Blacksmiths Beach at Lake Macquarie

Blacksmiths Beach – or Blackies as the locals call it – is located at the southern end of Nine Mile Beach in the Lake Macquarie region, between Swansea and Belmont. If you don’t mind driving, the beach is 1 hour and 45 minutes from Sydney CBD. Visit the beach on a day trip or choose this great spot for a weekend away or holiday. There is plenty of accommodation nearby, see the bottom of this post.

The beach is home to the Swansea Belmont Surf Lifesaving Club, which patrols the beach from the September school holidays to April. Although Blacksmith Beach is considered a good beach for swimming, there are some rips. Always swim between the flags.

Blacksmiths Beach at lake macquarie
The patrolled swimming section of Blackies Beach is easily accessible through a pathway from the car park beside Swansea Belmont Surf Life Saving Club.

Blacksmiths Beach Map

 

The best thing about exploring beaches outside Sydney is that parking is free and finding plenty of parking at Blacksmiths is the icing on the cake. When we visited Blackies, we parked beside the Swansea Belmont Surf Life Saving Club. Access to the beach is very easy from there through an accessible pathway.

Also, the location is ultra convenient as you barely need to walk to find barbecues, picnic tables, toilets and showers. Also the playground and the takeaway food shop are just across the car park.

blacksmiths beach sign at the swansea belmost SLSC
During summer months, the club hosts live music from 3pm every Sunday on the deck every second Sunday.

The playground is not really big and it is not fenced. However, the equipment is good enough for primary school aged children. The main structure has a viewing tower, a slide, a bridge, a vertical bar, round monkey bars, climbing wall and round step swinging robes. My daughters’ favourite was the digger as well as the see-saw. 

 
playground at blacksmiths beach
The playground beside Blacksmiths Beach

The barbecue area has several picnic shelters, which came very handy as there isn’t much shade. There is plenty of room for the kids to play around, too. 

Blacksmiths beach 2

Blacksmiths Beach

Ungala Road, Blacksmiths NSW 2281

By Mireia Garriga Seguranyes

We decided to go to Blacksmiths Beach because I was intrigued by the ‘Grannies Pool”’ a tidal pool near Blacksmiths Beach. I read that is where the grandmothers usually took their grandchildren, hence its name. However, its original name was Chanty’s Pool, named after Bert Chant, a local who used to look after the area when it was a camping ground in the 1920s and 1930s.

Grannies Pool by Blacksmiths Beach
“Grannies Pool” is located between the Swansea Channel Break-wall and the beach. It’s a shallow pool perfect for little children. The break-wall protects the lagoon from the swell.

It was a windy summer day, so it was the perfect excuse to find out more about this place. It didn’t disappoint us!. Grannies Pool was bigger than I thought. As I expected, it is very safe, and sheltered, too. The water was crystal clear.

The pool reopened in 2017 summer after a $300,000 council facelift, which involved the construction of new pathways and access points, making it easier to reach this ‘secret spot’.

To find Grannies Pool go to the right-hand side of Blacksmiths Beach, off Gommera Street. You will see a dirt parking area. A new ramp provides access to both Grannies Pool and up to the Blacksmiths breakwall. The path goes all the way down to Grannies Pool, which makes this gem accessible for everyone, young families with prams and wheelchair users.

The only downside of Grannies Pool is that there isn’t hardly any shade. So, don’t forget to take hats, and a sun shelter or umbrella.

 

The Blacksmiths Beach Breakwall

blacksmiths beach breakwall

After the swim, we walked on the 300m pathway all the way to the breakwall. The views of the entrance to the lake from the top and Blacksmiths Beach were spectacular. The path is a great place for the kids to ride a bicycle or a scooter. And, if you have a dog, it is dog friendly.

blacksmiths beach walkway

Besides visiting Grannies Pool and discovering the breakwall, Blacksmiths Beach is very close to Lake Macquarie, where you can enjoy water activities like kayaking, fishing and sailing. Also, the beach is only a 5-minute drive to Swansea, where you can find a variety of cafes and restaurants. 

Blacksmiths Beach 4WD

4WD vehicles are allowed to access Nine Miles Beach, of which Blacksmiths Beach is one section, and to drive along several kilometres of it. Check out the map and a brochure here. The main Belmont Wetlands Beach Permits webpage is here. Do read this carefully and make sure you know what you are doing!

 

Blacksmiths Beach Camping

Blacksmiths Beachside Holiday Park offers powered and unpowered sites, plus cabins and villas. There is a large swimming pool and a playground too. A good spot!

Address: 30 Gommera STreet, Blacksmiths

Phone: 1800626438

For adventurous and active families, Belmont Wetlands State Park is the place to go. The park is popular because the sandy stretch of Nine Mile Beach is one of the few places in NSW where you can camp right on the beach, as well as, enjoy driving a 4WD. Please, note that both activities require a permit which can be purchased online from the Belmont Wetlands State Park website or from selected local retailers.

Blacksmiths Beach Family Accommodation

You can check out dates and availability using this Booking.com widget which shows hotels and beach houses for rent.

Booking.com

Information For Your Visit

Cafe: Beach Breeze Cafe Blacksmiths Beach at 115 Ungala Rd, Blacksmiths

Toilets: Yes

Shade: Limited

Dog friendly: Blacksmiths Dog Friendly Beach is located on the stretch of Nine Mile Beach that goes from the beach car park off Awabakal Avenue, northerly to the Belmont Golf Club boundary. 

Parking: Yes, plenty. Although it can get busy at the weekend.

Mum’s report: Blacksmiths Beach is a great destination for families. It is a good day trip from Sydney or you might like to spend some days exploring the area of Lake Macquarie. The beach is patrolled and it has excellent facilities: free parking, barbecues and picnic shelters, playground, showers, plus the beach is wheel-chair friendly. Families will little kids will enjoy Grannies Pool. Belmont Wetlands State Park is around the corner, where you can enjoy 4WD driving and camping right on the beach. Note, you will need a permit.

Bus stop nearby: Yes. Several local buses but not regional.

 

You’ll Love These Posts Too

Speers Point Playground and Caves Beach are not too far away from Blacksmiths. If you haven’t been there yet, you can find one of the best playgrounds of NSW at Speers Point Park and Caves is one of the most beautiful beaches in the area.

Also, if you are planning a holiday at Lake Macquarie, check the post of 25 things to do at Lake Macquarie

Newcastle is also a great place to go for a weekend away. Read our post about the top 10 things to do in Newcastle with kids for some inspiration. 

blacksmiths beach grannies pool
The calm waters of Grannies Pool

We had a wonderful time at Blacksmiths. Granny’s Pool was the best.

If you know any other beaches that are good when it is windy, we would love to hear from you. Happy swimming, happy family!

NB This post contains affiliate links, meaning that, if you book accommodation via the links, a small percentage is paid to support Hello Sydney Kids, at no cost to you.

 

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