The Wild Side Festival of Hawks Nest offered golf, walks, food, cruising on the water, helicopter rides and a heritage tour.

The Wild Side weekend started with Golf on the Wild Side on Friday, September 19.

Golfers attended dressed in their best wild outfits.

The Tasmania tigers walked away with the best wildly dressed title.

A spotlight walk, led by local resident Christian Patteson, attracted 81 walkers.

Throughout the evening koalas, possums, a sugar glider and a pod of dolphins all came to check out the crowd.

Stargazing on Jimmy’s Beach was another highlight for the large group of children and adults who attended.

With Saturday’s temperature recorded as the hottest this month so far, first aid workers were kept busy with festival goers suffering heat stroke.

However this didn’t deter people from wandering the stalls and participating in the walks.

“Many families enjoyed the live music in the park and the kids enjoyed the pony rides,” event organiser Shona Hunter Howarth said.

Many of the charity groups had a successful day with Tea Gardens Public School selling around 50 ducks for its duck race at the Myall River Festival and the Rotary Club selling many tickets at the launch of their Christmas trailer raffle.

Helicopter rides over Hawks Nest Tea Gardens offered participants a view of the area from a different angle.

Many people who had enjoyed a flight last year were back again this year with 42 people flying on the wild side throughout the morning.

Large schools of fish and sharks were among the most interesting views as the helicopter went out to sea to avoid the golfers this year.

Held in conjunction with NSW Bike Week, Ride on the Wild side attracted a large crowd on Sunday.

Residents brought their bikes to the starting line before taking off on two leisurely rides around some of Hawks Nest’s spectacular scenery.

With only 30 pre registered participants, organisers received a large surprise when 185 people turned up to participate in the event.

Oceanside hosted the official festival party with a small group attending in their wildest outfits.

“Oceanside really put on an amazing evening,” Ms Hunter Howarth said.

A debrief session will now be held before plans will be organised for 2009.