Bennetts Beach: which end, which tide, which season
Written by the owners of Tilly and Annies Place and Seacrest 7, Hawks Nest. Last reviewed October 2026.
Bennetts Beach is the reason most people come to Hawks Nest, and it is also the thing they know least about when they arrive. It is the main Hawks Nest beach: long, open and facing east to the ocean. That sounds simple. In practice there are three or four different beaches in it depending on where you stand and what the tide is doing, and a weekend goes better if you know which one you are after.
In short: Swim at the southern end of Bennetts Beach, between the flags in front of the surf club, which is patrolled through the October to April season. Walk the middle section two hours either side of low tide. The northern end runs up towards Dark Point in Myall Lakes National Park.
At a glance
Patrols: October to April, southern end by the surf club
Walking window: two hours either side of low tide
Summer water: low to mid 20s
Shade: none, so bring your own
In this article
Both of our houses are a short walk from Bennetts Beach, Hawks Nest's surf side. Seacrest 7 is directly across Beach Road from a sand track onto it. Tilly and Annies Place is a few minutes further back.
The southern end: flags, surf club, the headland
The patrolled section is at the southern end, in front of the surf club at the bottom of Bennetts Beach Road. This is where the flags go up and where the crowd is, such as it is. The Tea Gardens Hawks Nest Surf Life Saving Club and MidCoast Council lifeguards patrol from October to April: volunteers on weekends and public holidays, council lifeguards through the school holidays. Patrol hours shift a little year to year, so look at the board at the club rather than trusting a blog.
Swim between the flags. On an average day there is a rip on either side of the flagged area. They are not dramatic to look at, which is the problem. If you are not a confident ocean swimmer, this is the only part of the beach to swim at, and only when the flags are up. Surf Life Saving NSW has a plain explanation of how to spot a rip that is worth two minutes before the first swim.
Behind the southern end is Yacaaba Headland, which gives the beach its shelter from a southerly. On a day when the wind is from the south, the first few hundred metres of sand below the headland can be almost calm while the rest of the beach is blown out.
The middle: the walking beach
Walk north from the surf club and within ten minutes the people thin out to nothing. This is the part of Bennetts most of our guests end up loving. At low tide the sand below the high water mark goes hard and flat and you can walk for an hour without seeing a footprint. At high tide the beach is narrower and softer and the walk is harder work.
Check the tide before you go. The Bureau of Meteorology tide tables list Port Stephens, and the beach follows them closely. Two hours either side of low is the walking window.
This is not a swimming section. There are no flags and the banks and gutters move around. Walk, look, paddle to the knees, and come back to the flags to swim.
The northern end: Dark Point and the dunes
Keep going and the beach runs up to Dark Point, inside Myall Lakes National Park. Most people drive there rather than walk; it is a long way on sand. The dunes at Dark Point are large, bare and shift with the wind, and the point itself is a registered Aboriginal Place with shell middens that are thousands of years old. Walk around the middens, not through them. We have a separate piece on Dark Point coming.
Low tide: rock pools and crabs
At low tide near the headland end the rock platform opens up and the pools fill. It is small compared with somewhere like Boat Harbour, but it is enough for an hour with a bucket. Anemones, small fish, the occasional octopus. Ghost crabs live in holes all along the upper beach and come out at dusk. They are fast and pale and children find them endlessly interesting.
Wear shoes with grip on the rocks. The platform is sharp in places and slippery in others, and a rising tide comes over it faster than you expect.
Season by season
Spring (September to November). Water warms from about 18 degrees. Patrols start. Whales are heading south with calves and can sometimes be seen from the headland. Winds are variable and the afternoon nor'easter starts to show up. Good month for the long walks.
Summer (December to February). Water in the low to mid 20s. Busiest from Boxing Day to the end of January. The nor'easter comes in most afternoons by about 1pm and makes the beach unpleasant until early evening, so the pattern is swim early, do something else in the middle of the day, swim again at five. Daily patrols through the school holidays.
Autumn (March to May). The best of it, if you ask us. Warm water, lighter winds, school holidays over, and the light goes gold early. Patrols run until the end of April.
Winter (June to August). Cold water, empty beach, big skies. Whales going north in June and July. No patrols, so swimming is for the experienced only. This is when the beach walks are longest, because nothing is pushing you off the sand.
Practical things
There is no shade on Bennetts. Bring it.
The surf club car park fills on hot weekends by mid-morning. Walking from the houses avoids this entirely.
Dogs: MidCoast Council sets the rules and they change by section and by time of day. Check the current MidCoast Council dog beach information before you bring one.
Rubbish: there are bins at the surf club end and nothing after that. Carry it back.
Sunrise is directly over the water, so the beach faces the light. If you only get up early once on a trip, this is the morning to do it.
Which end of Bennetts Beach for you
Families with small children: the flags, or go to Jimmys Beach instead. Swimmers and surfers: the flags, early, before the wind. Walkers: anywhere north of the club, two hours either side of low. People who just want to sit: the first bay under the headland on a southerly day, or anywhere at all on a still one.
Frequently asked questions
Where should you swim at Bennetts Beach?
Swim between the flags at the southern end, in front of the surf club at the bottom of Bennetts Beach Road. There is usually a rip on either side of the flagged area, so if you are not a confident ocean swimmer, this is the only part of the beach to swim at.
Is Bennetts Beach patrolled all year?
No. The Tea Gardens Hawks Nest Surf Life Saving Club and MidCoast Council lifeguards patrol from October to April, with volunteers on weekends and public holidays and lifeguards through the school holidays. There are no patrols in winter, so swimming then is for experienced swimmers only.
What is the best time of day for Bennetts Beach in summer?
Early morning and again around five. The nor'easter comes in most summer afternoons by about 1pm and makes the beach unpleasant until early evening, so swim early, do something else in the middle of the day, then swim again.
Plan your stay
Seacrest 7 sleeps six across two bedrooms, with a shared pool and the Bennetts Beach track across the road. Pick your dates on the live calendar to see the best direct rate. Need three bedrooms? Tilly and Annies Place also sleeps six, with two bathrooms.
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