Some Interesting Points...

Port Stephens is known as the 'Dolphin Capital' of Australia and home to more than 100 bottlenose dolphins living in family groups.

The Singing Bridge linking Tea Gardens/Hawks Nest was built in 1974. Prior to this a punt operated from 1928.  It is so named because the sound of the wind passing through the bridge railings during a strong SW wind is like a 'singing' sound.

The Myall Lakes system is one of the largest brackish water systems in the Southern Hemisphere.  The four main lakes have a surface area about 3 times the size of Sydney Harbour.

There are 280 bird species found within the Myall Lakes National Park - the same number as in Kakadu!

A popular theory on how Tea Gardens was named originates from when the AA Co. tried unsuccessfully to grow tea here.  Another theory relates to the dark colour of the upper Myall River water - the colour of tea.

Hawks Nest is so named because a large tree near the former hotel in Moira Parade was a favourite nesting place for Hawks.  This tree was a significat navigational marker.

The three islands off Hawks Nest Beach are named Cabbage Tree Island, Boondelbah Island and Broughton Island.

Bennetts Beach (Hawks Nest Beach) stretches north a distance of 44 km from Hawks Nest to just south of Seal Rocks.

Pindimar was proposed as a major industrial port in 1918 and in 1927 became the site of a shark processing plant, and the first ice works in Port Stephens.

The "Tops to Myalls Heritage Trail" stretches from Myall Lakes to Barrington Tops - 220 km (almost as long as the Great North Walk).

Flat bottom paddlewheelers called "Droghers" were used to transport timber from the Myall Lakes to Pindimar.  Wrecks of droghers can be seen along the Myall River banks.  The rock boulders that were used as ballast remain on the banks of the lower Myall River - evidence of a former industry and a bygone era.

Yacaaba Headland rises 218 m above sea level.

Emergency & Essential Services

Police - Fire - Ambulance
Phone: 000

Ambulance Direct
Phone: 131 233

Police Station Tea Gardens
Phone: 49 970 244

Fire Brigade Tea Gardens
Phone: 49 970 349

Bush Fire Brigade
Phone: 65 558 88

Country Energy
Phone: 132 080 

Community Information

Churches

Anglican Church Tea Gardens
Phone: 49 971 869

Baptist Church Tea Gardens
Phone: 49 971 011

Catholic Church Tea Gardens
Phone: 0409 774 834

Uniting Church Tea Gardens
Phone: 49 972 480

Community Health

Hawks Nest, Booner St.
Phone: 49 970 186

Community Transport
Phone: 49 972 266

Clinic Bus - Medical Welfare
Phone: 0403 657 195

Council - Great Lakes

Tea Gardens Office - Myall St.
Phone: 49 970 182

Forster Office - Breeze Pde
Phone: 65 917 222

Tea Gardens - Tip
Hours (Mon,Wed 12.00-4.00pm, Tues,Thurs,Fri 8.00am-12.00noon, Sun 12.00 - 4.30 pm)

Mid Coast Water
Phone: 1300 133 455

Hawks Nest/Tea Gardens  Neighbour Aid
Phone: 49 971 143

Doctors

Myall Coast Health & Medical Centre
Phone: 49 971 900

Dr. Bruce Pearson
Myall Way Plaza, Tea Gardens.

Dr. Willie Mok (Dentist)
Phone:

Hospitals & Nursing Homes

Bulahdelah Hospital
Phone: 49 974 477

John Hunter Hospital
Phone: 49 213 000

Maitland Hospital
Phone: 49 392 000

Mater Hospital
Phone: 49 211 211

Great Lakes Nursing Home
Phone: 49 974 122

Myall Lodge Aged Care Facility
Phone: 49 970 767

Library

Tea Gardens, Marine Drive
Phone: 49 971 265

Meals On Wheels

Hawks Nest
Phone: 49 970 701

Post Offices

Hawks Nest
Phone: 49 970 255

Tea Gardens
Phone: 49 970 240

Pre-Schools/Child Care

Tea Gardens
Phone: 49 970 282

Hawks Nest
Phone: 49 970 037

Schools

Bulahdelah Central School
Phone: 49 974 329

St. Josephs - Bulahdelah
Phone: 49 974 189

Tea Gardens Primary School
Phone: 49 970 286

Hunter River High School
Phone: 49 872 306

Irrawang High School
Phone: 49 874 687

Medowie Christian School
Phone:

Hunter Valley Grammar School
Phone: 49 342 444

Transport

Busways Daily Bus Service

Sydney - Newcastle - Tea Gardens
For information & bookings phone 1800 043 263.