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A Weekend at Forster-Tuncurry

Home > Newcastle > Fun Things To Do | Escape the City | Day Trips | Beaches | Walks
Published May 3rd 2017
Ideas for a weekend away
A weekend at Forster has been evading us for quite a while and when we finally edged towards a quiet weekend, we made the quick decision to drive to Forster.

Here's an itinerary for a 2 night 2 day Forster visit.

First things first, it's literally a 3.5 hours drive north of Sydney. Of course we did choose a non-peak hour and it wasn't a long weekend and we were smart about staying on the highway and not taking the scenic route on our way to get there. We left around midday and most certainly 3.5 hours later we were crossing the Forster-Tuncurry bridge. First impressions were definitely inviting. As you cross the iconic bridge, you see the islands that have formed in the middle of the lakes, the bird life and happy vacation goers. We instantly knew we couldn't go wrong with Forster.

A walk up the lake side that evening helped us discover plenty of places to eat and watch the sun go down.

The Tanks at Forster
The Tanks at Forster


One Mile Beach and sand boarding opportunity
One Mile Beach and sand boarding opportunity
Nine Mile Beach at Tuncurry - great for viewing dolphins
Nine Mile Beach at Tuncurry - great for viewing dolphins


The next morning we rose nice and early and were determined to make the most of the day at hand. It included a drive to the quiet tip of Green Point suburb and a trip to the Cape Hawke lookout within Booti Booti National Park. This hidden 500m trek to the top reveals itself in mysterious ways. With a lot of bush growth throughout the trek, the beautiful views are completely hidden till you make your way to the top. We were there shortly after sunrise, however I can imagine how much more beautiful watching the sun rising across the horizon from this lookout could be.

Horizon views near the Tanks
Horizon views near The Tanks


If it is a market day, you could make your way to one of the markets in the surrounding towns including Nabiac Farmers Market, Old Bar Markets or the more local Forster's Farmer's Market for a taste of everything local.

Our next stop, Pebbly Beach and The Tanks. During high tide The Tanks make a great place for photo enthusiasts. The waves constantly colliding with the rock formations and splashing up are a great sight to see. Since the rocks are a little into the sea, during low tide it forms the perfect barrier exposing a safe and enclosed water area. If sandy beaches are your thing, then you've got Forster Main Beach or One Mile Beach to choose from in Forster or the un-spoilt Nine Mile Beach near Tuncurry Rockpool.

The Tanks
The Tanks, Forster


Forster One Mile Beach has lovely sand boarding opportunities and is a sure family favourite. We also met a friendly snake on our way to this beach.

Post the beach activities, we headed to the lakeside for some water triking as we were too late to hire a boat for a 4 hour escapade. The water triking was much fun, too. Trike forwards, backwards or just stay still and enjoy the calm lake.

While there are plenty of places to eat, some fancy and not so fancy, we tried Aztec, the Mexican joint and Little Lucifers, the tapas joint on the lakeside. Little Lucifers surely won our hearts with fresh and tasty food in addition to the the lovely lake views. The Forster bakery, located not too far from here, is famous for its pies.

The Amaroo cruises at Forster are unmissable as they seem to be the only big commercial operator. It was dolphin season and we were all too happy to see some from the big boat. It wasn't a busy day so there were plenty of viewing points across the boat and we did sight plenty of them swimming synchronously. They were not too far from the shore of Nine Mile Beach and perhaps could have been seen from the beach too at certain points. A lovely 2.5 hour cruise with frequent dolphin sightings was well worth the morning.

Easy dolphin spotting on board Amaroo cruises
Easy dolphin spotting on board Amaroo Cruises


Soon it was time to leave Forster, however we did choose the scenic route on our way pack and stopped by Pacific Palms for lunch at the lovely Kembali cafe. A further stop at Seal Rocks lighthouse is also well within reach before heading back to Sydney.

Forster - check. Of course, needless to say this was only a pleasant 2 day teaser and we are sure to come back and explore the lovely nature trails and beaches of Forster and surrounds.
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Why? Lots to do and see
Where: Forster, new south wales
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