Tea Gardens/Hawks Nest is surrounded by pristine natural wonders, including:

Myall River

This unpolluted waterway meanders approximately 26km from the Myall Lakes in the north and empties into the Port Stephens, only a few kilometers from the Hotel.  It supports a plethora of wildlife and aquatic creatures, and a favourite passage for some of our resident dolphins.

Bennett’s Beach, Hawks Nest

Just a few minutes drive from the Hotel is this fabulous surf beach, 35km of golden sand and turquoise water.

The northern part of the beach is a leash-free zone for dogs (under owner control) up to the start of the National Park.  Don’t forget your doggy-doo bag! For a live image of the beach today, click on:  LIVE Hawks Nest WEB CAM.

Jimmy’s Beach, Hawks Nest:

On the northern shore of Port Stephens is this beautiful “still water” beach, where the waves are rarely higher than your knees.  Very safe for swimming, and also popular for kayaking, windsurfing and catamarans.

Myall Lakes National Park

This beautiful national treasure is a great place for boating and skiing enthusiasts, owing to it’s sheltered pockets and brackish water….click here for National Parks web site

Birdwatching

Did you know that there are more than 280 species of birds living in the Tea Gardens area—that’s as many as Kakadu !  Pop in to our Visitor Information Centre to find out about our RAMSAR wetlands and where to go to for best viewing opportunities

Boating

If you don’t have your own, hire one from our local Boatshed. 

There is a variety of very safe waterways surrounding Tea Gardens—river, lake, and bay, and one of the best ways to see it all is from the water!   Phone  02 4997 0307. 

4 -wheel driving

Permits to allow your four-wheel drive onto Bennett’s Beach are available from the Council office on Myall Street Tea Gardens or from the Visitor Information Centre next door, phone them on 4997 0111.

Kayaking

The Myall River is perfectly suited to kayaking with black swans, abundant bird life and often a pod of dolphins joins in the tour.  Both Lazy Paddles and Boathouse Kayak and Hire offer kayaking excursions.