Coffs Harbour

Coffs Harbour is a city on the Mid-North Coast of New South Wales, approximately two thirds of the way from Sydney to Brisbane.

Understand
Coffs is one of the original family holiday destinations on the Australian east coast. Today the city attracts parents and grandparents bringing their children to the same destination they visited as a child, as well as many travellers between Sydney and Brisbane, including backpackers staying for a week or so. Less trendy than Byron Bay or Noosa, the town still has great beaches, a huge variety of accommodation, and a well developed tourist industry that has been one of the mainstays of the community since the 1950s.

By car
Coffs Harbour is a 530 km drive north of Sydney and 350 km south of Brisbane on the Pacific Highway. As always on the Pacific Highway, take care. The road quality varies dramatically, and there are normally traffic build-ups during peak holiday periods.

By train
After years of financial neglect, line closures and discount airfares, Coffs Harbour (probably along with Dubbo) remains one of the few places in country New South Wales where the train still offers a reasonable service and a competitive price.

It is a nine-hour train ride on NSW TrainLink (132232) from Sydney, but it is a nice view out of the window as the train travels out of Sydney and up via the  Central Coast, Newcastle and Kempsey. There is a choice of trains daily, and the trains even arrive and depart at relatively sociable hours during the day. The train station is in the south of the town near the jetty area and is walking distance to the beach and to some accommodation. There are taxis available to get to resorts or the other accommodation around town. Buses also run close by at the jetty village shopping centre.

Some of the trains continue on to Brisbane, which is 6 hours away by rail.

There is also a railway station in Sawtell that is in the Coffs Harbour vicinity.

By bus
All the coaches travelling the route between Sydney and Brisbane make a stop in Coffs. Dorrigo Transit operates a Regional Shuttle, Tamworth - Armidale - Dorrigo - Coffs Harbour. Bookings Essential.
 * Premier
 * Greyhound

By plane
A bus runs into town from the airport. The service is operated by Sawtell Coaches. Taxis can also be hailed to the city centre.

There is an off-road cycleway that runs outside the airport into town and the riding into town is quite practical.

By bus
Busways run regular services around the city to make up a local transit network. Buses also run to Nambucca Bellingen and surrounding areas.

By taxi
Coffs Harbour has a local taxi network that will run you up and down the Coffs Coast.

See

 * The Big Banana Complex adjacent to the fruit, offers fun rides, ice skating, and a real snow slope (indoor). Take a tour of the real bananas as well.
 * There is a Creek-side Boardwalk through mangroves near the jetty area and a quite extensive Botanical Garden nearby.
 * Shearwater nesting on Muttonbird Island. Muttonbird Island is a peninsula extending out from the marina area. It is completely treeless, but is a nesting site for the migratory birds call wedge-tailed shearwaters, or muttonbirds. Birds complete their courtship in November and the eggs hatch towards the end of summer. On the eastern side of Muttonbird Island, there is a great view out to sea and whales can also be seen at some parts of the year. Walking over Muttonbird Island is a short walk (10-20 minutes), but it's also steep and there is no shade. Wear a hat, cover your shoulders, and take a bottle of water with you.
 * There is a Creek-side Boardwalk through mangroves near the jetty area and a quite extensive Botanical Garden nearby.
 * Shearwater nesting on Muttonbird Island. Muttonbird Island is a peninsula extending out from the marina area. It is completely treeless, but is a nesting site for the migratory birds call wedge-tailed shearwaters, or muttonbirds. Birds complete their courtship in November and the eggs hatch towards the end of summer. On the eastern side of Muttonbird Island, there is a great view out to sea and whales can also be seen at some parts of the year. Walking over Muttonbird Island is a short walk (10-20 minutes), but it's also steep and there is no shade. Wear a hat, cover your shoulders, and take a bottle of water with you.
 * Shearwater nesting on Muttonbird Island. Muttonbird Island is a peninsula extending out from the marina area. It is completely treeless, but is a nesting site for the migratory birds call wedge-tailed shearwaters, or muttonbirds. Birds complete their courtship in November and the eggs hatch towards the end of summer. On the eastern side of Muttonbird Island, there is a great view out to sea and whales can also be seen at some parts of the year. Walking over Muttonbird Island is a short walk (10-20 minutes), but it's also steep and there is no shade. Wear a hat, cover your shoulders, and take a bottle of water with you.

Do

 * Swim at Coffs' beaches.
 * Park Beach is the main beach in Coffs, and is just to the north of the mouth of Coffs Creek. It is a surf beach and the swimming can be a little rough.
 * Just inside the mouth of Coffs Creek is a small sheltered beach. Families with small children swim here and there are lots of fishermen.
 * There is another calm beach between the jetty and the wharf area that is popular with families.
 * Go on a dolphin or whale watching cruise. Whale season is June to November each year, and dolphins are seen in the area year round. Spirit Cruises takes a large day boat of whale or dolphin watchers out daily at 9:30AM. On weekends and holidays there is also a luncheon cruise at 1pm. The boat has a bar and, for the more active participants, there is a waterslide and pool set up in the ocean. Cruises are popular so book in advance, phone bookings are preferred.
 * Helicopter scenic flights over the stunning beaches and rainforest with Precision Helicopters, 77 Aviation Drive, Coffs Harbour. +61 2 6652 9988. Flights start at $80.  Half-hour learn-to-fly lessons over the coast - spectacular!
 * Rally Australia is the Australasian leg of the World Rally Championship, held (from 2016) in late November. Moving between the stages isn't overly easy but if you are a petrol-head it is definitely a trip worth taking.
 * Go on a dolphin or whale watching cruise. Whale season is June to November each year, and dolphins are seen in the area year round. Spirit Cruises takes a large day boat of whale or dolphin watchers out daily at 9:30AM. On weekends and holidays there is also a luncheon cruise at 1pm. The boat has a bar and, for the more active participants, there is a waterslide and pool set up in the ocean. Cruises are popular so book in advance, phone bookings are preferred.
 * Helicopter scenic flights over the stunning beaches and rainforest with Precision Helicopters, 77 Aviation Drive, Coffs Harbour. +61 2 6652 9988. Flights start at $80.  Half-hour learn-to-fly lessons over the coast - spectacular!
 * Rally Australia is the Australasian leg of the World Rally Championship, held (from 2016) in late November. Moving between the stages isn't overly easy but if you are a petrol-head it is definitely a trip worth taking.

