[3] Tea Gardens extends along the west bank of the Myall River from Port Stephens about 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) in a north-north-easterly direction.

It is located directly across the river from Hawks Nest and the two lane Singing Bridge connects the two.

Tea Gardens is located almost 220 km (137 mi) north of Sydney, about 10 km (6.2 mi) southeast of the Pacific Highway on the southern end of the Ramsar Convention listed wetlands of the Myall Lakes.

3.6% of residents are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander; the median age among this group is 39.

The major religious groups in Tea Gardens are Anglican 32.1%, Catholic 20.2% and Uniting Church 5.1%.