What makes Lake Macquarie different
A saltwater lake, open to the sea
The lake covers 110 square kilometres and is described as the largest coastal salt water lake in the Southern Hemisphere. It reaches the Tasman Sea through the Swansea Channel, about 2 km long.
People live around the edge
Most residents live near the shores. Lakeside places include Belmont, Toronto, Speers Point, Teralba, Wangi Wangi, Swansea, Marmong Point and Mannering Park. The city also takes in Morisset, Cooranbong, Dora Creek and Croudace Bay.
Mostly houses
At the 2021 Census, 85.2% of occupied homes in the council area were separate houses, 9.7% semis, terraces or townhouses and 4.4% flats or apartments.
Long-term owners
37.1% of homes were owned outright and 36.3% with a mortgage, with 23.2% rented. The median age of the city's 213,845 people was 42.
Does lake air count as sea air?
It's the question to settle before you choose a model. Daikin's warranty card makes the owner responsible for extra corrosion protection in a corrosive environment, giving sea air as an example. Mitsubishi Electric's manual lists salty places such as the seaside among spots to avoid.
Neither says where a saltwater lake fits. If your yard runs down to the water at Swansea or Belmont, ask the installer to check the brand's coastal terms for that exact address, and whether a coastal-protected coil is offered. Our coastal homes guide and warranties guide cover what to look for.
The jobs that come up most
Whole-house systems. With so many separate houses, ducted reverse cycle or a multi-split is a realistic choice for a lot of families. Daikin's example of zoning puts the bedrooms in one zone and the living areas in another.
Replacing older systems. In a house that's been owned for decades, the job is often swapping a tired unit rather than a first install. An installer who does replacements every week will check whether the existing pipe run and bracket can be reused.
Ask a lakeside installer
- Does this brand treat my address as a coastal or corrosive site?
- Is a coastal-protected coil or coating offered on this model?
- Where will the outdoor unit go, and is it sheltered from the lake wind?
- What does the yearly service include for a unit near salt water?
What we'd do
Our take
If we lived within sight of the lake, we'd get the warranty's corrosion clause in writing for our address before signing, and put the outdoor unit on the side of the house away from the water. Further back from the shore, we'd simply size the system for the house and book a yearly service.
