Forster Accommodation & The Best Things to do in Forster Tuncurry

A perfect base for an escape to the spectacular Great Lakes region, Forster also unfurls beautiful beaches from the breakwater at Main Beach to Pacific Palms. Enjoy the surrounding waterways by swimming, surfing and fishing. Scuba diving is great in this area, as well as dolphin and whale watching cruises.

Between Wallis Lake and the Pacific Ocean, Forster is the heart of the Great Lakes. Hire a houseboat for a holiday on the stunning lakes and waterways. On the oceanside Main Beach stretches south to the Forster Ocean Baths, with many nearby beaches adorning the peninsula to Pacific Palms. 

Along the way, Seven Mile Beach stretches south from nearby Cape Hawke to Booti Hill and the Ruins, a great spot for fishing and surfing. For spectacular views visit Cape Hawke lookout in Booti Booti National Park, situated between lake and the sea. Surrounded by rainforest, it’s a great spot for walking.

Why Spend Your Holiday in Forster?

Forster offers superb fishing options, from deep-sea charters to lake, rock and river or beach fishing. At Fisherman’s Wharf, you can also join Dive Forster for memorable scuba experiences, such as visiting a Grey Nurse Shark site. They also do day charters and ocean swimming with dolphin tours.

Whales migrate along the coast between May and November, and you can take a whale-watching cruise with Amaroo Cruises. Time your visit with one of the great local events such as the Jeff Wilcox Memorial bodyboarding competition or the Lakeside Festival in the twin seaside town of Tuncurry.

When it comes to things to do in Forster Tuncurry, you’re spoiled for choice. Explore the waterways by boat or kayak, enjoy fresh local seafood or gourmet coffee, go beyond the beaches into the hinterland, browse the boutique shops, discover coastal & waterfront walks, ride the local legendary surf breaks, or experience a dolphin or whale cruise – and we have the best Forster accommodation perfect for every type of traveler. 

What are the best beaches in Forster Tuncurry?

Whether it is a family day out or to surf the local breaks, Forster Tuncurry and the surrounding areas cater to every experience. Forster Main Beach is a family-friendly patrolled beach which features an ocean pool with a gentle sandy slope and plenty of beachfront restaurants and cafés.

1. Pebbly Beach & The Tanks includes a small beach great for a quick dip or for the avid surfer. The Tanks is a natural rock formation that creates a lagoon to swim in or jump into
2. One Mile Beach is great for surfing, plus it has a natural sand dune for sand surfing. It is patrolled at the southern end and includes rock pools, a park and playground.  
3. Burgess Beach is a secret spot with rock caves but is only accessed by a steep path from burgess road
4. Mcbrides Beach is a beautifully secluded beach accessed by 4WD only via Cape Hawke road.
5. Nine Mile Beach at Tuncurry is great for surfing plus it includes a family-friendly rockpool with a protected swimming area near the break wall. It also includes a kiosk, children’s play area and bbq facilities – plus for the adventurous type, the far northern end is excellent for 4WDs. 
6. Little St Baths is a gentle lake bath for kids which includes a waterfront cafe.
7. Elizabeth Beach is patrolled and is excellent for families in pacific palms.
8. Blueys and Boomerang beaches are great for surfing. 

Best spots to snorkel or dive

Forster- Tuncurry and the Great Lakes region is not only renowned for its beautiful beaches, lakes and hinterlands; it also boasts world-class snorkelling and diving spots for the underwater enthusiasts. There are several popular spots listed below to dive along the coastline spanning the entire Great Lakes area. 

Behind ‘The Tanks’ at Forster’s Pebbly Beach is a local breeding ground for Grey Nurse Sharks and the perfect place for underwater photos. ‘Status Rock’ is another popular, sheltered dive site with Grey Nurse sharks, turtles, Grouper and lots of schooling pelagic fish. 

Please note that we advise you to contact the local dive centres: Forster Dive Centre and Dive Forster to arrange a dive or visit their website to make an enquiry, or if you are an experienced diver unfamiliar with these dive spots, we encourage you to contact them for advice as well.  Both centres offer entry-level, specialty and professional diving courses carried out by expert divemasters with world recognised certifications:  

Best spots to surf in Forster – Tuncurry

From the North around Diamond Beach stretching South towards Seal Rocks, there are countless popular surfing spots suitable for the beginner to the more experienced surfer. 

In the warmer months, One Mile Beach or Pebbly Beach in Forster and Number 1 Beach at Seal Rocks are perfect spots to enjoy some smaller longboard waves and beach breaks. During the cooler months when there is more swell around, there are several popular surfing spots heading South – from Elim (7 Mile Beach), Boomerang Beach, Blueys Beach and Lighthouse Beach at Seal Rocks. 

Check out Surfline to keep up to date with local surf reports.  

For solo or group surfing lessons contact Simon from Great Lakes Surf School on 0427 823 029 or Gary at Surface Surf School on 0434 64 5796. 

Best places to paddleboard

There are lots of great places to paddleboard in Forster – Tuncurry and the surrounds. Wallis Lake spans over 1400 square kilometres with plenty of great spots to paddleboard that cater to different abilities. Breckenridge channel (located behind the Wharf Street Forster) is a perfect protected spot to try your hand at paddleboarding. There are several boat sheds located on Memorial Drive and Little Street that hire out paddle boards year-round.

If you’re an experienced paddleboarder and you have brought your own, then you may wish to take your chances at one of the local surfing spots, perhaps at Forster’s Main Beach or One Mile Beach where you will often share the waves with some playful dolphins. 

