Destination overview

Port Macquarie has oceans, rivers and chains of beautiful lakes. The weather is balmy and doesn’t change that much between summer and winter. The beaches are long and golden and the mountainous hinterland is filled with lush national parks, splashing waterfalls and bubbling streams.
Port Macquarie truly is a paradise and is perfectly positioned in the middle of the New South Wales coast on the mouth of the Hastings River.

With golden swathes of sand begging to be walked, fished, sunbaked and sand-castled, the beaches in this neck of the woods are popular with both national and international visitors.
And don’t forget the locals. Talk to one of them and they’ll tell you that Port Macquarie is the best place to live in the world.

Port Macquarie is a true water lover's paradise. Take a cruise up the beautiful Hastings River and be mesmerised by the sight of whales off the coast and dolphins playing just under the water’s surface. For those after something with a bit more pace, waterskiing is always popular, or for the ultimate thrill you can climb aboard a purpose-built jet boat for a ride you'll never forget!

Away from the river, Port Macquarie's clean and uncrowded beaches are the perfect spot for visitors of all ages and interests. For a relaxing family picnic, game of beach cricket with friends, 4WD adventure or the chance to try your hand at surfing, the perfect beach is just waiting to be found.

Greater Port Macquarie has 18 different beaches to choose from – six are patrolled by lifeguards and eight are dog-friendly, and almost all of them are suitable for swimming and surfing.

The amazing diversity of Greater Port Macquarie's landscape is one of the state's best kept secrets. The rolling hinterland just 30 minutes from the coast is home to a number of stunning natural attractions and welcoming villages, each offering a unique experience you'll remember for years.

The region's National Parks offer something for everyone, with tours catering for people of all fitness levels. Fishing along Limeburners Nature Reserve is a must, and so is a leisurely stroll through the rainforest canopy at Sea Acres Nature Reserve. Those looking for a challenge can tackle Werrikimbe National Park, a World Heritage-listed site with several walking trails and 4WD tracks to explore the wilderness. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for wildlife during your visit - Port Macquarie is home to large numbers of koalas, kangaroos, wallabies, platypus, reptiles and more than 340 species of birds.

Surrounded by national parks and rainforests, Greater Port Macquarie offers so much for those who want to connect with nature and its flora and fauna. Walking trails for people of all ages and fitness levels can be found in all pockets of the region, catering for those looking for the mildest of strolls or the most challenging of hikes.

If you’ve got the time, why not get behind the wheel and explore the beauty of the hinterland, with its breathtaking mountains and eclectic country villages, or hug the coastline to experience the dramatic scenery of one of NSW's most beautiful areas. Whatever your preference, come out of your shell and see all that Greater Port Macquarie has to offer.

As one of Australia's first settlements outside of Sydney, Greater Port Macquarie is home to a number of historic buildings and sites that date back to colonial and convict days. A stroll along the sign-posted heritage walking trail will take visitors to 13 of the town's most fascinating historic and archaeological sites.

Greater Port Macquarie is also home to a large number of artists in all genres, and was awarded the prestigious New South Wales 4th City of the Arts. There are close to 100 arts and cultural groups in the area, creating a rich cultural diversity and offering a wide range of regular performances, exhibitions and activities throughout the year for the community and visitors alike.

Beaches
Situated in a beautiful location where the Hastings River meets the Pacific Ocean, Port Macquarie is surrounded by pristine beaches. Endless beachside pursuits will keep you entertained - coastal walks, surfing, sailboarding, swimming, fishing and even camel rides on the beach. Many beaches feature barbecues and playgrounds and there are plenty of accredited learn-to-surf schools.

From North Haven, 30 kilometres south of Port Macquarie, to Crescent Head, nine kilometres south-east of Kempsey, the beaches around the Greater Port Macquarie area offer everything from relaxation to adventure.

Grants Beach, North Haven

Grants Beach in North Haven is a 3.5 kilometre stretch of beach, ending in a break wall that offers some great surfing in the right conditions. The beach is patrolled from the surf club to the break wall, a section that is ideal for swimming, while the entire beach is good for surfers and those wanting to fish. A walking track runs adjacent to the beach, while Grants Beach Coast Walk runs from the mouth of the Camden Haven River and ends at the cliffs of Grants Headland. Taking you through heathland, forest and wildflower meadows, the walk also offers good bird spotting opportunities and is a must for surfing enthusiasts and nature lovers alike.

Lighthouse Beach

Located seven kilometres south of Port Macquarie, Lighthouse Beach is a nine-kilometre stretch separated by Watonga Rocks. Surfers can enjoy some good beach breaks, with the better waves found at the northern end of the beach.
North of Watonga Rocks is the ideal location for a family day out, where visitors can swim, surf, have a picnic and visit the lighthouse. There is also a café, surf club, viewing area and toilets. South of the Rocks, activities include fishing, swimming, four-wheel driving and camel safaris.

Flynns Beach

Three kilometres south of Port Macquarie, is the city’s most popular family beach. Flynns Beach is sheltered and ideal for swimming and for those interested in learning to surf. Equipped with barbecues, a picnic area, toilets, playground, beach showers, a café, and surf club, the beach offers the perfect day out for all the family.

National Parks

Dooragan National Park

This Park supports a wide range of vegetation communities - including some of the best examples of old growth blackbutt forest in New South Wales and pockets of sub-tropical rainforest that provide habitat for gliders, bats and koalas and offer unbeatable views up and down the coast.

Willi Willi National Park

This rainforest mountain park lies along a section of the Great Escarpment to the east of Oxley Wild Rivers and Werrikimbe National Parks. The Park is between the Macleay and Hastings River valleys and includes Kemps Pinnacle and Mount Banda Banda, both over 1,100 metres above sea level.

Sea Acres National Park

Sea Acres National Park contains one of the largest, least disturbed and most diverse coastal rainforests in New South Wales. The 1.3 kilometre accessible elevated rainforest boardwalk at Sea Acres Rainforest Centre is an inspiring experience. Enjoy the sights, sounds and tranquility of rare subtropical rainforest and explore this beautiful setting at your own pace.

Take a day trip to Camden Haven

For a drive of approximately one-and-a-half hours from Port Macquarie, Camden Haven is well worth a look.  Travelling south along Ocean Drive you’ll pass through the coastal villages of Lake Cathie, Rainbow Beach and Bonny Hills. Stop at the picturesque riverside park at North Haven, on the northern bank of the Camden Haven River, where you will find a number of cafés, or take a stroll along the break wall.

You can continue on to Camden Head and Kattang Nature Reserve, which is 58 glorious hectares of coastal bush bordered by the vertical cliffs of Perpendicular Point. Charles Hamey Lookout provides views in all directions and the lookout is one of several in the Kattang Nature Reserve that is well-known for its signed walks, birdlife, spring wildflowers and a great spot for whale and dolphin watching. If you continue on Camden Head Road you arrive at Pilot Beach at the mouth of the Camden Haven River. Just over the Dunbogan Bridge, why not stop at the local marina which is a port of call for yachts travelling up the coast. Or perhaps have a picnic at Henry Kendall Reserve, on the other side of Laurieton on the shores of Stingray Creek.

There’s so much to see on this day trip that it really will take you all day. But, you can be sure it will be worth it.