Lake Cathie rebounds with best crowds in four years according to local business owners

Hundreds of families set up on the beaches surrounding Lake Cathie for Australia Day and nearby businesses enjoyed record numbers of customers.

It gave an insight into what the future could look like if the lake was permanently open.

Feel Good Food owner Mark Minturn, who worked at his takeaway burger restaurant during Australia Day, said business was so good, he is now considering hiring a DJ and speakers for Australia Day next year.

"It was absolutely packed. We had lines out the door and you could hardly find a blade of grass to sit on. Cars were packed along the streets, streets behind were full and even our staff parking behind the complex was full," he said.

"We had a really crazy good day. The weather was right, the lake is open and there was a long weekend, it was the trifecta. Families came to swim and it is one of the best spots in the district.

"We went through a weeks worth of chips each day and that reflects back to everything else we sell such as burgers, milkshakes, drinks, ice creams. They were really big days.

"We can see how successful and beautiful that spot is when the lake is open. Lake Cathie could be one of the biggest tourism attractions of the district and I think we should do whatever is necessary to keep it open for tourism, business and the benefit of the district."

Lakeside Fashions owner Wendy Dunn said the car parks were full and the sand overflowing with people having fun.

"It was unbelievable. I haven't seen the beach with crowds like that in the last four years, not in a very long time," Mrs Dunn said.

"It's a premier tourist attraction when the lake is open, the water is clean and fresh. We have been surrounded by so much negativity about the lake recently and it's good to see people have come back.

"The general feeling is that we should keep the lake open for everyone to enjoy. It wasn't just holiday makers who set up their marquees, there were people from Port Macquarie, Wauchope and surrounds."

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Port Macquarie resident Mitch Rourke, who spent the day at the lake with his family, said everyone had the same idea about heading to the lake now that it was open.

"It's been nice and beautiful to see the lake open. We haven't been here for a long time and now we are fitting in our gazebo with everyone else.," he said on the day.

"We normally go camping for Australia Day or go to one of the families places. This year we thought we'd come down to Lake Cathie because we knew it was open, I guess everyone had the same idea.

"It's nice to see everyone having fun, very good to see in these current times."

Mr Minturn said while Lake Cathie was pumping, he felt sorry for Port Macquarie businesses who missed the boat.

"Port Macquarie is normally popular on Australia Day but when I went in there and it was like a ghost town," he said.

"I left Lake Cathie about 3pm because we had more staff on and went to Port Macquarie town green. I saw nearly everything shut, the markets were gone, the stage was being packed up by crew and there was no one on the town green.

"I feel sorry for those businesses around there because it was really bad day for Port Macquarie I think."

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