Markets


Harbourside Markets are a craft and produce market featuring handmade and local products only, there is also live music. The markets offer a beautiful setting under shaded trees a 5-min walk to the beautiful beaches located at the popular Jetty Foreshores area every Sunday.

Shopping centres

 * Park Beach Plaza, intersection of Pacific Highway and Park Beach Road. The Park Beach Plaza is a giant shopping centre with the usual assortment of useful shops including a Woolworths supermarket, JB Hi-Fi, Target, Big W, IGA and many other specialty stores.
 * Coffs Central, in the CBD of Coffs Harbour with more than 60 stores including Big W, fashion and specialty stores. It is undergoing extensive renovation to add new dining facilities and stores.
 * Centro Toormina. A shopping centre in the suburb of Toormina that has had extensive renovations and includes a Kmart in the list of new stores.
 * Promenade. Combines fine dining with fine shopping boutiques.
 * Promenade. Combines fine dining with fine shopping boutiques.

Eat
There is a group of eateries in the Jetty area, mostly on Harbour Drive. This area is known as having the best eating in Coffs.


 * Park Beach Bowling Club Park Beach Road. For great wholesome food home cooked food at cheap prices. Get there early though as it does get quite busy.
 * Split Cafe and Espresso Bar - located at First Avenue in Sawtell (south of the Coffs Harbour township), Split Cafe and Espresso Bar offers fresh juices, brilliant coffee and a lunch and breakfast menu that caters to all tastes. Split is open early (about 7:30AM) 7 days a week and is also open Friday and Saturday nights, with reservations being recommended as tables are very popular. Split offers a great small community feel that is complemented by the quiet and relaxed village atmosphere of Sawtell.
 * Outback Jacks, Bar and Grill. Largest selection of steaks in the world, Ribs, shanks. Service is fabulous, a wonderful country atmosphere. winner of tourism award for Coffs Harbour. It can be somewhat expensive.
 * Park Beach Bowling Club Park Beach Road. For great wholesome food home cooked food at cheap prices. Get there early though as it does get quite busy.
 * Split Cafe and Espresso Bar - located at First Avenue in Sawtell (south of the Coffs Harbour township), Split Cafe and Espresso Bar offers fresh juices, brilliant coffee and a lunch and breakfast menu that caters to all tastes. Split is open early (about 7:30AM) 7 days a week and is also open Friday and Saturday nights, with reservations being recommended as tables are very popular. Split offers a great small community feel that is complemented by the quiet and relaxed village atmosphere of Sawtell.
 * Outback Jacks, Bar and Grill. Largest selection of steaks in the world, Ribs, shanks. Service is fabulous, a wonderful country atmosphere. winner of tourism award for Coffs Harbour. It can be somewhat expensive.

Sleep
The high season in Coffs Harbour is the summer school holidays, from late December until the end of January each year. Some accommodation on the spot is likely to be available even at those times.

In addition to the usual hostel/motel/hotel accommodation, Coffs has a large number of motel-like facilities that call themselves 'holiday apartments'. These are typically large motel-like flats with 2 or 3 bedrooms and some cooking facilities. They are designed to be booked on a week-to-week basis but are often available for shorter bookings.

Splurge
Coffs also has some of the best beachside resorts in New South Wales. Pacific Bay, Opal Cove and Nautilus are all resort style accommodation near the beach in the Coffs area.

Stay safe
Coffs Harbour is reasonably safe but the main thing is to keep vigilant at night in the CBD. Also it is unadvisable to walk the park beach area at night near the Hoey Moey Hotel. Toormina is not a safe place to be during the night. Be particularly vigilant to avoid making eye contact, or attempting to interact with KOB Gangs (kids on bikes) at all times, especially in the popular scenic day trip village towns of the Orara Valley region such as Coramba and Nana Glen.

Some Coffs hotels and resorts advertise and are proud of their beachfront settings. However, not all Coffs beaches are patrolled, and paying for accommodation near to the beach, and then finding it may not be one that is safe to swim at can be frustrating if that was your plan.

Go next
Continue north up the coast to Byron Bay, or inland follow the spectacular Waterfall way through Bellingen to Armidale, or south down to the Forster, and Port Macquarie.

The scenic village towns of Coramba and Nana Glen are a scenic 30 minute drive North-East of the main center of Coffs Harbour. Check out Mountain Ash pottery and gallery in Coramba and the local bakery for the valley's best pies and desserts. Visit the local winery in Nana Glen as well as the Kookaburra Cafe for lunch with its unique tram carriage dining area. Along your drive, be sure to purchase some local produce sold at roadside stalls!