Forster: what to see, where to stay and how to get around
Forster and Tuncurry face each other across the channel where Wallis Lake drains into the sea, and the lake, not the beach, is what made them. Oyster leases, boatsheds and fishermen's wharves line its shores, and the twin towns were once a shipbuilding place. This route crosses the bridge to Tuncurry and comes back along the water. Half a day with short drives; time it so you end at the lake late in the afternoon, when the light is soft and the oyster sheds still sell.
The ten best sights in Forster
1Forster-Tuncurry BridgeWalk it at dusk: dolphins often feed in the channel below
2Wallis LakeHire a kayak or take an oyster cruise; the water is shallow and calm
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3Forster Main Beach
The town beach, two minutes from the cafés; patrolled in summer
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4Forster Ocean Baths
A long sea pool at the end of Main Beach; free
5Pebbly BeachRock pools to poke around in at low tide
6Bennetts Head LookoutA quick stop for whales in season and the view down the coast
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7One Mile Beach
The surfers' beach; quieter than Main Beach
8Cape Hawke LookoutA short steep walk to a tower above the forest; worth it on a clear morning
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9Booti Booti National Park
A thin strip of forest between the lake and the sea, south of town
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10Seven Mile Beach
Long and empty; unpatrolled, so swim only when it is calm
Scan with your phone camera to open the map there
What is an audio walk?
Tours in Forster →A guide in your headphones: open the walk on our site, walk from stop to stop, and at each one your phone tells its story. No guide, no group, and free. This is the first walk in Forster:
Free walking tours in Forster
The oyster lake
Forster and Tuncurry face each other across the channel where Wallis Lake drains into the sea, and the lake, not the beach, is what made them. Oyster leases, boatsheds and fishermen's wharves line its shores, and the twin towns were once a shipbuilding place. This route crosses the bridge to Tuncurry and comes back along the water. Half a day with short drives; time it so you end at the lake late in the afternoon, when the light is soft and the oyster sheds still sell.
- Forster-Tuncurry Bridge · Until the bridge opened in 1959, the only way between the two towns was a ferry across the channel. Forster itself is named after William Forster, a premier of New South Wales.
- Great Lakes Museum · Tuncurry grew around a shipyard set up in the 1870s by the shipbuilder John Wright, which built timber ships on the lake shore. The museum keeps the photographs and tools of that time.
- Whoota Whoota Lookout · The lookout stands in Wallingat National Park, a forest of tall eucalypts on the hills west of the lake. From the top the whole of Wallis Lake spreads out below, with the twin towns at its mouth.
- Tuncurry Rock Pool · The pool sits beside the northern breakwall, which was built to keep the lake entrance open for boats. Swimmers get calm water here even when the beach next to it is rough.
- Wallis Lake · Wallis Lake is one of the biggest producers of Sydney rock oysters in New South Wales. The oysters grow on wooden racks and in baskets that you can see standing in the shallows all over the lake.
- Wallis Island · The large island in the middle of the lake is partly a nature reserve, with mangroves and wetland that feed the fish and birds of the lake. It splits the water into channels that the oyster boats follow.
Pools and headlands
Forster's coast is a run of short beaches and rock shelves between low headlands, all within a few kilometres of the town centre. This route follows them south from the town beach to the lookout that Captain Cook named in 1770. On foot to One Mile Beach, about an hour and a half; then drive the last few minutes to Cape Hawke. Bring swimming things: there are two sea pools and a beach on the way.
- Forster Main Beach · The beach sits right at the mouth of the lake, so on a rising tide clear ocean water pushes in past it. Dolphins often come up the channel beside it after fish.
- Forster Ocean Baths · The baths are a long rectangle cut into the rock platform and refilled by the sea, so swimmers can do laps in salt water without the surf. They are free and open all year.
- Pebbly Beach · At low tide the rock shelf here exposes pools full of crabs, sea snails and small fish, left behind by the sea. It is the best spot near town for rock pooling with children.
- Bennetts Head Lookout · From the headland you look south along the coast towards Cape Hawke. In the migration season humpback whales pass close offshore.
- One Mile Beach · True to its name, the beach runs for about a mile between two headlands. It faces open ocean, so it gets more swell than the town beach and is where Forster surfs.
- Cape Hawke Lookout · Captain Cook named Cape Hawke in May 1770, sailing north along this coast, after Sir Edward Hawke, then First Lord of the Admiralty. The tower lifts you above the treetops for a view over the lake and the ocean together.
The Lakes Way to the lighthouse
South of Forster the Lakes Way runs on a narrow strip between Wallis Lake and the ocean, through a national park and past a string of beach villages, before a side road drops to Seal Rocks. Each stop is a different kind of water: lake, open surf, a sheltered bay, a lagoon and finally a rocky point with a lighthouse. A full day by car, about 45 minutes of driving each way; the shops at Pacific Palms are the last until you return.
