The Myall River is a wide waterway that is popular for boating, paddle boarding, kayaking and fishing. Easy access can be gained through the holiday towns of Tea Gardens and Hawks Nest. For tourists to the area, there are a lot of ways to explore the river’s. Its a large river with long runs of mangrove-lined banks, small bays, islands, sandbanks and mudflats. Kayaks, SUPs and canoes can be hired at EZY Kayaks or Lazy Paddles in Tea Gardens (they do guided river tours also). Tinnies and runabouts can be hired from the Tea Gardens Boatshed and nearby, BBQ Boats hires out pontoon-style boats with full BBQ/kitchen facilities that cater for larger groups. Discover NSW vouchers can be used for some of these. For the less adventurous, the ferry between Tea Gardens and Port Stephens is a slow, traditional way to see the river and passes under the charmingly named, Singing Bridge, which will sometimes whistle in the wind. We always enjoy walking along Marine Drive which follows the riverside through Tea Gardens. Starting from Singing Bridge, you will pass the local fish co-op, Anzac park and the war memorial, the ferry, the Tea Gardens pub, the Ice Cream Shack and several art installations which are a part the Myall Riverside Art Walk. Pelicans gather beside the local fishing co-op fighting over scraps of fish and it’s not uncommon to see dolphins. The river itself is strongly tidal but at low tide, you’ll see lots of small crabs scuttling between the roots of the mangroves and exposed skeletons of old oyster leases. At one time, there used to be an old swimming pool built into the riverbank. It’s long-gone now except for the stairs which led down to the pool. A plaque marks the spot and gives a little historical background.