Hastings River (Birpai: Doongang[1]), an open and trained intermediate wave dominated barrier estuary,[4] is located in the Northern Tablelands and Mid North Coast districts of New South Wales, Australia.

Hastings River rises in the Great Dividing Range, southwest of Kemps Pinnacle, in the area surrounding Oxley Wild Rivers National Park and Werrikimbe National Park and flows generally south, southeast and east, joined by seven tributaries including the Tobins, Forbes, Ellenborough, Pappinbarra and Thone rivers, before reaching its mouth, flowing into the Tasman Sea of the South Pacific Ocean, at Port Macquarie.

[3] The course of the river flows adjacent to the settlements Ellenborough, Long Flat, Beechwood, Wauchope and Port Macquarie.

[1] On 19 November 2002, two anglers found the dismembered body of murdered Sydney drug dealer, Terry Falconer.

Investigations revealed that Falconer had died three days beforehand, after his corpse had been cut up and dumped in the Hastings River by Anthony Perish and his criminal gang associates.