Port Macquarie is a coastal town in the heart of a beautiful region with beautiful beaches, and great for outdoor tours and fun trips.
The city is a great place to explore national parks, waterways such as the Hastings River, 18 sandy beaches and the sea. You can enjoy the beauty of nature through outdoor activities, such as sky skating, paragliding, horseback riding, surfing, boating, cycling, water skiing, kayaking, golf, and fishing. Below are some fun locations and activities you can do in Port Macquarie.
1. Enjoy Port Macquarie Coastal Walk
A coastal walk is one of the ways to experience the beauty in Port Macquarie. Start the walk from Town Green foreshore in Port Macquarie to the coast past Town Beach, Rocky Beach lookout, Nobby’s Beach, Harry’s View, and Shelly Beach and head to Sea Acres.
There are a few historical sites along the way and amazing ocean surroundings to explore. The Whales carry out annual migration between May and November; you may be lucky to see one or two.
The tour ends at the Tacking Point lighthouse. You may split the walk into sections, especially when travelling with kids. Other fun activities can be had here, including barbecue and swimming at Shelly Beach.
2. Visit the Sea Acres Rainforest Centre
The Sea Acres Rainforest Centre near Port Macquarie is the gateway to your rainforest experience. The Rainforest Center hosts various local events and educational activities all year round. Other events include a rainforest meditation gathering held once a month.
Their Eco Exhibitions unveil a wealth of information about the local Aboriginal culture and the rainforest environment. There are also regular exhibitions of local artists’ works, as well as a gift shop with lots of unique natural items, gifts, crafts, teaching toys and games. There is a cafe where you can enjoy delicious meals.
Talk to the friendly staff at the Sea Rainforest Center – they can enlighten you on Sea Acres, Aboriginal bush tucker, and Discovery Tours.
You can also walk along the shores of the Sea Acre’s Rainforest or the nearby Rainforest Café and enjoy your trip to the fullest.
3. Embrace the Beauty of Port Macquarie Beaches
Below are some great beaches in Port Macquarie that are ideal for the whole family
3.1. Town Beach
Town Beach is a popular beach in Port Macquarie near the city centre. The beach has a modern toilet, kiosks and a car park.
The 600-foot-long (600 m) sea runs between the river bank to the south and the 15-foot (15 m) rough land. Families enjoy open grassy areas with shade overlooking the beach.
The kiosk offers delicious fresh food, coffee and a seamless sea view. Nearby is a modern playground with an outdoor gym and a ski park.
Town Beach is a popular destination for boarders due to its many bars and protection from the south winds. When the barriers and the waves are right, the sea can catch a massive southeastern swell.
Inside the breakwater, there is a place called Flagstaff, which breaks through the sand in a major uprising in the south.
3.2. Lighthouse Beach
Lighthouse Beach is located seven miles (7 km) south of Port Macquarie and is nine miles southeast of the sand overlooking Lake Cathie. It is a favourite surf beach among tourists and locals.
It is also ideal for a long-distance beach trip, camel rides, outdoor fishing and 4WD access to the southern end. The beach is monitored during the school holidays.
3.3. Shelly Beach
This long white, sandy beach is surrounded by beautiful rainforests and facilities for the whole family. There are plenty of shaded areas for daylight, picnic tables, barbecues and amazing community art on display. You can find birds such as turkeys and goanna in the area. Shelly Beach is great for hosting weddings.
3.4. Nobby Beach
This beach is characterized by a combination of rocks in the middle of the ocean. The headland protects it, and it’s a great place for swimming.
The rocky nature of the coast also makes for excellent rock fishing, with numerous dunes and a rocky outcrop. The sea is not monitored, so be careful when swimming on the beach, or check safe maritime guidelines to monitor current conditions before swimming.
Due to the calm, protected water and coastal rocks of this beach, surfing is not recommended here.
You can enter the beach through stairs, connecting the car park and the sea, through the southern edge behind Nobby Head, or you can reach the beach from a rocky platform on Flynns Beach.
Another way is through Kenny Walk near Pacific Drive. It is a 5 to 10-minute walk around the beach.
3.5. Flynns Beach
Flynns Beach, located about two miles (3 km) south of Port Macquarie, is about 1,600 feet (500 m) high and lies between two rocks to the north and south. It has good protection from western and southern winds. The Surf Club has a kiosk that serves food, and plenty of accommodations are available during the short walk to Flynns Beach.
3.6. Oxley Beach
Oxley Beach is a picnic paradise. It is located near Port Macquarie’s CBD. The rugged grass covered with tall Norfolk pine trees descends along the coast, and you will find covered picnic tables and sauces.
After lunch, you can have a refreshing swim or bike ride near the coast. Dogs are welcomed at Oxley Beach, too, but they must be placed on leash.
Oxley is also usually less crowded than other beaches in Port Macquarie. It is a great place to put your towel down and dive into the pool, clay around in rock pools, take a cool dip, or throw a fishing line.
4. Enjoy the View on The Cruise on the Hastings River
This is a perfect way to spend your weekend, a day trip or your vacation with your family. Sail along the beautiful Hastings River, board a Port Adventure and enjoy the sunset. Walk in the trenches and watch as the magic of colour change occurs while the sun sets slowly across the region.
