Walka Water Works was built in the 1880s to supply water to the lower Hunter. The ornate brick pumping station and chimney still give the reserve its character, even if most visitors now come for the lake, walking trails, and open space.
It is one of Maitland's best gentle stops. Walk the loop, look for birds and turtles around the water, and give the old industrial buildings a few minutes; they are handsome in a very practical 19th-century way.