Forster is a fabulous coastal town in New South Wales, lying on the land spit between crystal clear Wallis Lake and the Pacific Ocean. It offers fantastic coastal walks and views, and tons of water activities, like boating, fishing, paddling, surfing, scuba diving or sailboarding.

Forster is a great base to explore more of the Barrington Coast, as well. The Barrington Coast is famous for its amazing beaches, forests, waterways and waterfalls. It’s home to 15 national parks and world heritage listed Barrington Tops.

Where is Forster?

Located 300 km north of Sydney, it’s far enough to not be busy, but close enough to be easily reachable even for a weekend. The drive from Sydney takes about 3-3.5 hours on the Pacific Coast Highway. It’s a bit too much for a day trip, but great as a weekend getaway. We’re telling this from experience, as Forster is one of our beloved Sydney weekend getaways any time of the year.

Forster is also a wonderful stop if you are on a road trip from Sydney to Brisbane. It’s about halfway between Newcastle and Port Macquarie. Along with its twin town, Tuncurry, they are the largest towns in the Great Lakes area. And exploring the Great Lakes, taking nature walks and kayaking trips, is among the best things to do around Forster.

Best things to do in Forster, NSW

So let’s see what to do in Forster and the Great Lakes area.

Canoe on Wallis Lake

No wonder that the most popular activities to do in Forster are water activities. The three freshwater lakes in the Great Lakes area – Wallis Lake and Myall Lakes – are connected to the ocean through waterways. They offer pretty bushwalking trails, secluded, protected beaches (with warmer water than the ocean) and wetlands which are rich in bird life. And they’re the best to be explored on water!

Wallis Lake is known for its exceptional water purity. We barely started canoeing when we saw a large stingray swimming under us in the water – it’s that clear and transparent! They say that dolphins are often spotted in the lake, too. We haven’t been lucky enough to see them yet, but we’ve seen lots of birds, like several large groups of pelicans, and lots of fish. Many oyster farms can be found in the lake, too, so be careful navigating around the wooden poles.

sandy beach area on Cockatoo Island

Wallis Lake is very big, offering lots of launching points and canoe routes, and several sandy spits to stop at low tide. Which is the best spot to launch your canoe? We recommend exploring the area near the bridge for the first time, it’s where the water is clearest and you can find some sandy spits with shallow water on your way. The best launching point for this area is just north of the Forster Marina.

There’s a small grassy park with a gradual, muddy entrance to the lake – easy to notice, because people often launch kayaks, canoes or paddleboards from there. Time limit applies when parking on Little Street near the marina, but there’s a gravel area which is an exception. (You can also search for unlimited parking spaces on the back streets.)

Once launched your canoe, paddle towards Miles Island, then go around it, aim for Sandy Bottom’s Island. If you have several hours, you can paddle all the way to Cockatoo Island and alongside this forested island. Sandy Bottom’s Island is a large sandy spit, and Cockatoo Island also has a few sandy spits where you can take a break. Our route roughly looked like this (and took about 3.5 hours, with one snack break):

Would you rent a kayak, canoe or small boat? Just north of the Forster Marina, you find the Aussie Boatshed. Launching your canoe from there, you’re ideally located to explore the area near the bridge.

But Wallis Lake is large, and there are obviously several other launching points. Being furthest from the ocean, the southern area of the lake is very sheltered. Sunset Point in Booti Booti National Park is another convenient area to launch a kayak or canoe to explore the calm southern waters. Maybe at sunset, just to make it more idyllic.

Whether it’s a canoe, kayak or a small boat, getting on the water in Wallis Lake is one of the best things to do in Forster.

Enjoy stunning scenery on the Bicentennial Walk

There are several ways to enjoy the water in Forster, and one is the Bicentennial Walk. This 4 km coastal pathway treats you with pretty views and delightful beach stops.

The path begins at Forster Main Beach, takes you through rainforest, around Bennetts Head, then down to One Mile Beach through the sand dunes. It runs on the beach, towards Palmgrove Park, finally ending at secluded Burgess Beach.

It can be accessed by car at many places along the way, so it’s easy to break it into parts and do only a shorter section of it. This makes it suitable for anyone, and parts of it are even stroller-friendly, making the oceanfront walk one of the best things to do in Forster for families.

You find the Second Head Lookout between Main Beach and Pebbly Beach, and the Bennetts Head Lookout with two viewing platforms just before One Miles Beach. Bennetts Head Lookout is especially impressive as you look down from the top of a tall cliff wall, but scenic views can be enjoyed for most of the Bicentennial Walk, anyway.

Swim in the Tank (at high tide)

The Tank is one of the popular swimming stops along the Bicentennial Walk, but you can park directly behind it for quick access. One glance at it is enough to understand the name: a rock wall creates a safe area for swimming and snorkeling here. It’s kind of a long natural swimming pool.

Well, you can only actually swim in the Tank at high tide, because the water is too shallow for swimming at low tide. But low tide creates perfect conditions for beginner snorkelers to practice.