Here is a list of some local businesses that rent our paddleboards: 

• Forster Houseboat Hire- https://www.forsterluxuryhouseboats.com.au/ 
• Waterline Boathouse- https://waterlineboathouse.com.au/ 
• Great Lake Boat Hire- http://www.greatlakesboathire.com.au/ 
• Forster Dive Centre – http://www.forsterdivecentre.com.au/paddleboards.php 
• Aussie Boat Shed- https://aussieboatshed.com.au/ 

You can also hire paddle boards at Pacific Palms from Pacific Palms SUP located at Frothy Coffee at the beautiful Smiths Lake- https://www.pacificpalmssup.com.au/ 

Best spots to wakeboard

You won’t have far to launch your boat if you are staying in town with the boat ramps located across the road from the main street of Forster, next to Paradise Marina on Little Street, Forster or at Forster Keys. 

Wallis Lake and the surrounding rivers are a wakeboarders or boating enthusiasts dream! Perhaps the most popular place to wakeboard is located on the southern side of Wallis Island that runs towards Coomba Bay, or the western side of Regatta Island. 

Forster Keys is also a popular place to enjoy a family day on the water with a park running parallel to the water, making it ideal for onlookers. Forster Keys links up to Wallis Lake through Coomba Park so you can launch your boat and enjoy a full day exploring the beautiful views. 

The average depth of the lake is 2.3 metres (7 ft 7 in), and there usually are plenty of spots that you can find to avoid prevailing winds making it a perfect playground for wakeboarding, water skiing or tubing. 

Best spots to mountain bike

Tipriders is arguably the largest network of mountain biking trails on the Eastern Seaboard. What started out 20 years ago as a couple of trails that a small group of friends made to ride on weekends, has grown into nearly 70 kilometres of hand-cut mountain bike specific single trail! The system is often referred to as the ‘Tip Trails’, owing to their proximity to the Taree Waste Management Centre. But that’s where their similarity to rubbish ends because these trails are pure mountain biking gold. 

Unlike other trail systems that are based upon only one or two ‘loops’, the Kiwarrak trails are an interconnected ‘web’ of trails that intersect each other many times over. This provides riders with the opportunity to ‘choose their own adventure’ by giving them almost unlimited options of which trails to follow in order to stitch together their ride. Add to this the fact that 95% of the trails are non-directional (you can ride them both ways), and you have a trail network that offers riders an almost infinite number of paths to take. 

The park and its volunteer builders embrace all styles of riding. From fast and flowy cross country (XC) trails to gravity-fed enduro style trails complete with purpose-built structures such as jumps, bridges, wall-rides, drops and roller coasters. The local mountain biking fraternity and the Manning-Great Lakes Tip Riders proudly recognise the efforts of all trail builders and maintainers, past and present. 

We’re also completely chuffed to let it be known that the original trail builders who cut those very first trails all those years ago are still building and maintaining trails today!

What’s on in Forster Tuncurry this weekend?

Weekend markets – 

• Blackhead Bazaar. 1st Sunday of the month, September to May, 8.30 to 1 pm Wylie Breckenridge Park, Blackhead Beach, Hallidays Point.
• Forster Town Markets. 2nd Sunday of the month, 8 am to 2 pm – Forster town park, Head Street.
• Forster Farmers Market. 3rd Saturday of the month, 8 am to 12 noon – Forster Visitor Centre grounds, Little Street
• Tuncurry Markets. 4th Saturday of the month, 7 am to 1 pm – john wright park, Tuncurry 
• Pacific Palms Markets. last Sunday of the month, 9 am to 1 pm – pacific palms community centre, The Lakesway

Things to do in Forster during Winter

1. Relax with a coffee at one of Forster’s awesome cafes
2. Take a cruise on the Amaroo to see the Whale migration and our local dolphin population at play
3. Take a stroll along one of our pristine beaches or hike one of the many national park trails
4. Take a drive to Nabiac and have a bit to eat at the Greenhouse cafe
5. Ascend to the top of Cape Hawke lookout and enjoy the amazing vista – you may spot some Whales!
6. Relax on the Free Spirit Cruise along Wallis Lake and explore our beautiful waterways
7. Indulge with some pampering at one of our amazing day spas – you deserve it!
8. Catch a movie at Great lakes Cinema 3
9. Check out one of our local Markets you are sure to find something unique
10. Take a stroll down the Main Street of Forster and do some retail therapy

The best Forster family accommodation

The best accommodation for families is something that is close to one of the beaches. Forster Main Beach, One Mile Beach or Tuncurry Beach.

Is there pet-friendly accommodation in Forster?

There is no reason to leave your 4-legged family members behind. Check out the link to our Pet-friendly accommodation rentals.

What is the best beach accommodation in Forster?

Check out the link to our Beachfront properties INSERT LINK however the best part of holidaying in Forster Tuncurry is that it is a maze of Beaches and the Lake.   

Houses For Rent in Forster: Where Can I Find Good Options?

Forsteraccom.com.au and search by location, choosing beach, lake or centrally located will give you some great options for all price ranges

Which apartments are available for rent in Forster?

Forsteraccom.com.au and search by location, choosing beach, lake or centrally located to find the best apartments 

Luxury accommodation in Foster

Choose from several multi-million-dollar houses plus penthouses, search beach or lake view in the search on forsteraccom.com.au for the best luxe accommodation in Forster

Rental Properties in Tuncurry

Forsteraccom.com.au and search by location, choosing Tuncurry

Where can I go for a romantic getaway on the mid-north coast, NSW?

Forster Tuncurry is one of those places you can get away and leave the everyday stresses behind. Choose secluded accommodation near the water, relax on the balcony with a beautiful bottle of wine. Turn your phones off, reconnect with each other and then take a gorgeous sunset walk on the beach or around the lake with an ice-cream. 

No matter what your plans are during your stay, we have the best Forster accommodation options around, with properties stretching the beachfront, lakeside and beyond into neighbouring Tuncurry. Find your perfect place to stay, today.