lˈeɪk mˈækweɪɹi wʌz fˈɜːst ɛŋkˈaʊntɚd baɪ jˌʊɹɹəpˈiənz, ɪn dʒuːlˈaɪ wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd, baɪ kˈæptɪn wˈɪljəm ɹˈiːd, hˌuː hɐdbɪn tˈæskt wɪð əbtˈeɪnɪŋ ɐ kˈɑːɹɡoʊ ʌv kˈoʊl fɹʌmðɪ ˈaʊtkɹɑːpɪŋ sˈiːmz ɔnðə sˈʌðɚn sˈaɪd ʌvðə hˈʌntɚ ɹˈɪvɚ.
Lake Macquarie was first encountered by Europeans, in July 1800, by Captain William Reid, who had been tasked with obtaining a cargo of coal from the outcropping seams on the southern side of the Hunter River.