5. Taste the Vintage Beauty of Roto House
Roto House is a historic house in Port Macquarie, built in 1891 by explorer John Flynn. The 11-room mahogany-shaped mansion housed his family until 1979. Its picket-fenced garden and bull-shaped balcony are a clear reminder of a past era.
The front door is covered with ruby lamps, leading to a large hallway adorned with lanterns.
The National Park and Wildlife Service currently manage the building, which now serves as an event Center for wedding parties and other special occasions. This heritage site shares the same space as Koala Hospital; as a result, it can get a little crowded.
6. Make a Visit to Port Macquarie Museum
The award-winning Port Macquarie Museum is easily accessible from the Port Macquarie CBD.
6.1. Exhibits of this Museum
The museum collection features the stories of Port Macquarie’s rich and unique history, from the first settlers of the Birpai people to the settlement of the British people in 1821 and the modern history of Port Macquarie as a tourist destination and a changing sea city.
Other important collection includes Raphael Clint’s sundial, associated with the sentence of Port Macquarie, a Wedgwood private bowl from Lake Innes House, a sugar mill used to process sugar plants planted along the Hastings River, and Lionel Lindsay’s watercolour of Port Macquarie in the early 1900s.
7. Admire the View from Laurieton Lookout
North Brother Mountain, located in Dooragan National Park, offers a very accessible and panoramic view of the east coast of Australia.
The current view is over the magnificent Camden Haven Inlet with the Camden Haven River between Queens and the Watson Taylors Lakes. The view extends to Crowdy Head in the south and as far as Mount Yarrahappini in the north.
Relax and unwind while enjoying the view in picnic facilities and a grassy open space.
7.1. Fulfil your Dose of Adventure
There are travel routes that suit every level of stamina. If you want more and are daring enough, then try the challenging Laurieton Track. The path goes through stunning blackbutt forests with large old stumps, marking the ancient days of logging in the park. This mountain is also a ‘mecca’ of para-gliders and hang gliders.
7.2. Enjoy the Stunning Scenery
The Laurieton Lookout faces north, with breathtaking views of the Camden Haven Inlet and the perpendicular cliffs of the Kattang Nature Reserve, with Grants Head in the distance.
8. Spend a Fun Day at Billabong Zoo Koala and Wildlife Park
The award-winning Billabong Zoo gets you close to Australian rare animals. Tourists can pat, stroke, feed, touch, hear and see more than 80 species of mammals, reptiles and birds. Book one-on-one encounters with the most special animals- cheetahs, snow leopards, koalas, red pandas, meerkats, and snakes.
The 10-hectare Koala and wildlife park houses more than 200 animals. Learn about their love of conservation as wildlife ambassadors and their world-famous koala breeding program.
8.1. Exciting Things About This Park cum Zoo
Enjoy the playground picnic areas, green gardens with peaceful koi ponds, hot food, snacks, ice cream, coffee and drinks at the big Zoo Cafe. It is a place perfect for Children’s entertainment and Education for kids and everyone.
They have a service centre for events and conferences. They also organise events, animal talks and collaborations.
9. Enjoy at Bago Maze and Winery
Bago is a third-generation family-owned farm celebrating local wine production and family sacrifices. This farm is a short 30-minute drive west from the coastal town of Port Macquarie, located in a remote valley, surrounded by high eucalyptus gardens and national parks. They are an active farm that uses different grapes to produce the best wine.
It is a family-friendly place with plenty of space for kids to run around while adults enjoy wine and other farm products from the mid-north coast.
Navigate and run in the Bago Maze. The Lilly Pilly hedge maze is wonderfully designed. It is one of the world’s largest fenced-in areas with more than 2000m of lanes, bridges and fences, making it an ideal place for family exploration.
10. Wander in Whale Watching Cruise
About 16,000 humpback whales migrate north into the tropical waters after summering in Antarctica, where they cross and give birth to young ones before returning to the south.
You can see these magnificent creatures on a whale-watching tour.
On Port Jet Cruise, you can feel the wonder of the sea. Their massive 18,900-strong canoe lets you navigate the waves, walk up and down the spectacular Port Macquarie coast or speed up the amazing Hastings River.
11. Look at the Koala Hospital
Koala Hospital is located on the grounds of Roto House in Lord Street. It is the world’s first hospital dedicated exclusively to the care and maintenance of koalas.
The hospital has a treatment room, eight critically ill units, a 24-hour rescue and treatment operation, several recovery facilities and a research collaboration with the University of Sydney, Australia.
A guided tour occurs daily at 3:00 pm – and a coach tour between 8:00 am and 2:00 pm. Educational shows and group talks are also organised. The Koala Society of NSW Inc. is a voluntary organisation, and your support will help save the koalas in the Port Macquarie Area.
Something to Take Away
The cool climate, parks, gardens and trails in Port Macquarie make it an attractive hiking destination. Port Macquarie is known for its relaxed coastal suburbs, pristine beaches, incredible wildlife encounters and lush hinterlands, but these barely scratch the surface of what this incredible place has to offer.
There are activities for all ages and all interests whether you are looking for a romantic getaway, a memorable family holiday, or going solo, start planning your next trip to experience the well-known and hidden gems of Port Macquarie.
Last Updated on May 10, 2024 by Arnab
