Tuncurry is a coastal town in the Mid North Coast region of New South Wales, Australia, in the Great Lakes Council LGA, about 308 km (191 mi) north north east of Sydney. It is immediately adjacent to its twin town of Forster, which is the larger of the two towns.
At the 2011 census, the Forster-Tuncurry area had a population of 18,904 people. This number grows considerably in the tourist season. The population of Tuncurry alone was 5,800.
History
The first land grant in this area was in 1875. The settlement was originally called North Shore and then North Forster and was renamed Tuncurry meaning "plenty of fish" in 1891 and then proclaimed a village in 1893.
The area was well known in the early days for its timber cutting and sawmills. Timber was collected from the lakes and rivers by the logpunts (droghers).
A bridge over the Coolongolook River that marks the entrance to Wallis Lake was built in 1959 linking Forster and Tuncurry and replacing the punt service that had operated since 1890.
Tourism
Because of its close driving proximity to Sydney, Forster-Tuncurry has established itself as a popular summer holiday destination, where in the hotter months, the population swells considerably. The school holidays in the colder months also bring large numbers of holidaymakers.
Tuncurry's Nine Mile Beach is a popular swimming, surfing and fishing spot. Tuncurry Rockpool is a shark netted swimming enclosure, formed by breakwalls which mark the entrance to Wallis Lake. Tuncurry's lakefront areas are characterised by wharves and jetties which provide mooring for fishing boats and pleasure craft.
The region's local cinema, Great Lakes Cinema 3, is based on the Tuncurry side of the bridge.