Newcastle and Lake Macquarie's greenest spaces are right on your doorstep.
Step into nature.
Glenrock
Hillside Grove is just a 5 km (9 min) drive from Glenrock State Conservation Area. Explore the park’s beaches, rainforest walks and waterfalls on foot or by mountain bike. A favourite for local cyclists, hikers, and trail runners, go for speed or take a picnic and soak in the sights.
Fernleigh Track
Just 7kms (13 min) down the road, the Fernleigh Track is a popular and safe walking and cycling path. The track is forged from the former rail corridor connecting Newcastle and Lake Macquarie. Cycle, walk or run the 15km track through the bushland that links communities from Adamstown to Belmont. Being free from traffic, the Fernleigh Track is a popular sport for families with young children to lose the training wheels.
Dudley Beach
Dudley Beach is located within Glenrock State Conservation Area and is Hillside Grove’s closest beach. Just 4 km (9 mins) away it is idyllic and secluded, totally unspoiled - the perfect spot to relax by the ocean. Search for fossils among the rockpools and fossilised forrest, enjoy a picnic on the sand or take a dip in the ocean. While Dudley Beach is an unpatrolled beach, Redhead, Merewether, Bar and Newcastle beaches are all patrolled and within a 20min drive from Hillside Grove.
Redhead Beach
Hillside Grove’s closest patrolled beach, Redhead Beach is just a short trip away. Just 5 km (7 mins) from the front door, Redhead Beach is known for its cliffs, rocky outcrops and quintessential shark tower. Patrolled in the warmer months, Redhead is popular with both swimmers and surfers. Enjoy the natural beauty by walking the boardwalk to the beach to see the ducks, swans and natural wildlife.
Great North Walk
The Great North Walk is a 260km, multi-day bushwalk linking Sydney and Newcastle. Do the whole walk (if you're game!) or join the northernmost end of the Great North Walk, at Flaggy Creek Track in Whitebridge (just moments from your door) and hike through the bush to the very end in the heart of Newcastle. Finish the day with a well-earned drink by the water at Queens Wharf Brewery.