Smiths Lake New South Wales |
|||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Coordinates | 32°23′13″S 152°30′6″E / 32.38694°S 152.50167°ECoordinates: 32°23′13″S 152°30′6″E / 32.38694°S 152.50167°E | ||||||||||||||
Population | 1,076 (2011 census) | ||||||||||||||
Postcode(s) | 2428 | ||||||||||||||
Time zone | AEST (UTC+10) | ||||||||||||||
• Summer (DST) | AEDT (UTC+11) | ||||||||||||||
Location | |||||||||||||||
LGA(s) | Mid-Coast Council | ||||||||||||||
Region | Mid North Coast | ||||||||||||||
State electorate(s) | Myall Lakes | ||||||||||||||
Federal Division(s) | Paterson | ||||||||||||||
|
Smiths Lake is a small village in the Mid North Coast region, located within the Mid-Coast Council local government area of New South Wales, Australia. Smiths Lake is approximately 274 kilometres (170 mi) north of Sydney. Smiths Lake gives its name to the village, situated nearby. At the 2011 census, Smiths Lake had a population of 1,076 people.
Smiths Lake is a popular tourist destination, mostly due to its position next to several waterways. Popular tourist activities include boating and fishing on the local lakes (Smiths Lake, Myall Lakes and Wallis Lake) or swimming and sunbathing at the local beaches (Cellitos beach, Blueys beach, Boomerang beach, Elizabeth beach, and Seal Rocks beach - also the unofficially naturist Shelley Beach). Other activities include nature walks in the surrounding national parks or visiting a regional attraction, such as Seal Rocks lighthouse or The Grandis, the tallest tree known in New South Wales at 84.3 metres (277 ft) tall.[1]
Smiths Lake supported a small commercial fishing industry up until April 2007, when the lake was incorporated into the Port Stephens-Great Lakes Marine Park. Because of this, almost half of Smiths Lake is classed as a Sanctuary Zone, which means commercial fishing in that area is illegal. This led to many of the local fishermen leaving in search of other areas to fish.