Walk to the viewpoints at Bennetts Head Lookout

Even if you don’t have time to do the Bicentennial Walk, at least drive to Bennetts Head Lookout. It’s among the best places to visit in Forster for ocean views.

The main viewing platform is a few steps away from the parking, and it’s a dramatic sight as it extends over the edge of the cliffs. Looking down from it also impresses with views of the deep ravine and the giant waves crashing the cliffs.

Continue on the walking path to a second viewing platform, then all the way to the pretty sand dunes at the north end of One Mile Beach.

Climb the sand dunes at One Mile Beach

One Mile Beach is one of the coolest Forster attractions thanks to the large sand dunes. From the top of the sand dunes, you can enjoy a spectacular view over One Mile Beach. You can either walk there from the Bennetts Head Lookout, or climb the dunes from the beach.

Sandboarding could be fun here as some of the dunes are quite large. A boogie board might just do the job, or simply run down and scream at the top of your lungs (optional). It’s fine, soft, white sand. Enjoy.

Hike the Booti Hill and Wallis Lake walking track in Booti Booti National Park

Forster is on the northern edge of Booti Booti National Park, and visiting this park, with its rainforest-covered coastal hills and beaches, is among the best things to do near Forster. The best hike to experience the park is the loop trail of Booti Hill and Wallis Lake.

This 7.3 km loop takes you through a picturesque coastal rainforest, with an optional (short, but steep) detour to Elizabeth Beach, then along the shoreline of Wallis Lake. Honestly, I expected some spectacular views of the ocean coast from Booti Hill, but that’s not really included. The trail starts from Seven Mile Beach, but runs in the forest, with barely any ocean views.

The coastal forest is truly pretty though, with large cabbage palms and twisted eucalypts. There’s one viewpoint where you can get a view of the coast, it’s a clearing shortly before the crossing to get down to Elizabeth Beach. This part of the hike through the coastal forest is the more challenging half. It’s really not hard as a hike, but it’s a constant series of ups and downs.

As the hikes continue on the shore of Wallis Lake, you remain directly by the water. This part of the trail is flat and offers many access points to the lake. We were glad to have a swim, too, and happily noticed that it’s much warmer than the ocean.

You can start this loop from several points along the way: The Ruins campground (or Seven Mile Beach), Elizabeth Beach and the Sunset picnic area on The Lakes Way. We started from The Ruins campground as we stayed there, anyway. If you don’t, there’s still a day use parking area.

Walk endlessly on Seven Mile Beach

Stretching from Cape Hawke to Tiona, Seven Mile Beach offers plenty of space for romantic beach walks. It’s one of those typical Australian beaches which is incredibly long, has soft sand and large waves. Views that are suitable for postcards.

It’s endless, so it can’t possibly become crowded. But it’s not really a swimming beach as it’s not protected at all. You can directly access it from The Ruins campground in Booti Booti National Park. Walking on the beach early in the morning and in the evening was my favorite thing to do while camping here. It’s one of the most romantic things to do in Forster, especially if you can manage to do it without a meltdown of a tired toddler (hah, yes, personal experience).

Visit Burgess Beach, one of the most fascinating beaches in New South Wales

The Barrington Coast has several fabulous beaches, but Burgess Beach stands out even from such an amazing crowd. Its volcanic rock formations are not only very picturesque, but they hide secret rock pools.

The one we enjoyed the most was not the “hidden” natural swimming hole, but one of the shallow tide pools. It warmed up so that it felt like a scenic hot pool where we could play with our water obsessed toddler.

But we also enjoyed walking among the rocks, marveling at the interesting rock formations and patterns. It’s not a typical swimming beach either, because the main beach area is not really protected, but I couldn’t care less. The scenery is more than enough here. And you can find plenty of rock pools.

Have a BBQ dinner at Pebbly Beach Park

Located along the Bicentennial Walk and not far from either Pebbly Beach or The Tank, Pebbly Beach Park is a great place to finish your beach day with a delicious steak or homemade hamburger. Of course, I mean the electric BBQ’s which are dotted all over Australia and can be used for free. You find them in Pebbly Beach Park, too, along with a playground, several picnic shelters, public amenities and astonishing ocean views!

Explore even more wonderful beaches

Forster Main Beach

If you’re after magical beaches, Forster won’t disappoint. The most popular beach in Forster is the Main Beach, central and easily accessible. It stretches from the breakwall to the ocean baths (also called The Bull Ring). 

The ocean baths are protected from large swells, so this beach is great for families with small kids, and offers swimming opportunities. It’s also a great place to practice for novice and intermediate surfers. It’s patrolled in summer. Shops and cafes are close, it has all the amenities, toilets and changing rooms.

It’s quite the opposite of the beaches that impress us the most (remote, secluded beaches which are not that easy to find/access), but it’s a pretty beach, and it’s convenient for a family beach day.

