, first people in the property.got to know the locals and loved it.there was bondy[wife had twins] bennie[roofer] who still lives there i think,and warren harsh who i heared died, also tommy bower.if i ever win the jackpot or any amount of money i will be on the next plane to budgewoi.

[barry smith]

bad smell
hello i left victoria to retire on the central coast n s w thinking this is just the place i wanted to live in ,but things changed not so long after my arrival,i live in a village on the budgewoi lake , when the wind gets up facing my home the rotting smell from the lake just turns you off , looks great .. great walking path.. lovely vieu, but the unhealthy dishcharge that comes from the lake would not be good for anyone with lung problems . kids with ashma,if the wyong council had done something with the rates to open up the entrance let clean water, marine life back into the lakes,this would change this coast line to great resort for holidays retirement more new and restored homes more jobs and extra rates, swansee is just up the road from here and its lovely to smell the fresh air of the ocean, some people who read this may think i am trying to give the place here a bad name NOT TRUE i am only telling it as it is .

[John and Sylvia]

Central Coast lakes
Thanks for your comment, Barry. I have lived in Budgewoi for 30 years and, although I have heard other people comment on the lake smell, I have not experienced it myself. The council has put a lot of money into cleaning up the lakes in the last 15 years and they are certainly cleaner than they used to be. There never was an opening at The Entrance for incoming water and all of the research has shown that creating an artificial opening would not resolve the water quality problem. The solution to that is to stop polluted water flowing in from the roads and foreshores and this can only be achieved if people change their behaviour and their attitude towards the environment. Maybe one day (: