Top 15 Must-Do Activities in Port Macquarie, Australia

The coastal town of Port Macquarie is situated at the mouth of the Hastings River along the mid-north coast of New South Wales.

Here, idyllic beaches are interspersed with rugged headlands and provide access to a unique patch of coastal rainforest that can be explored via a scenic boardwalk.

The coastline in Port Macquarie features a nine-kilometre path, allowing visitors to navigate either by bicycle or on foot, with opportunities to observe dolphins and humpback whales in the Pacific Ocean.

In addition, the Port Macquarie region hosts Australia’s highest population of koalas, featuring a significant koala hospital that welcomes public visits, alongside a zoo for intimate koala interactions.

1. Koala Hospital

Unfortunately, numerous iconic marsupials in Australia suffer injuries each year due to bushfires, vehicular collisions, and dog attacks.

This situation was exacerbated by the 2019-2020 bushfires, which devastated a large portion of their habitat.

Founded in 1973, this nationally recognized treatment and rehabilitation center in Port Macquarie employs four permanent staff and provides 14 intensive care units and 33 specialized yards for rehabilitation.

The Koala Hospital is available for self-guided visits throughout the day, allowing visitors to roam freely around the grounds to observe recuperating koalas.

Informative leaflets and maps are available, and guided tours occur daily at 15:00. Admission is complimentary, though donations, adoptions, and purchases at the hospital’s shop are encouraged.

2. Coastal Walk

In Port Macquarie, visitors can walk alongside the Pacific Ocean for nine kilometres while largely avoiding road traffic.

The Coastal Walk is relatively flat, featuring occasional mild ascents on picturesque headlands and divided into four manageable segments, each no longer than 2.7 kilometres.

Strolling along the scenic breakwall at the Hastings River’s mouth, you will encounter stunning beaches, lush parks, and scenic viewpoints.

From May to November, you may spot a humpback whale breaching offshore and are encouraged to report your sightings at wildaboutwhales.com.au.

Heading south, the final leg takes you through the Sea Acres National Park, one of the last remaining areas in New South Wales where rainforest directly meets the Pacific Coast.

3. Billabong Zoo: Koala and Wildlife Park

This attraction began more than 30 years ago, initially serving as a noted breeding facility for koalas.

While these adorable marsupials remain the main highlight at Billabong Zoo, they are accompanied by animals from over 80 other species, including wombats, Fennec foxes, quolls, cheetahs, red pandas, African lions, snow leopards, spider monkeys, and many more.

Billabong Zoo promotes interactive experiences, permitting visitors to feed and pet wallabies, as well as arrange close encounters with koalas, cheetahs, snakes, and red pandas, among others.

Every half-hour, visitors can also attend an educational zookeeper presentation included in the entrance fee.

4. Tacking Point Lighthouse

The southern trailhead for the Coastal Walk is an impressive promontory crowned by a whitewashed lighthouse.

Tacking Point Lighthouse has stood since 1879, positioning it among Australia’s ten oldest lighthouses.

The landform, Tacking Point, was named by the renowned navigator and cartographer Matthew Flinders during his 1802-03 circumnavigation of Australia.

The lighthouse is a popular photo opportunity, accompanied by informative plaques detailing the history of Tacking Point and its beacon. Visitors can gaze out at the ocean, where they may spot dolphins or humpback whales (from May to November). Additionally, just to the west, the scenic Lighthouse Beach can be explored, featuring stunning Paleozoic outcrops known as Watonga Rocks.

5. Roto House

This eleven-room weatherboard residence, situated in the Macquarie Nature Reserve, was constructed in 1890 for land surveyor John Flynn and is one of the few remaining 19th-century buildings in Port Macquarie.

Encircled by a picket fence and veranda, Roto House serves as a genuine time capsule, crafted from local red mahogany and adorned with period fixtures and decorations.

As you explore, you will discover documents, photographs, and family belongings, creating the impression that the Flynn family, who resided here until 1979, has simply stepped out for a stroll.

6. Sea Acres Rainforest Centre

One of the largest remaining rainforest reserves in New South Wales is located merely five kilometres from Port Macquarie’s central business district.

The main attraction here is a 1.3-kilometre elevated boardwalk that guides visitors through a breathtaking, pristine area of subtropical rainforest.

Inside, you can learn about the rainforest’s fragile ecology and its significance to local Aboriginal culture.

To enhance your understanding, consider joining a tour led by an expert guide, and take advantage of various presentations and events hosted at the center’s small theatre.

Monthly rainforest meditation sessions occur at the center, and the Rainforest Cafe offers afternoon tea in a picturesque setting beneath a canopy of Bangalow palms.

7. Town Beach

The nearest beach to Port Macquarie’s central business district is also the most popular within the town.

Characterized by its soft white sand, Town Beach spans 600 metres from the southern wall at the Hastings River’s mouth to a 15-metre-high headland at Flagstaff Lookout.

The beach is monitored by lifeguards between September and April and is popular among surfers due to its sand bars and shelter from south winds.

When the tides and bars align, the beach can experience significant southeast swells.

