A Place of Quiet Reflection

Walka Waterworks Reserve, as well as being a popular picnic and recreational area in the Maitland district, is also steeped in history that gives it a special place in the Lower Hunter’s heritage.

Located off Scobies Lane in Oakhampton, and a few kilometres from the bustling Maitland CBD, the area offers a tranquil retreat from the fast pace of the outside world.

The Walka Waterworks complex, circa 1887, is a National Trust building (listed in 1976), featuring a water pump house with striking chimney and ornate brickwork and is one of the largest and most intact 19th century industrial complexes in the Hunter Valley.

Today, the area is managed by Maitland City Council and is open as a free public reserve seven days a week, appointed with electric barbecues, picnics areas, a playground and walking trails, making it a popular recreational spot for fitness enthusiasts who enjoy walking or cycling and family groups enjoying the fresh air and open spaces.

Maitland’s Miniature Railway operates from Walka Waterworks every Sunday. The rail track meanders alongside the beautiful lake and through the native bushland for approx. 1.5 kilometres each way, returning to Walka Rail Station…

Read more in Edition 76 of Hunter & Coastal Lifestyle Magazine.

Story and Images Marilyn Collins.