Magical Morriset

• Words Di Von Essen

When the idea of writing a travel piece about Morriset was raised, I was a little curious. On the upside, it was close to home; I could go straight after work on Friday, plus I’d be home for sundowners on Sunday – so why not?

Admittedly, I didn’t know much more about Morriset than roughly where it was. Situated on the western foreshore of Lake Macquarie and less than an hour from Newcastle, this lakeside suburb is a kayaker’s mecca and the perfect place to explore the saltwater haven that’s said to be home to resident dolphins and sea turtles.

First stop en route was local brewery The Yard Brewery & Smokehouse. Situated unassumingly within the expanding industrial area of Morriset, the venue is home to Yard Kings Brewing Co., complete with an onsite smokehouse and café. The Loaded Kransky Dog and Smoked Brisket Burger paired perfectly with a tasting paddle of IPAs, Lagers and Pale Ales—a very worthy halfway-ish stop on your next trip to or from Sydney.

A short drive had us meandering through the recently established holiday-home suburb of Trinity Point to our accommodation near the Trinity Point Marina. Most of the homes in the area seemed to be owner-occupied, but a selection of them (including a luxury boat) are currently offered for accommodation ahead of the completion of the soon-to-be-approved luxury hotel overlooking the marina. But more on that later.

Our self-contained studio apartment looked brand-new and had everything we needed for a weekend away and, most importantly, was within walking distance of the marina and restaurant, 8 at Trinity

We welcomed Saturday with a chance to get out onto the water and explore the inlets and waterways that make up this part of Lake Macquarie. It’s the largest saltwater lake in the southern hemisphere and is between two to four times the size of Sydney Harbour (there seems to be some argument about that), yet we’d never ventured to the western side, and I’m ashamed to say that having lived in Newcastle for more than 15 years, we had never actually ventured out onto the water.

Our hosts for the morning were Maxine and Roy, owners of Sail Lake Macquarie and seriously experienced sailors, having sailed pretty much all over the world before returning to the Hunter in 2020. Their luxurious yacht MR, a 48-foot Beneteau Oceanis 2018, which we were lucky enough to have entirely to ourselves, was immaculate. Add to that the breezy morning that allowed us to hike up the sails (a technical term, I’m sure!) and blow out our late- winter cobwebs, and you’ve got a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

Our bubbly breakfast included a grazing board, great conversation and a tour of some of the 174 km of bays, beaches and headlands that make up the lake’s foreshore. While the eastern side of the lake is well-developed and tourist-oriented, the western side is quieter and very scenic, with lakefront holiday cottages dotted around the foreshore around Sunshine, Balcolyn and Silverwater around to Bonnells Bay.

Had we been feeling active following our morning jaunt, Trinity Point Marina has a host of activities on offer. Many of them involved water (of course), and had I been more skilful and less likely to end up in the drink in the middle of winter, we probably would have availed ourselves of the complimentary kayaks, standup paddle boards and e-Bikes (ok that last one was just pure laziness).

Accommodation guests can also enjoy a day on the water aboard the self-drive pontoon BBQ boat, the 'Day Tripper', or for the more adventurous, an eFoil Fliteboard experience is also on offer for a truly unique activity that promises you can literally fly above the water. Maybe in Summer….

You may be wondering where the ‘magic’ part of this journey makes an appearance – and that’s around about now as we wander down to 8 at Trinity to be hosted by the restaurant’s visionary creator and Managing Director, Natalie Johnson.

To say 8 at Trinity is a destination in itself is a serious understatement. Natalie describes the venue as an ‘eight-million-dollar pop-up’ designed to give people a taste of what they can expect when the luxury 220-room hotel with two restaurants, function centre, pool and 218 carbon-neutral waterfront apartments are completed. There will also be a floating pontoon tennis court and a helipad as part of the 23-hectare project that will see it become a world-class destination.

And if anyone can achieve this lofty goal, it’s Natalie, alongside her husband – property developer, and head of The Johnson Group, Keith Johnson.

Creating the landmark restaurant was certainly a gamble, and Natalie admits people thought she was crazy. With a glittering façade, 5-star resort vibes, luxe seating for 350 people, and a sprawling lawn overlooking the marina, diners are transported to wherever in the world they long to be. For me, the design was reminiscent of Singapore, with the fabriccovered, light-filled column-trees mirroring the Asian city’s famous Gardens by the Bay.

And it's clear that many of us are craving a taste of the exotic, with the restaurant serving 1,000 patrons daily from Thursdays to Sundays.

But if the setting is stunningly international (and it is), then the menu is out of this world.

Natalie describes the offering as “fine-dining quality without pretentiousness,” and she’s 100 per cent correct. The menu is extensive, and while it has a fine dining quality, Natalie says she has also tried to cater for everyone – from families looking for wood-fired pizzas on a Sunday to business lunchers looking for the best of the best. The attention to detail is outstanding, from the crockery that Natalie imports from Italy to the professionalism of the service staff; it is clear from the get-go that this will be an unforgettable dining experience.

A former Chef, Natalie has had a hand in curating every item on the menu, and her passion for local produce is evident and applaudable. Determined to provide us with a taste of everything that’s ‘signature’ about the menu, Natalie ordered an amazing array of dishes for us to try, and there wasn’t a dish that didn't wow us.

It sounded simple, but the Roasted Watermelon with burrata, 30-year-old balsamic, river mint, EVOO and toasted crostini was so unique that I feel it needs a special mention. The roasting process converts the watermelon to a salmon-like consistency, and the combination of fruity sweetness with the buttery smoothness of the burrata is delicious.

The Sea Scallops with celeriac, pine nuts, blackcurrants, lemon, brown butter, parsley oil, and chives were not only perfectly cooked and oh-so-tender but also took the award for the most Instagram-able dish of the evening, while the Kingfish Ceviche might just go down as the best we’d ever eaten.

To send us on an Asian-inspired gastronomic trajectory, Natalie suggests that we opt for sharing dishes with two mains inspired by her travels. The Singapore Chilli Style Prawns is a dish that 8 at Trinity is famous for. It’s balanced and lavish, with a sauce that begs to be mopped up with one of the house-warmed baoger buns it’s served alongside.

Next up is the Japanese Kagoshima A5 Wagyu Scotch Fillet MBS 12+ MP. Served medium so as to allow the natural marbling and high-fat content to render during the cooking process, and partnered with crispy duck fat potato maxims, vinegar salt, roasted portobello mushrooms, pickled pearl onions, chargrilled spring onion and green peppercorn sauce.

By now, we’re lost for words (and wishing we’d worn our ‘eating pants’) when dessert arrives. The Croissant Bread & Butter Pudding served warm in a copper pan with an apricot glaze, almonds, crème anglaise and vanilla gelato and Affogato with a shot of espresso and Baileys were the perfect ending to a magical night (yes – in Morriset!).

To find out more about 8 at Trinity or to make a booking, visit www.8attrinitypoint. com.au