I packed the car on Friday night and headed north, an easy 2,5 drive, and what you experience completely blows your mind.
That’s what Hawks Nest does to you. Tucked inside the Port Stephens region on the NSW Mid-North Coast, it’s the kind of place that rewards the people who actually make the drive. Three hours from Sydney — two and a half if you’re not stopping for coffee — and you land somewhere that genuinely feels like the country hasn’t been touched.
Discovering Hawks Nest NSW: A Hidden Gem on the Coast
I’ve kited in Belize, the Caribbean and the Great Barrier Reef. Hawks Nest still makes the list. Here’s why — and exactly what to do when you get there.
Explore the Beauty of Hawks Nest NSW
Kitesurfing or SUP in Jimmy’s Beach: Flat Water, Consistent Wind, Zero Crowds
Jimmy’s Beach is the reason most kiters make the trip north — but you don’t need a kite to make the most of it. The lagoon delivers flat water and reliable thermal winds through the warmer months, making it equally perfect for SUP, kayaking and swimming. The calm conditions mean it’s accessible whether you’re an experienced water sports enthusiast or just want to paddle around in flat, warm water with nobody else about.
What makes it special isn’t just the conditions. It’s the fact that you can park right at the water’s edge at Bennett’s Beach on the other side (4WD access with a National Parks beach permit — worth every bit of the paperwork), set up at your own pace and have a stretch of coastline almost entirely to yourself.
Even if you don’t kite, Jimmy’s Beach is worth the visit. SUP, kayak, swim — the water here is extraordinarily calm. There are three distinct playgrounds within a short drive of each other: the river, the bay and the open ocean. Most people pick one. The locals know to use all three.
Climb Yaccaba Head: The View That Puts Everything in Perspective
Do this first thing in the morning if you can. Yaccaba Head is a 10-minute climb from the base and the whole coastline opens up below you — the curve of the beaches, the blue of the bay, the tiny flicker of a kite in the distance if the wind is up.
It’s the kind of view that resets your nervous system in about 90 seconds. You understand immediately why people drive three hours for this.
Bring water. The track is easy but the sun gets strong quickly.
Nelson Bay Wildlife: Dolphins, Humpbacks and Schools of Fish — No Boat Required
One of the quiet highlights of the Hawks Nest area is the wildlife at Nelson Bay. Schools of fish, resident dolphins and humpback whales in season pass through regularly — and you don’t need to book a tour or step on a boat to see them.
Watch the water from the shore. Be patient. The bay delivers.
Port Stephens sits on one of the most active dolphin corridors on the NSW coast — a pod of bottlenose dolphins call the bay home year-round. Humpback season runs roughly May to November as they migrate north and south along the coast.
Dark Point Sand Dunes: Ancient Country, Walk Slowly Here
The sand dunes at Dark Point are unlike anything else in the region. Enormous, wild and windswept — and sitting on Aboriginal sacred land that has been occupied for tens of thousands of years.
Stay on the marked tracks, read the signs and walk with respect. This place deserves that.
The dunes at golden hour are extraordinary — the light shifts across the sand in a way that makes you want to sit still and say nothing. Do that.
Mungo Rainforest Walk: The Bit That Surprises Everyone
Nobody mentions the rainforest when they talk about Hawks Nest. That’s a mistake.
The Mungo Rainforest Walk inside Myall Lakes National Park is 20 minutes of ancient palms, tropical canopy and the kind of deep green quiet you don’t expect this close to the beach. You’d swear you weren’t in NSW.
The park itself is worth half a day. Paddle on the lake, walk the bush trails, sit in the silence. The wildlife finds you — I crossed paths with a lace monitor on the track, which is exactly the sort of thing that reminds you this is their place, not yours.
Where to Stay: Camp Inside the National Park for $30 a Night
Most people book into Hawks Nest township or drive back to Tea Gardens. I’d encourage you to stay inside Myall Lakes National Park instead. You can find lots of options for camping in the area at National Parks website. My fave is Stewart & Lloyds campground.
National park campsites here run around $30 a night — toilets, fire pits, bush surroundings and the kind of silence that makes a good night’s sleep feel like a genuinely extraordinary thing. Book ahead on the NSW National Parks website, particularly for long weekends, because it fills fast.
I travel with my 4WD setup and an OpenRoad awning— having a proper shelter at the campsite is the difference between packing up early and staying another night. The awning goes up, the weekend gets longer. Use my code Marta for a 5% discount if you’re setting up your own rig.
No wifi. Full signal.
Your Hawks Nest Weekend: Quick Guide
Getting There
Hawks Nest is approximately 2.5 hours north of Sydney via the Pacific Highway, turning off toward Tea Gardens. 4WD is not required to access the area but opens up beach driving at Bennett’s Beach with a National Parks permit.
What to Do
- Kitesurf, SUP or Kayak Jimmy’s Beach or Myall Lakes River
- Climb Yaccaba Head (10 minutes, extraordinary views)
- Watch for dolphins and humpbacks at Nelson Bay
- Walk the Mungo Rainforest Track, Myall Lakes NP
- Drive Bennett’s Beach with a 4WD permit
- Walk Dark Point sand dunes at golden hour
When to Go
Spring and summer (October to April) for kitesurfing and water sports. Autumn and winter are quieter, cooler and excellent for the rainforest walks and whale watching.
Where to stay
National park camping: NSW National Parks website. Bennett’s Beach 4WD permit: available at the entry gate or online. Hawks Nest fills on long weekends — mid-week visits are a different experience entirely.
If you want a bit of luxury and camping is not your thing, stay at Winda Woopa right at the shores of Jimmy’s Beach. You can book this 3-bedroom houseWorld with all modern appliances.
Go Before Everyone Else Does
Hawks Nest is still the kind of place where you can park by the water, set up quietly and feel like you’ve found something that isn’t on everyone’s radar yet. That won’t last forever.
Kited Jimmy’s Beach until my arms gave out. Climbed Yaccaba Head and watched the whole bay open up below me. Found dolphins at Nelson Bay without booking a single tour. Walked into a rainforest that had no right being that close to the beach. Slept inside the national park with nothing but bush sounds and $30 lighter.
Hawks Nest. Three hours from Sydney. Go.
This post contains affiliate links. I only recommend gear and places I actually use and love.
───────────────────────────────────
Marta Teresa Pin is a Sydney-based ocean adventure travel creator. She kitesurf, freedives and explores tropical coastlines across three continents, documenting it all through cinematic video for oceanadventuretravel.com and @martateresapin on Instagram.
