How to get there: Head north from Newcastle along the Pacific Highway and take the Tarean Road turn.
What to take: A boat, fishing line or picnic basket.
Who should go: Families and anyone looking for a peaceful day by the water and away from the crowds.
What to see: The Karuah River of Music festival livens up the sleepy town for a weekend a year. The next festival will be in May, 2010.
What to do: Relax by taking a picnic to the foreshore, or drop a boat into the water and go fishing.
Where to eat: In keeping with the laid-back feel of Karuah, the local fish and chip shop on Tarean Road is as good as you'll find anywhere, selling locally caught seafood and featuring a cosy courtyard area.
Best kept secret: Is probably the town itself. Karuah has fallen off many maps since it was bypassed by the Pacific Highway about four years ago, but it's reinvented itself as an untouched piece of waterfront paradise.
WHEN Karuah was bypassed by the highway about four years ago, many predicted the town would wither without the steady stream of traffic that had sustained its main-street businesses for decades.
It's been a rough period for many of the town's shops and other businesses, but Karuah's curse is also its greatest blessing.
The town's quaint foreshore makes it almost unique among the hustle and bustle of waterfront areas between Newcastle and the Queensland border.
Karuah Chamber of Commerce president Tony King said the town's biggest asset was its peace and quiet.
"If you go to Nelson Bay, the foreshore's a bit full on," he said.
"Karuah's on the water and doesn't have the crowds. If [people] really just want to get out of it all, then this is the place to come."
Karuah's appeal is in its small-town charm. Places like Morpeth and Dungog have been successful in bringing events and travellers to town, and Karuah is heading along the same track.
The Karuah River of Music festival launched last year and was a massive success that gave local businesses a big boost.
Mr King said one visitor fell in love with the town at the festival and came back to buy a house.
"We do get quite a few daytrippers who spend a bit of time up here," he said.
"They might be heading to Tea Gardens or Hawks Nest for the day and stop by here.
"I love it because I love the quiet. That suits me."
Mr King said Karuah was the perfect place to launch a boat to head out into Port Stephens or along the Karuah River.
Both the port and mangrove-lined river provide excellent fishing opportunities, and on any day scores of boats can be seen dotting the spectacular view into the belly of Port Stephens.
For those who don't have their sea legs, the beautifully kept parkland on either side of the Karuah Bridge provides the perfect spot for a picnic or to kick a football on a sunny day.
Those looking for something more active can head to the Karuah Golf Club, which maintains a tree-lined nine-hole golf course just south of the town.
With so much to offer, anyone who chooses to bypass Karuah may be missing a unique and laid-back experience.
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