Fire threatens Tea Gardens and Hawks Nest

FIRE returned to the Myall Coast barely a month after the December 2025 blazes, with a new bushfire igniting in bushland near Nerong last week.

Residents of the area awoke to the strong smell of smoke on the morning of Saturday, 31 January, then discovered that ash had fallen like snowflakes throughout the night, and continued to do so all day.

The fire began in the Myall Lakes National Park near Nerong Waterholes, but did not directly threaten the township of Nerong itself.

Instead, the blaze was pushed by a persistent and gusty north-easterly wind to the south, remaining east of the Pacific Highway and west of the Myall River, with the towns of Tea Gardens and Hawks Nest in its visible path.

Firefighters carried out backburning overnight on Saturday along the southern edge of the fire and continued strengthening containment lines, with the assistance of heavy machinery and aircraft, including the Marie Bashir Large Air Tanker (LAT), the largest airborne tanker the RFS fleet has.

Multiple NSW RFS volunteers from across the Mid Coast District answered the call to save the towns and properties nearby, and, so far, prevented it from jumping the Myall River into Mungo Brush, and from crossing the Pacific Highway – although heavy smoke has seen traffic control go into effect.

On the fireground, the small army of volunteer firefighters were fed by supplies donated by Tea Gardens Coles, as well as meals ordered from the Tea Gardens Hotel.

NSW RFS sent Community Liaison Officers Brenda and Keeley to Tea Gardens shops to help inform the public, while an apocalyptically dark brown and black cloud loomed ever closer to the north-west, bringing larger and larger groups of concerned citizens seeking reassurance and answers.

Hazards Near Me remains the source of truth for these events, even if technological restraints mean it does not update frequently.

Saturday afternoon, the fire’s official rating went from ‘Advice’ to ‘Watch and Act’ with visitors to town strongly advised to leave, to avoid later road closures.

Locals were made to understand their choices between staying and defending or evacuating on their own – the decision ultimately up to them.

Locals awoke to several mornings of thick and heavy smoke, the same pall blanketing Sydney Harbour after several days blowing down from the Mid North Coast.

On Sunday, the fire carried on to well over 5000ha, butting up against the swampy banks of the Myall River estuary up Mungo Brush Road, and threatening the grasslands outside of the pine plantation.

The most immediate concern for those who stayed was the ashes becoming embers, falling while still alight on piles of dead leaves, uncleaned gutters and other fuel, starting spot fires kilometres from the main front.

Smoke inhalation and 30-plus heat also a concern for elderly and infirm, locals advised to please check on neighbours.

Tea Gardens Jack & Co Caltex servo was kept open later than usual to service the fire trucks, and SES Stroud and Nabiac personnel came in to assist with food distribution on Sunday.

Sunday night, rain, glorious rain, arrived in a thunderstorm riding upon a southerly buster, hitting the fireground by 8pm, and the BOM issued a ‘severe thunderstorm warning’ for the very same region still ablaze that night.

The wind reversal put the main fire front back upon its blackened wake, but the northern front may still pick up and head back towards Bulahdelah and Nerong.

By Thomas O’KEEFE