THE PLACES
Nature isn't an excursion.
Six places worth knowing, from the long surf beach to the lakes up the road.
Bennetts Beach
Long, open and often empty. Best at sunrise, and the walking is endless.
Jimmys Beach
Calm, protected water on the river side. Easier with small kids.
Myall River
Kayaks, fishing, oysters. The jetty at last light is the pick.
Yacaaba Headland
The track is open to a viewing point for now. Whales offshore in the cooler months.
Myall Lakes
Bush, waterways and walking tracks just up the road.
Rock pools at low tide
Worth timing a walk around. Kids disappear into these for an hour.
All of this is walking distance from both front doors.
THE NEIGHBOURS
You won't be out
there alone.
Pelicans on the river, black cockatoos through in the afternoon, kookaburras on the fence posts and ghost crabs on the sand at dusk. Koalas live in the gums around town. No promises on any given day. They turn up when they turn up.
PELICANS
KOOKABURRA
BLACK COCKATOOS
GHOST CRAB
Spring is when most of this is easiest to see.
Wild neighbours
Dolphins in the river, whales offshore, kookaburras at breakfast.
Hawks Nest sits between a national park, a river and the open sea, so the locals are not all human. Bring binoculars, walk early, and look up.
Dolphins
In the Myall River and around the bay
Humpback whales
Offshore from June to November
Dingoes
On the Myall Lakes beaches. Wild, so keep your distance
Kangaroos
On the drive in, just before Tea Gardens
Pelicans
On the river at Tea Gardens
Kookaburras
In the gums, loudest at dawn
Koalas
High in the gums, if you look up
Rabbits
On the dune edges at dusk
Local guide
How far it is.
Bennetts Beach
Across the road from Seacrest 7
Jimmys Beach
A short walk from Tilly and Annies Place
Tea Gardens
Over the Singing Bridge
From Sydney
About two and a half hours by car
Talk to a local
Both houses are managed by Tea Gardens Real Estate Holidays. Call them for dates, questions or tips on the area.
