News & Brews

The cooler months are quieter around Lake Macquarie, however any time is a good time to get away and have a short break holiday.

There are so many great activities on offer both locally and in the surrounding region, and all easily accessible from the Bay Hotel Motel.

Out on the Lake the fishing is sensational at this time of year, the bream turn up in great numbers and can be taken in the shallows from around the rocks and jetties. Luderick can also be found in good numbers and can be great fun to catch on light tackle. There is always lots of bird life and sometimes just being near the water and having a walk around the Lake can be a relaxing and rewarding experience.

This is also the perfect time of year for bushwalking, the snakes disappear and the cooler days make for comfortable trekking. The stunning wilderness of the Watagans National Park is located right on our doorstep and is perfect for hiking or biking. The park is rich in cultural heritage and there is more than 40 Aboriginal sites. Visit water falls and expect extraordinary views from Monkey Face and the Gap Creek lookouts.

There is always plenty happening at the hotel, the winter menu is running in the Boatshed Restaurant and is open seven days for lunch and dinner. There is entertainment with a DJ every Friday night and a live band on Saturdays. There is free pool on Wednesdays and huge raffles with great prizes Thursdays. Plenty of footy on too with all the NRL matches and State Of Origin on the big screen.

If a winter getaway to beautiful Lake Macquarie is sounding good to you then you should head to our facebook page, share our promo video that is pinned to the top of our feed and you will be in the running to win a 2 nights accommodation package with dinner for 2 adults in the Boatshed Restaurant and a bottle of Shut The Gate Wine. The winner will be drawn and announced on June 30th.
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Click here to visit the facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bayhotelmotel/

Many of the restaurants in Lake Macquarie, including our own, have long based menus off the abundance of fresh seafood available, but many it seems have overlooked our access to premium pastures and high end Australian Beef, which is of course some of the best in the whole world.

Here at the Boatshed Restaurant we are diversifying our menu with a great selection of quality beef, but what makes it the best?

Our beef has passed quality control testing by the Meat Standards Australia (MSA), MSA is a ‘tenderness guaranteed’ grading program that grades beef and takes into account all the factors that affect eating quality from paddock to plate. The maturity of the animal, breed content, colour and pH levels of the meat, marbling and distribution of fat are all traits that affect eating quality and are tested during processing.

“Seeing the MSA symbol will give you the confidence that you’re buying consistent quality beef every time. The MSA grading system takes into account all aspects that affect eating quality along the supply chain. It is widely recognised as the world’s leading eating quality program for beef.”

Sam Gunn, cattle producer from Condobolin, NSW, Australia

All beef is aged for at least a few days and up to several weeks before consumption, this allow the enzymes naturally present in the meat to break down the muscle tissue. These days, most beef is wet aged in plastic wrap but for us the exception is our 600g Hunter Valley Dry-aged T-Bone, this cut has been locally sourced and dry aged for a minimum of 28 days.

So what is dry-ageing and why is this hands down Lakemac’s best value steak at only $50?

Dry-aging is the traditional way of maturing meat to produce an extraordinarily tender and intensive flavour. Inside the microclimate of a dry-aging fridge the beef is exposed to sterilised air so dehydration can further concentrate the meat’s flavour and break down the connective tissues. It is also a more expensive process than wet-aging because the meat loses weight from dehydration, and the dried exterior or ‘crust’ must be trimmed away before cooking. You know this beef is of the uttermost quality as the process requires meat specially selected with a large, evenly distributed fat content.

Don’t just take our word for it, come in and select your ideal steak from our range, taste the difference of our dry-aged t-bone or share our 1kg tomahawk cutlet with that special someone.

The Boatshed Restaurant is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner at the Bay Hotel Motel in Bonnells Bay.

We have carefully considered our guests during every step of the process, we have minimised disruptions while the rooms have been transformed and have taken on their new look and feel. Now that the renovations are complete, we are back to booking at full capacity and are pleased to offer that fresh new feel that you get when you enter your room and during your stay with us.

The feedback from our guests has been great with some people taking to review sites and expressing their delight:

“It has been three years since we last stayed here and while we stayed in the same motel room it was quite different, I was really impressed with the upgrade to the room, completely new bathroom, carpet, fresh paint smell, all brand new, and the best thing is that the atmosphere in the pub remains the same.”

Jonathon Rossi - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Google Review

“Staff were great. Room was big enough for 5. Food was amazing. Best snitty I have ever had. Kids had fun in the pool and tennis courts. Will definitely come back”

Dannielle - 7.9 Booking.com

So weather you are travelling for an annual family getaway or you are a regular to the region for work, we are perfectly located near the shores of Lake Macquarie, we are just a short drive off the M1 motorway and we are a real gateway for all that the region has to offer. We are newly renovated, clean, comfy and coastal, come stay with us at the Bay Hotel Motel in Bonnells Bay.

For the best room rates available, book your accomodation through our website.

Q - Hi Ben, How long have you been at the boatshed restaurant?
A - I have been here for about two years now and im really enjoying it, I have been in the industry 22 years and I have been to a lot of nice places in that time, this region really is something special though and it's great to be back here working locally.

Q - It's pretty trendy to talk about 'farm to fork' and 'local produce', do you draw much inspiration from the region?
A - Yes for sure, being situated on the coast and so close to the waters of Lake Macqaurie, we always have an assortment of fresh local seafood on the menu and although we are not a steak house we do offer quite an extensive range of steaks on our current menu. A lot of the really high end beef that we are working with is being sourced locally from the hunter valley, we have a really close relationship with our suppliers and we know where our product is coming from, we know the quality is consistent and we know the quality we have access to is the best available.

Q - What should people expect when dining at the venue?
A - We ensure that we deliver a menu that can satisfy all our patrons, we cater to couples, groups and families equally as well, we offer everything from the classic chicken schnitzel through to a 600 gram dry aged T-bone steak. It's modern Australian, there really is something for everyone, it's a good blend with a variety of flavours, we are serving up pizzas, salads, burgers and everyones favourite mains as well as kids meals for the young ones. There is plenty of seating in both the restaurant and the beer garden and for those who prefer the bar and lounge we also have casual bites available.

Q - Can you tell me a little about the upcoming wine luncheon?
A - We have regular wine luncheons where we showcase some of the best local and interstate wine makers, it gives us an opportunity to serve up exciting menus that are paired to the wines being tasted on the day. These luncheons are great for those looking for something a little more special and are also great socially, they are really popular with the ladies and the long lunch in our Glass House is always a hit. We also cater for functions and events and we encourage people to enquire so we can tailor a package to suit their individual needs.

The collection includes signed Rugby League and Union jerseys, signed surfboards, special edition pictures, Golf memorabilia, a framed Olympic Torch, various Cricket memorabilia, and a variety of other sporting paraphernalia. We also display a range of historic wine-making equipment. Our facilities place strong emphasis on sporting entertainment, not only in respect to televising sporting events, but also by providing a venue for many local sporting clubs and activities. The Bay Hotel Motel has a strong commitment to the local sporting community and sponsors many local organisations and events.

Local Sporting Community Clubs that we support include The Sunshine Amateur Sailing Club, Southern Lakes Rugby Club – Hammerheads, Dora Creek ‘Swampies’ Rugby League Club, Morisset United Football Club – Morisset Strikers, Morisset Netball Club, Morisset Swimming Club – Morisset Meteors, Morisset Rugby League Club – Morisset Bulls, Bay Tennis Academy, Bay Hotel Social Golf Club, Bay Hotel Social Fishing Club, The Variety Club Bash & Splash Events, Bonnells Bay Youth & Community Centre…. and many more!