Port Macquarie, New South wales, Australia

Port Macquarie Overview

The New South Wales Holiday Coast town of Port Macquarie nestles at the mouth of the Hastings River at it flows towards the Tasman Sea.

As the river and the beaches form the focal point of the town you can indulge in all manner of water based pursuits including scuba diving, river trips, fishing expeditions, coastal cruises, spending a day at the beach as well as dolphin watching expeditions.

The climate is sub tropical with average temperatures ranging from a minimum of 8 Deg C in Winter to 32 Deg C in the Summer.

As the town is a thriving holiday resort within relatively easy reach of Sydney (around 400km) there is a good range of hotels and accommodation and the town has a regional airport if you prefer to fly.

A Convict Past

Port Macquarie is one of the oldest towns in New South Wales and many old buildings and other examples of the past convict settlement are evident such as St Thomas's Church, the nearby Trial Bay Gaol and at the award winning Hastings Historical Museum.

The nearby town of Wauchope has a historical theme park and the famous 14m high "Big Bull". There is also a working dairy farm, an animal nursery, restaurant and hands on milking displays.

Fishing, Camel Rides, Golf & Six BeaChes

The fishing in the Port Macquarie area is varied since there is the challenge of both fresh water and the sea water fishing.

Other activities include golf ( 4 courses and driving ranges), walking, horse and camel riding.

The Town Beach is a good walking distance from the city centre, past highly coloured painted boulders which line part of the riverside promenade.

There are six beaches to choose from: Town, Oxley, Rocky, Flynns, Nobbys and Shelly Beach.

All the beaches offer different conditions and you should always check with the locals and lifeguards about the prevailing characteristics and currents.