Hawks Nest

Hawks Nest is a small town of the Mid-Coast Council local government area in the Hunter and Mid North Coast regions of New South Wales, Australia, located north of Port Stephens between the Tasman Sea and the Myall River.

Hawks Nest is a small town of the Mid-Coast Council local government area in the Hunter and Mid North Coast regions of New South Wales, Australia, located north of Port Stephens between the Tasman Sea and the Myall River. It was named after a large hawk's nest in a tree on the Myall River that was used as a navigational aid. The traditional custodians of this land are the Worimi people.

Jimmys Beach and the Tasman Sea on the east (Bennetts Beach or The Main Beach, as it is commonly referred to) are popular resorts.The Myall Lakes are a short drive north. Hawks Nest has many shops and cafes catering to the tourist trade and, with its sandy beaches and bush walks, proximity to Sydney, and much greater seclusion than suburbs on the southern shores of Port Stephens, it is a popular weekend getaway for Sydneysiders. Hawks Nest was well known as the location of holiday retreats belonging to then Prime Minister John Howard until, in 1998, he decided to abandon his family's regular holiday spot of twenty years due to alleged media harassment. John Howard has returned to Hawks Nest after leaving politics in 2007.

The local golf course was formally opened on 12 August 1978. It was designed in 1968 by Matt Lauder, a professional golfer and nephew of Scottish comedian, Sir Harry Lauder.Holiday activities in the area include swimming, snorkeling and diving, golfing, bush walking, dolphin and whale spotting, four-wheel driving, caravanning and fishing.

Animals such as koalas, dingoes and dolphins can be observed in the area.