But at the moment, he feels like he could be gazing at another world.

"I can look across and think, 'Those people are free!'," said Mr Walker.

It may be one body of water, but with the NSW government's COVID-19 restrictions, Lake Macquarie effectively has two ways of life. For the lakeside communities fall into two local government areas; one is in lockdown, one is not. .

The government has imposed "stay at home" rules on the Greater Sydney region, and that includes the Central Coast local government area.

A couple of peninsulas at the southern end of Lake Macquarie are in the Central Coast LGA.

That means a string of communities, including Summerland Point, Gwandalan, Chain Valley Bay and Mannering Park, is subject to the lockdown, while just across the water, those who are part of the City of Lake Macquarie area are living by different rules and restrictions.

"It's an unusual feeling," said Mr Walker. "I have a son at Cooranbong, and I'd love to get in my car and drive over, but I can't."

Fellow Summerland Point resident Meredith Corrigan shares the frustration Brian Walker feels.

"We're right at the tip of Central Coast [LGA], we've got no exposure, not many people having to go to Sydney," said Mrs Corrigan, the secretary of the Summerland Point and Gwandalan Peninsula Improvement Group.

Life in lockdown, Mrs Corrigan said, was "bloody boring", and it had changed the nature of daily living in the usually "close-knit" peninsula community.

"Now everyone scurries around, no one wants to talk," she said.

The state MP for Lake Macquarie, Greg Piper, said his office had been fielding many questions from those whose lives and jobs required them to cross from one LGA to the other and were trying to understand how the different restrictions applied to them.

"Perhaps there should be a much greater emphasis by the state government than there is on an information campaign in these border areas," Mr Piper said.

The MP has this week finished a fortnight of living in isolation, after Parliament House was identified as an exposure site during the NSW Budget week.

Greg Piper said he was deemed a "close contact" and spent two days in lockdown in Sydney, and then 12 days at home in south-western Lake Macquarie.

"Very frustrating," he said. "On the other hand, I was in the fortunate position where I was at home, and I have a yard. While I was frustrated, it only sharpened my empathy towards those doing it really tough."

The lockdown is having financial, as well as social, consequences along the lake's shore.

Gwandalan Bowling Club is a community hub in southern Lake Macquarie and an employer of 20 staff.

However, the lockdown has forced the club to shut its doors. While CEO Steve Rigney is finding maintenance work to keep people employed, he's had to stand down most of the staff.

Steve Rigney said the economic impact of this lockdown would be "substantial", with it likely to cost the club tens of thousands of dollars.

The club has continued to offer takeaway dinners from Tuesday to Saturday, but not for financial reasons.

"We're running at a loss", Mr Rigney said, adding the service allowed the club to remain connected to the community.

"Our doors are closed, but that doesn't mean we're closed to the community. We want to be relevant to these people."

Even the lake itself, which is usually a great connector of communities, is a moat during COVID.

"I have friends in Summerland Point who have boats and go over to Swansea, Belmont and Wangi on a regular basis, but they can't do that," said Brian Walker.

Under the rules, for those in the lockdown area, boating is permitted for limited recreation and exercise, provided they remain in Greater Sydney. Anyone outside Greater Sydney is not permitted to enter that area for recreational boating.

For many of those in lockdown, the lake remains a source of comfort.

To grab a bit of exercise and recreation under the rules, Chain Valley Bay resident Wayne Hocking-Jones takes his fishing rod down to the lake to cast a line and gather his thoughts.

"It's a bit of therapy, going down there," he said. "It's got medicinal purposes."

The lake also provides a social outlet. Mr Hocking-Jones usually goes for a beer and a yarn at the Munmorah Bowlo. But the club was closed because of the lockdown, Mr Hocking-Jones said, so he looked forward to talking with fellow fishing enthusiasts on the shore, "socially distanced, trying to solve the problems of the world".

Brian Walker said around Summerland Point the number of "tourists" had dramatically dropped, but since the lockdown, more local families were taking to the water.

"I've noticed a lot of dads taking their kids out - 'Let's go fishing!'," Mr Walker said.

Like millions of others in the lockdown area, and those living with restrictions outside it, Wayne Hocking-Jones can't wait for the rules to loosen. But, until then, he is grateful for where he lives.

"We are so lucky to have this beautiful lake," he said. "If it wasn't for the lake, we'd be stir crazy."

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: