Midweek out of season is the good version
Updated: Oct 6
Written by the owners of Tilly and Annies Place and Seacrest 7, Hawks Nest. Last reviewed October 2026.
Everyone comes to Hawks Nest between Christmas and Australia Day. It's a good time to be here. It is not the best time to be here.
In short: Outside the Christmas to Australia Day rush, Hawks Nest is quieter and often better. Autumn brings warm water and empty beaches, winter brings whales and cool walking weather, spring brings calves and wildflowers, and midweek rates are lower.
At a glance
Autumn: February to May, water still warm
Winter: June to August, whale season and cool walking
Spring: September to November, whales and wildflowers
Midweek: lower rates and an emptier town
In this article
The case for autumn
February to May the water is still warm, often warmer than December, and the crowds have gone. Mornings are clear. You can park anywhere. The beach walk that takes twenty minutes in January takes twenty minutes and you see four people.
The case for winter
June to August is whale season and the walking is better in cool weather. Yacaaba without the heat is a different proposition entirely. Both houses have heating.
The case for spring
September to November. Whales heading south with calves, wildflowers in the national park, water warming up. Arguably the best months of the year here, and among the quietest.
Midweek specifically
Rates are lower and the town is emptier. If you can take a Monday and Tuesday off, you get a better version of the same trip for less.
The two houses do not change either. Both sleep six, both have heating, and both are the same walk from the sand in February as they are in July. The only thing that moves is how many other people are doing the same thing.
Compare the two houses if you are deciding which suits the time of year you are coming.
What doesn't change
The beach is the same distance from the front door. The river still runs past. The pelicans are still there in the morning.
What to do with the extra quiet
A midweek stay changes what the week is for. People walk more, read more and cook more. The things that need a clear morning, the Yacaaba Headland track at about seven kilometres return, or an hour of watching for whales from the north end of the beach, are much easier when you are not sharing them.
Jimmys Beach on a still weekday morning is usually about as calm as it gets. If you have small children, that combination of flat water and no crowd is the whole argument for travelling outside the holidays.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Hawks Nest?
Outside the Christmas to Australia Day peak. February to May has warm water and fewer people, June to August is whale season with good walking weather, and September to November brings whales with calves and wildflowers in the national park.
Is Hawks Nest cheaper midweek?
Yes. Midweek rates are lower and the town is emptier, so taking a Monday and Tuesday off gets you a better version of the same trip for less.
Is Hawks Nest worth visiting in winter?
Yes. June to August is whale season and the walking is better in cool weather. Both houses have heating.
What midweek actually feels like
The difference is not subtle. In the peak weeks you queue for a park at the beach and share the sand. On a Tuesday in May you will often have a stretch of Bennetts to yourself, and the first footprints on it are yours.
The shops are quieter, the clubs are easy to get a table at, and the drive in from Sydney, about two and a half hours, is a drive rather than a crawl. Leaving on a Friday afternoon in January is a different sport entirely.
The honest trade: fewer things are open, the surf club patrol runs through the summer season rather than all year, and if you want a buzzing town you will not find one. Most people reading this far want the opposite.
This is general information based on our own experience. Conditions change. Check Beachsafe, SharkSmart and NSW National Parks alerts before you go, and follow lifesavers' directions on the day.
Plan your stay
Two Waters has two places to stay in Hawks Nest, each sleeping six. Tilly and Annies Place is a three-bedroom townhouse near calm Jimmys Beach. Seacrest 7 is a two-bedroom apartment with a pool, across the road from Bennetts Beach. Pick your dates on either live calendar.
Comments