Directions to Smiths Lake

By car

Getting to Smiths Lake is easy, follow the signs and you can’t miss them.

The Lakes Way

From the Pacific Highway exit ramp north of Bulahdelah, the journey to Smiths Lake via the Lakes Way is 34 km and takes about 30 minutes. It’s a very scenic drive and you’ll pass by Myall Lake and through the villages of Bungwahl and Tarbuck Bay on your way.

If coming from the north, the journey from Forster CBD down the Lakes Way is also very scenic. This route to Smiths Lake is 27 km and takes about 30 minutes. You’ll pass by Wallis Lake and some of the pretty seaside villages of Pacific Palms.

By train

The nearest railway station is Taree which is on the main northern rail line from Sydney to Brisbane. There are several XPT trains per day in both directions.

Download the train and coach timetable here.

The journey by car to Smiths Lake from Taree railway station is 63 km and takes about one hour 10 minutes.

XPT train – Northbound daily:

To Casino (Service #033)

To Grafton (Service #035)

To Brisbane (Service #031)

• Sydney Central 07.08 / 11.41 / 14.41
• Broadmeadow 09.33 / 14.04 / 17.04
• Dungog 10.43 / 15.15 / 18.11
• Gloucester 11.37 / 16.22 / 19.04
• Wingham 12.27 / 17.12 / 19.53
• Taree 12.40 / 17.25 / 20.08

XPT train – Southbound daily:

From Grafton (Service #036)

From Brisbane (Service #032)

From Casino (Service #034)

• Taree 09.52 / 14.41 / 01.31
• Wingham 10.06 / 14.55 / 01.44
• Gloucester 10.56 / 15.44 / 02.33
• Dungog 12.06 / 16.38 / 03.25
• Broadmeadow 13.19 / 17.52 / 04.28
• Sydney Central 15.44 / 20.12 / 06.50

By coach

Private bus companies service this region. NB. The coach stop here is on The Lakes Way, not within the centre of Smiths Lake.

• Newcastle to Taree via Forster, Hawks Nest & Tea Gardens (service #150)

By plane

The nearest public airport is Taree airport. The journey from Taree airport to Smiths Lake is 72 km and takes about one hour 15 minutes.

The next-nearest airport is Newcastle airport. The journey from Newcastle airport to Smiths Lake is 112 km and takes about one hour 20 minutes.