For families seeking relaxation, a spacious grassy area with picnic amenities and ample shade overlooks the beach.

A short distance away, you’ll find a creative children’s playground, an outdoor gym, and a skate park, all situated near the picturesque breakwall.

8. Mid North Coast Maritime Museum

Maritime history and seafaring trade are vital components of Port Macquarie’s heritage, with over a century of maritime narratives encapsulated in this pair of preserved pilot cottages.

These buildings, established in 1896, house a fascinating collection of maritime artifacts, including maps, intricate scale models, paintings, navigational instruments, diving equipment, buoys, charts, and a notable display of maritime photographs.

The museum also incorporates the Pilot Boat’s Shed located along the river’s edge, as well as the Hibbert Boat Yard and Slipway off Hastings River Drive.

9. Port Macquarie Museum

Located in Port Macquarie’s CBD, this award-winning museum offers an in-depth understanding of the town’s intricate history.

The galleries within the Port Macquarie Museum delve into various topics, such as the indigenous Birpai people, European colonization from 1821, the history of the penal colony, and the town’s modern development as a tourist destination.

The exhibits are enhanced by captivating artifacts, including a Raphael Clint sundial from the penal settlement, an imported Wedgwood toilet bowl from an abandoned colonial house, an intact manual sugar-crushing mill, and watercolours depicting the settlement created by turn-of-the-century artist Lionel Lindsay.

10. Ricardoes Tomatoes & Strawberries

Advanced hydroponic greenhouses enable this farm on the northern outskirts of Port Macquarie to cultivate strawberries and tomatoes throughout the year.

Within, plump, deep-red tomatoes flourish on vines reaching toward the ceiling, situated alongside rows of strawberry plants growing on lattice A-frames.

The farm hosts over 30,000 plants, comprising eight different tomato varieties and five types of hydroponic strawberries.

Visitors can partake in strawberry and tomato picking at any time of the year and explore the shop and café, both filled with delicious produce cultivated and manufactured on-site, as well as products from local farms.

11. Flynns Beach

If you are inclined to explore, numerous kilometers of stunning sandy beaches extend along the mid-north coast.

Among the choices, just five minutes from the CBD is Flynns Beach, a 500-metre bay bordered by rocky headlands.

This beach is mostly shielded from westerly and southerly winds, resulting in gentle, rolling waves ideal for novice surfers all year round.

A surf club operates here, featuring a kiosk that offers snacks, beverages, and light meals, while families will delight in exploring the rock pools to observe local marine life up close.

Moreover, Flynns Beach is part of the Coastal Walk, making it easy to reach adjoining beaches.

12. Wineries and Vineyards

The rolling hills along the Hastings River have a winemaking legacy dating back to the 1830s.

By the early 20th century, the industry faced decline but has since experienced a resurgence beginning in the 1980s that continues to this day.

Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot constitute a significant portion of production in this warm region, frequently blended to create full-bodied, yet unexpectedly soft, earthy, and berry-forward wines.

Several renowned wineries are located within a short drive from Port Macquarie, merging tours and tastings with local culture and history.

Among them are Cassegrain Wines, Douglas Vale Historic Homestead & Vineyard, Long Point Vineyard + Art Gallery, and Bago Vineyards, featuring a two-metre hedge maze adjacent to its winery.

13. Whale Watching

From May to November each year, humpback whales migrate from their feeding grounds in Antarctica along the east coast of Australia to warmer subtropical waters to mate.

After birthing, the whales and their calves make their return journey south, providing opportunities for sightings just off the coast of Port Macquarie.

Visitors can observe these magnificent creatures from land at viewpoints such as Harry’s Lookout, Tacking Point, and Flagstaff Lookout. Additionally, various local operators stand ready to take you on whale watching excursions.

14. Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail

Visitors do not need to be particularly observant to spot the numerous oversized koala sculptures placed throughout Port Macquarie.

Part of an award-winning tourism initiative, these one-metre fibreglass sculptures adorn scenic lookouts, flowerbeds in parks, and hide in various unexpected locations.

Port Macquarie’s collection of over 70 koalas features unique hand-painted designs by artists and carries a significant conservation message.

For those wishing to see them all, a complimentary trail map is available for download on the Hello Koalas website, providing information on new arrivals and established favorites.

15. Lake Innes Nature Reserve

Located directly southwest of Port Macquarie, this protected reserve merges natural beauty, recreational opportunities, and historical remnants from early settlement on the northern New South Wales coast.

At Lake Innes, you may engage in activities such as kayaking, canoeing, swimming, fishing, cycling, and bird-watching.

The two-kilometre Googik Trail departs from the foreshore, winding through gently undulating hills and traversing wetlands on a boardwalk.

By the water’s edge, you can relax at the Perch Hole picnic area, on the lookout for birdlife, including black swans, wood ducks, and ospreys.

Furthermore, the Innes Ruins are traces of a large house and stables dating back to the 1830s and 1840s, when Port Macquarie served as a penal settlement.

Additionally, remnants of the servants’ cottages, lakeside boathouse, brick-making site, and kitchen garden can still be discerned.