Myall River Camp: idyllic eco retreat on NSW Mid North Coast

Myall River Camp is a serene eco retreat on the banks of the Myall River at Hawks Nest. The camp features luxury riverfront safari style glamping tents, rustic sustainable tiny homes and off-grid campsites. If you are looking for a peaceful, luxury escape in nature, this is the perfect getaway.

Located under 3 hours from Sydney and one hour from Newcastle by car, it is very easy to get to for a weekend break from the hustle and bustle. It is made for reconnecting with others and nature, unwinding and exploring the beautiful surroundings.

Perfectly situated on the Myall river, it’s just a stone’s throw to white sandy beaches and Myall Lakes National Park where you can enjoy 4WDing, sandboarding, surfing, kayaking and bushwalking.

Myall River camp caters for any budget from beautiful off-grid campsites, eco friendly tiny homes and luxurious glamping tents. The tents accommodate up to 6 so perfect for a group of friends or a family, children must be 9 years or older to stay and pets are not allowed. Click here to book and find out more.

Glamping tents: There are three to chose from. The largest sleeps six and includes two bunk beds, and two queen beds. The others include a mix of double beds and bunk beds or two queens beds. All of the tents include a lounge area, full kitchen with all you could need and beautiful bathrooms with hot water powered by solar and bush friendly toilets. The cosy and stylish safari-style tents come equipped with with all the conveniences you crave. They even come with pancake mix and condiments, luxury eco friendly toiletries and fully towels. There is a minimum stay of two nights and tents start from $800 for two nights.

Tiny houses: These beautiful rustic tiny eco homes are supremely comfortable with a bathroom, essential kitchen items and a beautiful queen bed. Minimum stay of 2 nights. Prices start from $440 for two nights.

Nearby:

Hawks Nest

The quiet seaside town of Hawks Nest is a 5 minute drive from the camp and has coffee shops, pharmacy, boutique, bakery, bottleshop, pub and restaurant and an IGA.

Here you will find some of the best beaches.

Perfectly located, it’s just a stone’s throw to white sandy beaches and Myall Lakes National Park where you can enjoy 4WDing, sandboarding, surfing, kayaking and bushwalking.

Tea Gardens

A bigger town than Hawks Nest, it has a Coles, butcher, pub, eateries and an ice cream parlour. It is also a gate way to water tours of the river, islands and other regional towns.

ACTIVITIES

Check out the beaches: white sand, turquoise waters and off shore islands. This area is known as dolphins playground. We saw a pod of dolphins and a whale when we were walking on the beach.

• Jimmys Beach. A sheltered beach offering calm, flat water perfect for swimming and families. Views of Port Stephens across the water and superb sunsets.
• Bennetts Beach. The start of a long sandy stretch of beach with views of Mount Yacaaba. If you own a 4WD this area is renowned for it’s 4WD accessible beaches. There are several access points to Bennett’s beach down the Mungo Brush road. Permits are required for beach driving and these can be obtained from local visitor information centre and selected bait and tackle shops. For more information go to: https://www.midcoast.nsw.gov.au/News-Media/Explore-our-beaches-four-wheel-driving

• Dark Point (Little Gibber). The beach runs from Hawks Nest all the way to Dark Point headland and is popular for 4WDing also. Dark Point headland is an Aboriginal site of significance and home to towering sand dunes. You can drive to the car park off Mungo Brush Road and walk to Little Gibber headland through the dunes.

Go for a round of golf. Fancy a round of golf? Hawks Nest Golf Club is a quality 18 hole course across the road from the camp. Clubs and buggies are available for hire from the pro-shop. If playing golf is not for you, relax in the clubhouse over a meal or a beverage or two.

Boating & water sports: Bring your own or hire a boat, kayak or SUP and explore the Myall River or lake and Port Stephens Bay. This area is ideal for water sports, chose from; surfing, body boarding, swimming, snorkelling, scuba-diving, kayaking, Jet-skiing, SUPing. You can hire boats from Tea Gardens Boatshed and Kayaks and SUP’s are available from Lazy Paddles in Tea Gardens.

Spot dolphins & go whale watching. This region is famous for its high population of dolphins on the north coast and you will frequently spot them from the beach or in the river. Early morning and at sunset is the best time to see bottlenose dolphins right outside the tents cruising along the river. In the cooler months (May to November) expect to see whales off shore as thousands migrate with their calves along the coastline. There are plenty of tours available from Tea Gardens and Port Stephens as well as opportunities to swim with dolphins.

Explore the Myall Lakes National Park. Hawks Nest is the southernmost tip of the Great Lakes region with Myall Lake the largest and the closest. The Myall River travels for around 20kms from Tea Gardens before opening into the Myall Lakes waterway. The vast lake waters provide the perfect playground for a number of water-based activities. The Myall Lakes National Park has a range of great bush walks to explore.

Hike to the top of Mount Yacabba. This area has plenty of bushland and coastal walks to keep you busy, the beach stretches all the way north from Hawks Nest up to Seal Rocks. The best and most rewarding hike in Hawks Nest has to be the Mount Yacabba walk. The challenging 7km return trial starts from the southern end of Bennetts Beach and goes all the way to the summit of Mount Yacaaba. The view from the top of Yacaaba Headland is breathtaking with stunning coastal views all the way to Seal Rocks views of Port Stephens bay. The last 500m of the walk are most challenging with a steep and rocky trail to the summit.

Take a day trip to Broughton Island. Broughton Island can be seen from Bennett’s Beach and is a truly beautiful national park island. You can take a day trip or decide to camp on the island overnight. Regular day trips depart from Nelson Bay. You can chose to snorkel or dive in secluded coves abundant in wildlife, nature walks or relax on the quiet beaches. The diving is known for its great great visibility and large colony of grey nurse sharks. For more information visit:

https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/camping-and-accommodation/campgrounds/broughton-island-campground

https://moonshadow-tqc.com.au/cruises/broughton-island-cruise/

http://www.feetfirstdive.com.au/boatdives.htm

Relax and unplug. The campgrounds are beautiful so make the most of the peaceful environment, read a book in the hammocks, swing over the river on the new swing and go for a dip in the river right outside your tent. The water in the Myall claims to be good for your skin and hair due to the tea tree oils dropped upstream. This gives the river its dark reddish colour.

WHAT TO BRING

• Swimmers. You can swim right outside the tent and at the beautiful beaches nearby.
• Jumper and long pants. Mosquitos love the moist warm environment and it can get cool in the evenings.
• Marshmallows. You can purchase fire wood for a camp fire so bring some marshmallows and biscuits for toasting.
• Groceries and alcohol. There is a BBQ and full kitchen with the glamping tents and plenty of room for storage. There are shops only a few minutes drive away and restaurants if you chose to dine out.
• Camera. The sunsets outside the tent are stunning and this area is full of wildlife and birds to capture.