Holidaying in Forster Tuncurry and what to do in my town

Forter Tuncurry are twin towns linked by a bridge across the entrance to Wallis Lake. It is 3 to 4 hours North of Sydney and has a population of around 20,000 people. During holiday periods this can balloon out to 80,000 and more because it is a very popular family tourist destination. The lake is huge but fairly shallow with a  lot of Oyster leases. It is considered to be the best suppplier of quality Sydney Rock Oysters, which I love! It is also home to a breeding colony of Pelicans - rare, Little Turns (endangered) and many dolphins. It is part of the Great Lakes Council, a wonderland of national parks, large lakes, historic towns and more see www.greatlakes.nsw.gov.au

In Forster we have two patrolled beaches called Main Beach and One Mile. One mile is 2 minutes from my home and we can hear the surf at our home. My eldest son is an active Surf Life Saver and we have just redesigned the surf club (Building Desingers) - so it will be an absolutely beautiful spot for weddings in a few more years. there are many more beaches but they can be dangerous if people do not take care. The lake has many twists and turns in its water ways so people love to go boating, fishing,  Kayaking and paddle boating. The board walk in the middle of town is overlooked be many restaurants which also look out onto the lake. The boardwalk is a popular spot to introduce children to fishing. Our whole area has recently been designated as a Marine Park for many reasons. We have colony of Great White Sharks at Seal Rocks (20 Minutes south), which is very popular with scuba divers from all over the world. Seal Rocks has a light house and is very historical as well as being just being absolutely beautiful. It is situated in Myall Lakes National Park. House boats are fun to exlpore the Myall Lakes system.

Cape Hawk look out is situated on the Highest of the three hills that used to form the rim of a very ancient volcano. Most of our area is original Gondwana Land and has rock that is up to 550,000,000 years old. This is at Ellenborough Falls 1 & 1/2  hours North. It is the highest falls in Australia and it is fabulous. Went there a few weeks ago - love it! Just before you get there you encounter Wingham and Wingham Brush - an anciet rainforest and home to the biggest colony of flying foxes. It is the area in Di Morrisey's latest book 'The Valley'.

In town you can play mini golf, do trampoling doing school holidays, go to the beaches, swiim in three enclosed baths. One is at the entrance to the Channel and frequently dolphims swim near the net to enjoy the laughter and company of humans. Sometimes you can almost touch them. There is another shallow one for little children further into the lake and then there is 'The Bull ring" on main beach - very popular. And beyong the Baths out to see are some of the best waves to be surfed so when the surf is up there are a lot of board riders out there. Much of this is covered on the council link I have provided.

There are boats  that take you cruising to see dolphins surfing the waves at one Mile or to go around the lake in comfort with a running commentary on the history of all the Lakes islands, bird life, oyster and more. We have a lot of Pacific Cabbage Palms here. They used to be all along the east Coast of Australia but most were destroyed by logging. Our area is the only piece of the East Ccoast that still have them in abundance . The Green Cathedral is an open air church build in the midst of the Cabbage Tree rainforest on the shoreline of Wallis Lake. Many Japanese couples come to be married here because it is so special,  feels and looks so great.

When people arrive in Forster they slow down to a snails pace over the bridge drinking in the crystaline blue waters - it sparkles and is intensely blue. There is so much you can do here - I can't say enough. Personally I have just played golf and we are lucky enough to have two golf courses in the one club. Tuncurry is where I played today and it is beautiful but if you can't hit then straight you will be in trouble! the two courses are very different to each other but both are near the ocean, which you can hear and  at Forster course you can see it as well.

What can I say I live in paradise and we think it is cold when we have low temperature of 6 C degrees at night! I am surrounded by beauty and I paint it when I can. My painting of One Mile Beach was bought off the wall by a client wanting a house design. He saw it and that was that. The wildlife is spectacular with black cockatoos, all manner of water birds and frogs. I have a dedicated frog pond to help them out. The dolphins are nearly always at the beach or in the lake, the whales go by twice a year on their migration path and special tours are on during that time but frequently you see them from the beach or Bennett's Head Lookout. this is a place I go to often when it is cloudy and the sun is setting. Ocean, clouds and sunset - sensational!