There’s never a dull moment at the Tea Gardens/Hawks Nest Visitors Information Centre.

As you’d expect, there’s plenty of enquires for maps and booklets on what to see and do in the Myall area.

But the volunteers behind the counter also get some unusual requests.

“We get all sorts of enquiries,” Bev Dunn told News Of The Area.

“This morning we had phone calls in relation to where you can get a flat tyre fixed, where you can hire disabled equipment when you come to Hawks Nest.”

Bev said one caller asked, “Whether all the barbeques were working in Tea Gardens because they’re coming to visit on Australia Day.”

MidCoast Council was able to furnish the Visitors Information Centre with the answer, “One barbeque was out of order but being repaired.”

In just a couple of hours, 25 people dropped into the Visitors Centre, including overseas tourists from England.
“The National Park day passes have become very popular,” Bev said.

Maps and a booklet of businesses and things to do in the Hawks Nest and Tea Gardens area are freely handed out.

From each enquiry, the volunteers at the Visitors Centre take a postcode as a way of collating information on where the visitors and tourists come from.

Last Saturday during the holiday period they had collected more than 50 postcodes.

“Keeping in mind,” Bev said, “That’s just one person, there may be five or six people in the group that walks in.”
Both Bev and Regina have been volunteering at the Centre for the past nine months.

The women are part of a large contingent of volunteers who keep the Centre open every day of the year bar Christmas Day.

“The tourists come from all over England, France, Scotland, all over Australia, including lots of backpackers,” Regina said.

“You meet lots of people, lots of funny people, and work with lots of funny people,” Bev said with a great big smile.

The Visitors Information Centre on Myall Street is open seven days a week, 9am to 4pm.

By Margie TIERNEY