Exploring the beautiful Mid-North Coast of New South Wales in an EV was an exciting adventure for my family. With stunning beaches, scenic walks, and delicious local cuisine, Foster-Tuncurry offers an ideal getaway. I will share my firsthand experiences navigating the region’s charging infrastructure, revealing where to charge your vehicle and the best activities to enjoy. Join me as I guide you through a week filled with outdoor fun and relaxation in this picturesque coastal paradise.
Key Takeaways:
- Scenic Activities: The region is rich in outdoor activities such as coastal walks, beach days, and national parks, making it perfect for families seeking adventure and relaxation.
- Exploration Opportunities: Day trips to nearby towns like Taree provide enriching experiences through local attractions, dining, and scenic spots, enhancing the overall holiday experience.
- Charging Infrastructure: Planning charging stops along the route is important, especially in areas with limited infrastructure like Forster-Tuncurry. Utilizing tools like ABRP can help optimise charging stops.
- Local Amenities: Forster-Tuncurry offers various charging options, including local accommodations equipped with granny chargers that can provide adequate overnight charging.
Getting There from Sydney
The trip up from Sydney to Forster-Tuncurry is fairly easy.
Pre-Trip Planning and Charging Options
For a successful EV trip, I find a little pre-trip planning is necessary, at least until charging infrastructure becomes ubiquitous. Before I left, I checked the available fast charging infrastructure along my route, including options in Karuah and Nabiac. I found that while Forster-Tuncurry has limited charging options, nearby Taree has a reliable Tesla Supercharger (open to non-Tesla EVs). Using ABRP to plot charging stops made me confident I could get there.
Packing and Space Management
Little did I know, the Tesla Model Y offers incredible packing capabilities, making it ideal for family trip. This is a loaner EV, as my Kia EV6 got rear ended recently and is undergoing repairs. With the front trunk and the spacious rear cargo area, I was able to store everything from beach gear to suitcases to laptops and electronics without hassle. With two teeange daughters and two small dogs, as well as two adults onboard, we got everything into the car with ease.
The front trunk comfortably housed our picnic set and emergency gear, while the rear compartment held our beach equipment and luggage. With room left over for snacks and dog necessarys, the Model Y truly impressed for our family road trip cargo needs. Our Tasmania trip in the EV6 was a game of luggage Tetris every day. While I can’t wait for the EV6 to be back, and there are plenty of things I don’t like about the Tesla, I might miss the luggage space. I found the packing process stress-free, allowing us to focus on what truly matters: enjoying our time together on the Mid-North Coast.
The Trip Up
On arrival at our AirBnB, we plugged the Tesla in using my Kia granny charger, which I’d just retrieved from the smash repairer and not had an opportunity to test. It worked like a charm, and we were up to 99% when we woke up. Tesla don’t provide a granny charger, so if you want one, you need to buy your own. My Kia had one included, but as I understand it, not every trim level has one. I’ve included a link below to one I recommended for a friend and she seems happy with.
This is a great item for when you want to plug in to a regular power point. Whether you're at a camp ground or an AirBnB looking to top up overnight, or at home you can charge up practically anywhere with a power point.
Granny charging isn't fast, but it does get the job done. If you're charging while you sleep, who cares if it takes a while, especially if that electricity is sometimes FREE.
Key Attractions and Activities
For a memorable experience, definitely visit at least a few of the local attractions. Foster-Tuncurry boasts beautiful beaches, scenic walks, and water activities that highlight the region’s natural beauty, ensuring you and your family stay engaged throughout your stay. Or chill out by the pool, on the beach, or go fishing, or whatever…. don’t let me dicatate what you should and shouldn’t do. I’m just here to tell you what’s available, it’s up to you to decide.
To make the most of your time, try some of the top attractions, such as the Bicentennial Walk, where you can enjoy breathtaking coastal views, and Booti Booti National Park, boasting diverse walking trails suitable for all levels. Engaging in activities like dolphin cruises and exploring Wallis Lake offers unforgettable family experiences. If you’re in to fishing, there’s no end of options. Beaches, rocks, boats and riverbanks are all available. Furthermore, consider local dining options for a taste of regional cuisine, making your week in Foster-Tuncurry truly enjoyable and memorable.
We enjoyed a short walk to the beach from our accomodation. Tuncurry is not patrolled, so please be beach aware and stay well within your capabilities. There is a patrolled beach just across the river in Forster. The Tuncurry side is, however, dog friendly, and if you know how to spot a rip, the beach is relatively safe. Our two small dogs loved running around in the shallows.
For dining options, the Lake and Ocean Hotel has a great pub menu and cheap steak night on Wednesday. We were even lucky enough to win a prize in the Wednesday meat raffle, with 4 great big pork chops going on the BBQ on Thurdsay night.
A day trip up to Taree is also fun, more on that later. We found that using the granny charger was sufficient to keep us topped up, as we didn’t need the car that much. Our biggest trip in the car was up to Taree and Crowdy Head, but even then we just plugged in the granny charger. After going out for dinner and coming back around 9pm, we were able to have a full charge next morning. Before we left for home, we naturally got a full charge in the night before. The Tesla model Y has a relatively small battery, but gets good efficiency out of that 58kWh, meaning it doesn’t deplete quickly and is easy to top back up.
Discovering Taree: An easy Day Trip from Forster-Tuncurry
Nestled in the picturesque Manning Valley, Taree is a
charming town that offers a delightful mix of natural beauty, cultural
experiences, and outdoor activities. Whether you’re a local looking for a quick
getaway or a traveler exploring New South Wales, Taree has something for
everyone.
Tip: Don’t trust the Tesla navigation to get you to the
centre of Taree. We drove in, and went right past
the centre of town. Out of curiosity, we decided to see where the navigation would take us.
