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Lake Macquarie Campus
The Lake Macquarie Campus is the original and largest of Avondale's campuses. It is a part of the Avondale Estate, a 325 hectare (800 acre) property in Cooranbong, a small town about 120 km north of Sydney in New South Wales on Australia's scenic Central Coast.The grounds are beautifully maintained and feature large, shady trees, bright bursts of flowers and meticulously manicured lawns. The Avondale Estate is nestled at the foot of the Watagan Mountain ranges which offer excellent opportunities for walking, camping, mountain biking, rock climbing and abseiling.
Two of the Lake Macquarie Campuses oldest buildings, Bethel Hall and College Hall have been carefully restored to their original condition and provide a focal point at the centre of the campus.
A few kilometres to the east is magnificent Lake Macquarie, Australia's largest salt water lake. Swimming, sailing, wake-boarding and water skiing are only minutes away from text books and assignments. And of course there are the world class beaches, providing the ultimate in uncrowded surfing and swimming conditions just 30 minutes drive from the campus.
The rainfall in this region is about 1250 mm (50 inches) per year. Midday summer temperatures are around 27 degrees centigrade although temperatures can exceed 40 degrees centigrade on occasion. In winter, frosts may occur overnight, particularly during the months of July or August.
Location
This campus is only ten minutes drive from Australia's largest coastal lake and twenty or thirty minutes from the wide sandy surf beaches of the Central Coast. Newcastle is the closest provincial city. It is just forty-five minutes away by car or train. Sydney is just ninety minutes by train or freeway. This means that students can enjoy study in a rural setting but enjoy easy access to the surf and the city with its cultural and sporting events and activities.
Facilities
The Lake Macquarie Campus, set on 325 hectares of rural land, has facilities to cater to every facet of college life to make your time with us as memorable as possible.
Bookshop
The Avondale College Bookshop sells all course required textbooks as well as all your stationery needs. It also houses souvenirs, phone cards, software, snack foods, and postal services.
Cafeteria
The cafeteria provides a vegetarian menu daily throughout the semester with a wide choice of fresh and cooked foods provided for each meal.
Canteen
The ASFA Canteen is open for lunch and until late at night for snacks and for a place to hang out.
Library
The library is a well-equipped and modern study and research environment with links to the catalogues of university libraries within Australia. It also has adequate computer facilities.
Casual Employment Service
The Employment Information Officer in Student Services coordinates employment opportunities on and around campus. Employment opportunities are also advertised on the web site. Departments offering employment include: Residences, Cafeteria, Library, Marketing Services, Sport and Recreation, Cleaning, Grounds, IT, Science labs, Computer labs, Student Services, and Finance and Business office.
Banking
The cashier in Financial and Business Services is an agency for the Commonwealth Bank and is equipped with a Westpac bank EFTPOS terminal. An ATM is available from 8am-11pm in Student Services for cash withdrawals.
Child Care
A long-day-care service is available within five minutes of the campus.
Medical Services
Medical, dental, optical and physiotherapy services are available in the village shopping centre at the entrance to the campus. Ambulance services are within 10 minutes.
Counselling Services
Academic counselling is provided formally by course coordinators, faculty deans, and Academic Office personnel. Personal counselling is available from professional counselling staff and residence directors. Spiritual counselling is available from the campus chaplain and pastoral staff.
Transport
A shuttle bus service operates from campus to the nearest railway station in Morisset, and to other services. Train travel to Newcastle is about 50 minutes, 30 minutes to Westfield Tuggerah, and about 2 hours to the Sydney CBD. Public buses are also available from the Cooranbong township.
Shopping
Avondale Shopping Village is a small centre with basic services. Morisset, just 10 minutes away, has a large 24-hour supermarket, several banks, and a number of specialty shops. The Westfield Tuggerah shopping and cinema complex is 25 minutes south by car. Newcastle shops and Lake Macquarie's Charlestown Square shopping complex are about 45 minutes north by car.
Auditorium and Swimming Pool
The Chan Shun Auditorium accommodates four basketball courts or a mix of basketball, badminton, netball, indoor soccer, and volleyball courts. It has quality fittings throughout with a sprung timber floor. The adjoining building houses Avondale's four squash courts, rock-climbing wall and weights gym. Sports fields and tennis courts are nearby as is a heated outdoor 25m length swimming pool.
IT Facilities
All students are issued an email address, and computers with internet and email access are available 24 hours per day in computer rooms in each residence hall. Five computer labs with internet access are provided for general student use across campus. Internet access is also available from computers in the library. There are several computer labs for specialised academic purposes. Altogether Avondale provides approximately one computer to every five students on campus. Students are encouraged to bring their own computer for personal use. Network connections are available in the men's residence and will be installed in the near future in ladies residences.
Residence Halls
Avondale has three residence halls: Andre Hall and Ella Boyd Hall for women, and Watson Hall for men. All rooms are equipped with a bed, desk, storage space, and Internet access. We believe that the residential option provides the kind of atmosphere that is helpful to your study program.
Married Student Accommodation
Avondale has additional accommodation for married students. These units, which are located near the main entrance to Avondale, are within walking distance of the campus.
