Getting There

Travelling North from Sydney by car:
Take the Sydney-Newcastle Freeway (F3) bypassing Newcastle. The F3 joins the Pacific Highway. Follow the highway (signposted Taree) to Bulahdelah (about 1 hour from Hexham bridge). About 1 km past Bulahdelah, turn right onto The Lakes Way and follow signs to Forster. Drive past Smiths Lake to Wallis Lake. Tiona Park is five minutes past the turn-off to Elizabeth Beach. The drive from Bulahdelah takes about forty-five minutes.

Travelling South from North Coast and Brisbane:
Follow the Pacific Highway south past Taree to either of the two Forster exits. Follow The Lakes Way through Tuncurry, over the bridge through Forster and on towards Bulahdelah. Tiona Park is approximately fifteen minutes south of Forster.

Shared Transport
If you can offer a lift to retreat or would like to request a lift you can visit our classifieds page. Using the classifieds page is easy:

• First register yourself as a user.
• Once you receive your password by email, login to the classifieds page and navigate to the Getting to Retreat section and navigate to the appropriate classified board.
• Click on the submit ad menu item.
• Enter your classified.
• Remember to keep your user id and password handy as you may need them if you want to return and amend your ad.
• Please note that while the classifieds page is checked from time to time it is not moderated and Rigpa Fellowship Inc assumes no responsibility for any of the classifieds listed there.
• Please report any abuse of this site to Roger Carroll rogerd.carroll@gmail.com

Charter buses from Sydney and Newcastle:

Note: The bus to and from Newcastle is currently at capacity. Please contact us on retreat@rigpa.org.au before booking to check space availability.

Rigpa will charter a bus from Sydney to Tiona Park departing during the morning of the 12th January from Eddy Avenue, Central Station.
Another bus will operate from Newcastle Rail Station during the afternoon of the 12th January travelling via Newcastle Airport.

Return buses to Newcastle and Sydney will depart Tiona Park on the 22nd January – following the final retreat session. It is recommended that you do not book flights leaving in the afternoon or early evening of the 22nd January as the bus will arrive in Sydney after 8.30pm.

Private bus service:
Since 23 October 2011, Busways North Coast no longer provides a service from Sydney Central Railway Station.  The following is the updated information for those who wish to use private bus services from Sydney and Newcastle.

The Forster Bus Company (contact phone number: 02 6554 6431) now operates a Forster-Sydney-Forster service, via Newcastle station and Newcastle airport.  The bus departs Bay 9, Eddy Avenue and leaves at 1.30 pm and departs Newcastle airport at 5.10pm.  The timetable for this service can be found at http://www.forsterbus.com.au/sydney/timetables.html

Busways North Coast (contact phone number: 02 4997 4788) now operates a Newcastle-Taree-Newcastle service, via Newcastle station or Broadmeadow station. To get to Tiona Park from Sydney by Busways North Coast you need to catch a train to Newcastle or Broadmeadow and meet the bus there. The timetable for this service can be found at http://www.busways.com.au/travelling_with_us/route/150/route-150-sydney-taree-newcastle-sydney

Air transport:
Air travel to the retreat is possible via Sydney or Newcastle airports. Qantas, Virgin Blue, and Jetstar fly to Newcastle (about 2 hours drive south of Tiona). It is usually considerably cheaper to fly to Newcastle, rather than Sydney, from Brisbane or Melbourne.

For flight bookings please visit:
www.virginblue.com.au
www.qantas.com.au
www.jetstar.com

Daily Shuttle Service:
For the 2012 Retreat, Rigpa will operate a minibus that will collect participants who have book accommodation in Forster / Tuncurry (the closest town to Tiona Park). A daily fee of $3.00 will be charged for this service. A schedule will be advised. There will be three pick-up points, so when booking accommodation in Forster / Tuncurry, inform the real estate agent of Great Lakes Information Centre that you want to be close to one of the following locations:

• Tuncurry Memorial Hall (Point Road Tuncurry)
• Great Lakes Information Centre (Little Street, Forster)
• Stocklands Shopping Centre (outside Woolworths)