Scottish Country Dancing Dictionary

Tuggerah Lake

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

Tuggerah Lake 32-bar reel for three couples in a four-couple longwise set. Kathryn Bourke

1-4 1st couple, giving right hands, cross over and cast off one place. 2nd couple step up on bars 3-4.
5-8 1st couple dance a half figure of eight - man up between 2nd couple, woman down between 3rd couple.
9-16 1st couple dance reels of three across, 1st woman giving left shoulder to 2nd man and 1st man giving left shoulder to 3rd woman to begin.
17-20 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples set and link to end in lines across.
21-24 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples chase half way to end in lines across.
25-28 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples set and link to end on own sides.
29-32 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples, giving right hands, turn partners once round.

Repeat, having passed a couple.

(Dance crib compiled by the deviser, Kathryn Bourke)


Keith Rose's Crib Diagrams


Dance Instruction Videos

Tuggerah Lake - Scottish Country Dancing Instruction Video

Dance Information

This dance was devised by Kathryn Bourke.

The set and link in the dance followed by the chase, remind me of breaking waves on the lake in a southerly buster.

(Dance information by the deviser, Kathryn Bourke)


Tuggerah Lake is a shallow coastal lagoon located on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia, approximately 90 kilometers north of Sydney. It is the largest of the three interconnected lagoons known as the Tuggerah Lakes, covering an area of about 80.8 square kilometers with an average depth of 2.4 meters. The lake receives inflow primarily from the Wyong River and drains into the Tasman Sea through a tidal channel at The Entrance.

The surrounding region has a rich history, originally inhabited by the Darkinjung people before European exploration in the late 18th century. Today, the lake is bordered by several suburban areas, including The Entrance, Wyong, and Toukley, and is a popular spot for recreational activities such as fishing and boating. Common fish species include luderick, bream, flathead, and whiting.

Due to its shallow nature, the lake can become choppy during strong winds, posing hazards to small boats.

Environmental challenges have arisen from urban development, leading to increased nutrient runoff and sedimentation, which promote weed growth in the lake. Restoration efforts have focused on weed removal, foreshore reclamation, and improving water exchange with the sea. Additionally, the lake and its surroundings are part of the Tuggerah Important Bird Area, supporting various waterbird species and endangered woodland birds.

The sun going down over Lake Tuggerah, taken near The Entrance, New South Wales, Australia
Tuggerah Lake Sunset


Published in Hunter Valley Dances Book 2, reproduced here with the kind permission of Allyn Douglass, Secretary RSCDS Hunter Valley Branch.
This page contains both original content, which is copyrighted, and excerpts from Wikipedia and other sources using the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Text from this original Tuggerah Lake article on Wikipedia.
Image copyright https://www.flickr.com/people/61063858@N02 - Marc Dalmulder, under this Creative Commons Licence 2.0, via Wikipedia.

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