Apparently the centre of taree is a lamp post inthe middle of a roundabout about y 3km north of the main town centre. We don’t know why Tesla navigation thinks this roundabout is the centre of town.
Here are some great things to do in Taree…
Apex Lookout
Start your day with a visit to Apex Lookout, where you can
enjoy stunning panoramic views of the Manning River and the surrounding valley.
It’s a short drive from the town center and provides a perfect spot for some
morning photography and fresh air.
Coorabakh National Park
For nature enthusiasts, Coorabakh National Park is a
must-visit. The park is home to impressive volcanic plugs like Big Nellie, Flat
Nellie, and Little Nellie. You can hike through subtropical rainforests,
explore hidden caves, and even take a refreshing dip at Waitui Falls. The
park’s diverse ecosystems are also a haven for wildlife, including the
yellow-bellied glider and the spotted-tailed quoll.
Manning Regional Art Gallery
Immerse yourself in the local art scene at the Manning
Regional Art Gallery. The gallery showcases a variety of exhibitions featuring
works by regional artists. It’s a great place to appreciate the creativity and
talent of the local community.
Riverside Stroll
Take a leisurely stroll along the Manning River promenade.
The scenic walk offers beautiful views of the river and is a relaxing way to
enjoy the natural surroundings. You can also visit the Taree Botanical Gardens
along the way. Oour dogs loved the walk, but we didn’t take them into the Botanical Gardens.
Artisans on the Hill
For a unique experience, head to Artisans on the Hill. This
gallery and workshop space offers a range of handcrafted items and art pieces.
You can even participate in workshops to create your own masterpiece. It’s a
perfect spot to pick up a one-of-a-kind souvenir.
Historical Exploration in Wingham
Just a short drive from Taree, the town of Wingham offers a
glimpse into the region’s history. Visit the Manning Valley Historical Museum
to learn about the area’s European settlement and indigenous history. The
museum’s collection includes fascinating artifacts and exhibits.
Local Dining
No trip to Taree is complete without sampling the local
cuisine. There are plenty of cafes and restaurants offering delicious meals
made from fresh, local produce. Whether you’re in the mood for a casual bite or
a fine dining experience, Taree has options to satisfy every palate.
For our lunch, we chose Café Giardino in Victoria St. We were a bit late for the breakfast menu, which stops at 11:30am. Lunch consisted of spicy pepperoni pizza, mussels in a tomato based sauce and dinosaur shaped chicken nuggets with chips for the youngest of the kids. A selection of milkshakes and smoothies rounded out our lunch. Note: no incentives were offered or requested from this cafe, we just enjoyed our lunch.
Fast Charger Options in Taree
These are some of the nearest rapid/ultra-rapid chargers to Forster-Tuncurry.
Evie has chargers at the Services at Taree South if you’re on the way through. These are in poor condition at the time of writing. The one with the broken screen works, either with RFID, or the App. The one with the working screen doesn’t charge. These need some maintenance and with only two chargers across 4 bays, capacity is severely reduced with any breakdown. Hopefully Evie will get these repaired soon and they will be a viable option for travellers.
The Tesla supercharger in Wynter St Taree is a better option, even though it’s a bit off the highway if you’re on the way through. There are 12 bays and a quick scan of Plugshare indicates many people have charged here recently without issue. A few BYDs have reported incompatibilities though. Always check ABRP and Plugshare before relying on a charger when away from home. Personally, I like to get to chargers with no less than 30% battery to ensure I have a contingency to get to another charger if needed.
It’s a short walk to Coles and the shopping centre from the supercharger, there’s a Hungry Jacks and Subway nearby. One more block further away is Victoria St with some really nice café options, although with these charger speeds, by the time you get there, the car is likely to be charged up already.
Charging Infrastructure in the Region
You may find the charging infrastructure in Foster-Tuncurry to be limited, but nearby towns like Taree offer more options. While there are fast chargers available, some may be in poor condition, so it’s wise to check the status before heading out. I discovered that the Tesla Supercharger in Wynter St is a much more reliable choice, with 12 bays available, making it convenient for topping up your charge while exploring local cafes.
Plugshare reports good chargers at Nabiac. We tried out the Karuah charger on the way home with good results. We only needed 7 minutes to give us a boost. To be honest it was more to have personal experience so I could write it here in this article, rather than a strict necessity. We stopped again at Cameron Park on the way through Newcastle, for a 12 minute charge. This was more of a necessity to get us home. We chose not to stop at Heatherbrae again, so as to experience some other options, that are available to non-Teslas.
Our main charging source turned out to be using the granny charger at our accomodation. We had access to an outdoor powerpoint just next to the car in the driveway, which made this really easy to manage. I calculated we only used about 44kWh while we were there, which at a rate of 30c per kWh (a reasonable estimate for the area) is less than $15 added to the electricity bill for our host.
We spent just over $20 on public charging, for over 800km travelled. Even if we factor in the slightly higher electricity cost to our landlord, it’s still only $35 for the fuel. As a comparison: My Kia Sportage Diesel would have used around 60 litres of fuel for the same distance (just over 1 full tank) and cost around $120.
Final Words
On the whole, my week in Forster-Tuncurry with a loaner Tesla Model Y was an enlightening experience that showcased the ease of traveling in an EV while enjoying this beautiful part of New South Wales. The trip included delightful beach outings and scenic explorations, all while seamlessly managing just a few charging stations and utilising the granny charger at my accommodation. We honestly thought the lack of charging infrastructure would more of a hassle. As it turned out, we just plugged in and slept while the car charged for the most part. With minimal planning, you can make the most of your holiday without worrying about charging logistics, leaving you free to immerse yourself in the stunning natural beauty and local attractions of the Mid-North Coast.
