Australian Towns, Cities & Highways: Forster/Tuncurry

Forster/Tuncurry

The twin towns of Forster and Tuncurry lie at the mouth of Wallis Lake and are the chief centre of the Great Lakes region that lie on the mid north NSW coast between Newcastle and Taree. Settled in the 1860's, both towns grew and developed independently around the local fishing, shipbuilding and timber industries. Once the first ferry to link the two towns started in 1922 followed by the building of the current bridge in 1959, the two towns essentially combined to form a single urban mass. Nowadays Forster and Tuncurry are popular tourist & fishing destinations due to the nearby attractive waterways and surf beaches with the towns providing ample amenities for visitors. Of interest in the area include the Booti Booti & Myall Lakes National Parks, Cape Hawke (8km south-east) & Bennetts Head Lookouts (1km east), Nine Mile Beach (north of Tuncurry) & Wallis Island. A recommended alternative drive from Bulahdelah to Taree on the Pacific Hwy is the The Lakes Way, a coastal drive which includes Forster, Tuncurry and various other scenic locations as the road abuts several of the lakes that make up the Great Lakes region.

Population: 24,500 (combined)
State: New South Wales
Name Origin: Forster: Named after William Forster, the secretary of lands at the time of settlement. Tuncurry: Aboriginal origin for "good fishing place"
Pronunciation: Fos-ter, Tun-curry
Postcode: 2428
Local Government: Great Lakes Council
Location: 308km north of Sydney
Main Roads: The Lakes Way
Main Watercourses: Wallis Lake, South Pacific Ocean
Radio Stations (Music): Max FM (107.3), Great Lakes FM (101.5), Triple J (96.3)

Photos from Forster/Tuncurry (Click on thumbnail for full sized image):

Head Street, looking east approaching the Beach St roundabout, Forster (2005).

Head Street, looking west towards Reserve Road, Forster (2005).

J Holland Park, looking south-west towards the Forster bridge, Forster (2005).

J Holland Park, looking west across the boat harbour and to Tuncurry in the distance, Forster (2005).

Looking east across Wallis Lake to Forster from Tuncurry (2005).

Looking north-east across Memorial Park and the Forster bridge, Tuncurry (2005).

And again, this time looking north, Tuncurry (2005).

Manning Street, heading south-east between Beach and Kent Streets, Tuncurry (2005).

Looking south along Manning Street as it approaches Lake St, Tuncurry (2005).

	Head Street, looking east approaching the Beach St roundabout, Forster (2005).
	Head Street, looking west towards Reserve Road, Forster (2005).
	J Holland Park, looking south-west towards the Forster bridge, Forster (2005).
	J Holland Park, looking west across the boat harbour and to Tuncurry in the distance, Forster (2005).
	Looking east across Wallis Lake to Forster from Tuncurry (2005).
	Looking north-east across Memorial Park and the Forster bridge, Tuncurry (2005).
	And again, this time looking north, Tuncurry (2005).
	Manning Street, heading south-east between Beach and Kent Streets, Tuncurry (2005).
	Looking south along Manning Street as it approaches Lake St, Tuncurry (2005).