Forster, New South Wales

Forster is a large coastal town in the Mid North Coast region of New South Wales, Australia, in the Great Lakes 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. The usual local pronunciation of the name is 'Foster'.

At the 2006 census, The Forster-Tuncurry area had a population of 18,372 with nearly half that amount being over 55 years of age.

Tourism
Because of its close proximity to Sydney, just over 4 hours drive, Forster-Tuncurry has established itself as a popular summer holiday destination; in the hotter months the population increases considerably.

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.

Beaches
The most popular beaches are Forster Main beach and One Mile beach, serviced by Forster and Cape Hawke Surf Lifesaving Clubs respectively. Pebbly Beach is popular with local surfers.

The tiny Forster SLSC achieved national recognition in 1996 when their under-18 beach sprint relay team won gold at the Australian Championships. The team consisted of Toby Pratt, Benjamin Gambrill, Mark Shrewsbury and Aaron Thompson.

History
Forster is named after William Forster, who was briefly 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.