- Booti Booti National Park · In places the park is only a few hundred metres wide, with the lake on one side of the road and the ocean dunes on the other. It protects coastal forest, rainforest pockets and the long beach.
- Seven Mile Beach · The beach runs unbroken for about seven miles from Cape Hawke south to Booti Hill, with no town on it. It is unpatrolled and has strong rips, so it is better for walking than swimming.
- The Ruins · The campground at the southern end of Seven Mile Beach sits under coastal forest, a few steps from the sand. It is run by the national park and is the usual base for walks up Booti Hill.
- Elizabeth Beach · The beach curves inside a headland that blocks the southerly swell, so the water is often flat while the beaches around it break. That makes it the family beach of Pacific Palms.
- Smiths Lake · Smiths Lake is usually closed off from the sea by a sand bar, which opens only after heavy rain or when it is dug through. When it breaks open, the lake drains and the sea rushes in.
- Sugarloaf Point Lighthouse · The lighthouse was first lit in 1875, built to a design by the colonial architect James Barnet. The rocks below it gave Seal Rocks its name, from the fur seals once found on them.
Getting to Forster and getting around
- Taree Airport · A small regional airport about 40 minutes north; check which routes are flying
- Taree Station · The nearest station on the Sydney–Brisbane line; trains are few, so plan around them
- Forster Coach Terminal · Local buses run between Forster, Tuncurry and Taree
Cheap eats in Forster
In Forster the thing to eat is oysters from the lake, bought by the dozen from a farm shed or a seafood shop and eaten on the wharf. Fish and chips by the channel is the other classic, with pelicans waiting nearby. Breakfast cafés cluster around Wharf Street and the beachfront. Prices are in Australian dollars; oysters cost much less here than in Sydney.
- Fishermen's Co-operative · Wallis Lake oysters by the dozen and fresh fish; about A$18-30 a dozen
- Beach Street Seafood · Fish and chips near the channel, about A$15-25
- The Fish Inn · Fish and chips takeaway, about A$15-25
- Colleen's Bakery · Pies and cakes, about A$6-12
- Sinners and Saints · Ice cream and desserts, about A$6-12
- Tartt Cafe · Breakfast and coffee, about A$15-25
- Nineteen 59 · Café in town, about A$15-25
Nature and day trips near Forster
- Booti Booti National Park · Lake on one side, ocean on the other
- Cape Hawke Lookout · Tower lookout over lake and coast
- Wallis Lake · Kayaks, oyster cruises and calm water
- Seven Mile Beach · Long empty beach for walking
- Smiths Lake · Quiet lagoon for paddling and swimming
- Treachery Beach · Wild beach near Seal Rocks; unpatrolled
Things to do in Forster with kids
- Forster Ocean Baths · Free sea pool next to the beach
- Tuncurry Rock Pool · Rock pool with a playground
- Pebbly Beach · Rock pools at low tide
- Elizabeth Beach · Sheltered, patrolled in summer
- Forster Main Beach · Town beach with dolphins in the channel
Museums in Forster
- Great Lakes Museum · Local history; limited opening hours
- Sugarloaf Point Lighthouse · Grounds open; a short steep walk
- Forster-Tuncurry Bridge · The 1959 bridge that joined the twin towns
- Cape Hawke Lookout · The cape Captain Cook named in 1770
Where to eat in Forster
- Lakes and Ocean Hotel · The big pub by the channel; meals about A$25-35
- Bellevue Hotel · Pub in Tuncurry; meals about A$25-35
- Wharf St. · Dinner in the town centre; mains about A$30-45
- The Deck · Restaurant on the water; mains about A$30-45
- Pezzella’s Pizzeria e Bar · Pizza and pasta; mains about A$20-35
- Claudio's at Forster · Italian in Forster; mains about A$25-40
Frequently asked questions about Forster
What is there to see in Forster?
The top sights in Forster are Forster-Tuncurry Bridge, Wallis Lake and Forster Main Beach. The full list on this page has 10 sights, each with a photo and a short note.
How many days do you need in Forster?
Three to four days are enough to see the best of Forster without rushing, including at least one walking tour.
Is there a free walking tour in Forster?
Yes. sleepntrip has 3 free audio walks in Forster, with no guide and no group: your phone tells the story at every stop. The first one: The oyster lake.
How do you get to Forster and get around?
The main ways are Taree Airport, Taree Station and Forster Coach Terminal. Full details are in the transport section on this page.
Where to stay in Forster, and for how much?
sleepntrip shows only rooms in Forster that meet nine conditions: a good location, high guest scores, cleanliness, and a price of up to $80 a night for two. Pick your dates and see what is free.
Looking for a hotel in Forster for your dates?
Only rooms that meet nine conditions, up to $80 a night.