Wangi Wangi is an Awabakal place name meaning ‘big water’. There are a few beautiful places to spend your time enjoying this waterside Lake Macquarie suburb.
Dobell Park is a large open park with uninterrupted lake views, perfect for picnics, birthday parties and large gatherings.
The established plants bring abundance of birdlife. It is a great place to bring your kayak or stand-up paddleboard and spend the day here.
There is plenty of room for everyone and there is grass all the way down to water’s edge. The shoreline consists of small pebbles. Water shoes may be useful for young kids. Bring swimmers and a towel.
The small playground on woodchip is shaded by large gum trees.
There are a variety of climbing options up to the 2 slides.
There is a spinning stick, noughts and crosses game, two swings, and a baby swing.
This playground suits young school aged kids, and the monkey bars challenge the older kids.
Good to know: Dobell Park holds Christmas Carols in the Park
Address: Dobell Park – 148 Dobell Drive Wangi Wangi
Parking: Ample parking at the playground.
Jetty and Boat Ramp: Yes, and 6 boat trailer parking bays. There is also a fish cleaning bay.
Public Toilets: Public toilets a short walk from to playground (near the jetty boat ramp)
Water Fountain: No, but there are taps throughout the park
Outdoor Shower: yes, one on the shoreline, and showers in the toilet block also.
Picnic Facilities: There are 4 sheltered tables, get in early if having a party because they fill up fast on weekends. There are also several scattered benches and picnic tables throughout the park and ample places to throw a picnic rug run around.
Wangi Foreshore Playground Reserve
A short drive from Dobell Park is a small playground in front of Wangi Workers Club – Wangi Foreshore Playground Reserve. You can grab a coffee from the Market Street Café while the kids play. There are sheltered café tables as well as four outdoor tables beside the playground and one sheltered table.
No dogs allowed in the café, but can remain on lead in the park.
This tiny park has lake views and is set on woodchips. It has easy and challenging climbing options to reach the twin slide, which entertains older kids as well as young ones. It also has a swing and baby swing.
There a two spring bouncies. It is not fenced, but is sheltered from the lake by large grass shrubs making it difficult to access the water. There is an outdoor fitness park at the reserve also.
You could grab a takeaway coffee and go for a walk. From here the cycle path starts, and follows Wangi Wangi Bay all the way to heart of Wangi shops and Wangi RSL. It is a flat easy and enjoyable walk, perfect for young kids on scooters.
The path passes right by Dobell House. Sir William Dobell was a famous Australian artist that lived in Wangi.
He won the Archibald Prize three times, his house is now an art museum, opened on weekends and public holidays 1-4pm. Entry is $12, FREE entry kids under 15 years
Good to know: Santa visits Wangi Workers Club Jetty by Boat on Christmas Eve
Address: Wangi Foreshore Playground Reserve – Market Street, Wangi Wangi
Parking: Carpark at Wangi Workers Club
Public Toilets: No. However there are public toilets found at the other end of the cycle path.
Water Fountain: No
Picnic Facilities: There is one sheltered table and 4 outdoor café tables.
Bins: Yes
BBQ: No
Jetty: Yes
Café Nearby: Market Street Café is directly behind the playground.
Accessibility: A disabled parking and sealed paths to the playground and toilets.
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Explore Wangi Point at Lake Macquarie
The Best 20 Lake Macquarie Walks To Do With Kids
Jess Day is the Founder of Spotto Books, a series of books for kids to use in the car to stop boredom. She has published 13 books in this series.
Jess is widely travelled and of all the beautiful locations within Australia, she chose to bring her 2 children up in the Hunter Region. Jess enjoys the outdoors, camping, photography and playing Spotto.