Forster is a coastal town in the Mid North Coast region of New South Wales, Australia, in the Mid-Coast Council LGA, about 308 km north-north-east of Sydney.
Forster is a coastal town in the Mid North Coast region of New South Wales, Australia, in the Mid-Coast Council LGA, about 308 km north-north-east of Sydney. It is immediately adjacent to its twin, Tuncurry, which is the smaller of the two towns. Forster is known for its stunning waters & Manning Valley beauty.
History
Forster is named after William Forster, who also was the 4th Premier of New South Wales and who later served as Agent-General in London.
The first post office in Forster opened on 1 October 1872, with John Wyllie Breckenridge as postmaster at a salary of £10 a year.The area was well known in the early days for its timber cutting and sawmills. Timber was collected from the lakes and rivers by the logpunts (droghers).
A bridge over the Coolongolook River that marks the entrance to Wallis Lake was built in 1959 linking Forster and Tuncurry and replacing the punt service that had operated since 1890.
Weather
According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Forster has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.
Things to do
Because of its close proximity to Sydney, just under 4 hours drive, Forster-Tuncurry has established itself as a popular summer holiday destination; in the hotter months the population increases considerably. Due to this most of its shops and restaurants work on seasonal income, with some opening in the Summer months exclusively.
The school holidays in the colder months also bring a considerable number of holidaymakers. Forster-Tuncurry is predominantly a family holiday location with large lakes and white sandy beaches. Notable nearby attractions the Bicentennial Trail, Cape Hawke, and Booti Booti National Park.The most popular beaches are Forster Main Beach, Burgess Beach, and One Mile Beach, serviced by Forster and Cape Hawke Surf Lifesaving Clubs respectively.Pebbly Beach is popular with local surfers, while Forster's ocean pool is popular with families.
The relatively small Forster SLSC achieved national recognition in 1996 when their under-18 beach sprint relay team won gold at the Australian Championships.