Pebbly Beach

Just start the Bicentennial Walk from Main Beach, and you’ll soon reach Second Head Lookout, then Pebbly Beach.

Elizabeth Beach

Elizabeth Bay is at the southern end of Booti Booti National Park. It’s accessible by car, still it feels remote and wild. It’s surrounded by rainforest-covered hills, and the coastal cliffs somewhat protect it from the winds. The sand is white, the color of the water is incredible!

McBrides Beach

A recently opened walking track takes you down to McBrides Beach, crossing small creek beds along the way. Well, McBrides Beach is one of the secluded ones, perfectly pretty and almost empty. A true gem on the Barrington Coast. We are obsessed with the picturesque rock formations and the various little lagoons and rock pools at the southern end of the bay.

Blueys Beach

Just south of Booti Booti National Park and beautiful Elizabeth Bay, Blueys Beach is a long, white sand beach, with turquoise water and green hills in the background. It’s mainly a surfing beach, but could be suitable for swimming, too (there’s no lifeguard though).

It’s one of our favorite beaches on the Barrington coast, even though it doesn’t have any special features in addition to what we get used to on the beautiful NSW beaches. It’s similar, still a bit prettier. The colors are incredible and the sand is perfectly white and soft.

Dive with gray nurse sharks

When you were looking for things to see in Forster, I bet you mainly expected sights. But animal experiences are just as amazing (or even more so, if you ask me), though you need some luck.

One of the most unique things to do in Forster is diving with gray nurse sharks. Don’t worry! Gray nurse sharks might look dangerous, but they have a placid nature and are generally harmless to people. Observing them in their natural habitat is an unforgettable experience.

You find accredited centers, like Dive Forster or Forster Dive Centre, suitable both for first-timers or those who wish to continue working towards qualifications. They also organize ocean tours for experienced snorkelers and guided snorkeling trips to the Great Lakes.

Meet the dolphins

The waters at Forster are home to a pod of about 300 common bottlenose dolphins. They can be seen along the coast or in Wallis Lake (if you’re lucky). Bennetts Head is a great lookout to catch a glimpse of them, but you can sign up for a dolphin watching boat tour, as well, to make sure you get closer to them.

Between November to April you can even sign up for tours that let you swim with wild dolphins. Well, wild dolphins need to decide to swim with you, but they are curious creatures.

Go on a whale watching tour

In the other half of the year, between May and November, it’s whale watching season. Humpback whales migrate along the coastline, and daily cruises leave from Forster in search of them. You can pick one with a whale watching guarantee, so that you get another tour for free or get your money back if you don’t see whales.

Most of the coastal viewpoints are great for whale watching, too. Binoculars are recommended.

Drive to Whoota Whoota Lookout in Wallingat National Park at sunset

So we haven’t mentioned Cape Hawke lookout – a lookout tower, the highest viewpoint in Forster. But we think there’s a better lookout to check out in area: Whoota Whoota Lookout in Wallingat National Park.

But what about Cape Hawke lookout? This steel observation tower can be reached on a short, but steep rainforest trail, and it’s supposed to impress with 360° views of the area. The views are not bad, but they’re distant, and the canopy is growing fast, obstructing part of the view.

If you’re looking for wonderful distant views over the landscape, including Wallis Lake, the inland hills and the coastline, Whoota Whoota Lookout is our favorite. But it takes more effort to access.

You can drive all the way to Whoota Whoota Lookout, but here’s the tricky part: it’s a very pretty drive through the forest, but you better have a high clearance vehicle to attempt it. The last section of the drive is on an unsealed road. (4WD is not needed, but you can damage a low clearance car, as some sections are very bumpy.)

Don’t trust Google Maps for directions. Follow Sugar Creek Road, drive past the Gur-um-bee picnic area, then a few more kilometers past the Sugar Creek picnic area. Turn to Whoota Whoota Road, it ends at the lookout. The drive through the forest takes about 20 minutes, but it’s part of the experience. It’s like driving through a majestic green cathedral, and we even spotted wallabies.

We reached the lookout just before sunset, and it’s the best time to visit it. Sunset colors above the landscape are magical, Wallis Lake turned purple and pink.

Best time to visit Forster, New South Wales

a shallow tidal pool among the volcanic rocks at Burgess Beach

Forster remains pleasant for outdoor activities all year, temperature varies from 8°C to 27°C on average. Summers (between December and February) are warm, humid and relatively wet, and if you’d like to go swimming, the ideal time is from December to April, with the hottest days in January and February.

But kayaking, hiking, biking, fishing or any other outdoor activities are enjoyable on any clear day in any season. Actually, summer is less favorable than other seasons, because it can get too hot and humid to enjoy intense activities, you’ll be tempted to simply chill out on the beach (which is a great thing to do, by the way, and you’ll get fabulous beaches here).

Winters (between June and August) are short and mild. It can get windy, but winters are also famous for having many clear days.

Whale watching season is between May and November, that’s the migration season for whales.