Hawks Nest lies on a peninsula between the Pacific Ocean, Port Stephens, and the Myall River. A bridge has replaced the old steel-rope-guided vehicular ferry to connect with Tea Gardens aceoss the river. It is about 200 km north of Sydney along the F3 freeway (about two hours away). Hawks Nest gets its name from the large number of birds of prey in the area.
Jimmy's Beach and the Pacific Ocean on the east (Bennett's Beach or Ocean Beach, as it is commonly referred to) are popular resorts. The Myall Lakes are a short drive north along a road which was until 25 years ago inaccessible. While Tea Gardens is primarily a residential and commercial area, Hawks Nest tends to be dominated by holiday rentals and caravan parks.