Port Macquarie

Port Macquarie is a coastal beachside city on the New South Wales Mid-North Coast, approximately 400 km north of Sydney and 550 km south of Brisbane. The Port Macquarie–Hastings area (which includes many towns such as Wauchope west of the Pacific Mwy) had a population of 86,762 in 2021.

By plane
The airport is on the eastern edge of town. Taxis are available to meet each flight, and car hire is available inside the terminal - but it is best to book in advance. The 340/341 bus serves the airport and town around every two hours - slightly more frequent in peak. So, if you're lucky you could meet one of the bus services.

By bus
Premier Motor Service and Greyhound each run a daily bus services to and from Port Macquarie as part of their daily service between Sydney and Brisbane.

Sydney buses arrive and depart Central Railway Station in Central Sydney and take approximately 8 hr to travel between Port Macquarie and Sydney. Brisbane buses depart and arrive at the Roma St Transit Centre in Central Brisbane and take approximately 10 hr to cover the distance.

In Port Macquarie, all buses drop off at the Port Macquarie Coach Station on the southern side of the Central Business District (CBD). The main shopping area is located within easy walking distance from this station, and some hostels, hotels and a caravan park are located within a distance that you could walk if you don't have too much luggage. Otherwise, the coach station has a public phone to call a taxi, or hotel for pick up, but most hotel owners and taxi drivers know when the buses arrive and will be waiting for you anyway.

By train
Port Macquarie does not have a railway station, but connections are available via Wachope station that is 20 min drive west of Port Macquarie. One ticket from NSW Trainlink includes the train and the coach. The coach drops off and picks up at Port Macquarie Coach Station. There are several services that call at Wauchope station, but there is only a single daily service to Sydney that offers the coach connection. Public transport services Wauchope at other times are extremely limited, there is no car hire available, and a taxi to Port Macquarie will be prohibitively expensive. Make sure you select Port Macquarie as your destination when booking the ticket.

By car
Port Macquarie is on the Oxley Highway to the east of the Pacific Highway, which is the major north-south highway in NSW connecting Sydney and Brisbane.

The exit to Port Macquarie is a large interchange, and is very well signposted off a section of dual-carriageway (nbnd) or motorway (sbnd). When travelling from the south (Sydney) you will see an exit sign pointing to Wauchope/Walcha/Port Macquarie on the left hand side of the road. Take this exit, turn right at the large roundabout (called "The Doughnut" by locals), and follow this road (Oxley Highway) into all the way into central Port Macquarie where it terminates.

Get around
Port Macquarie has a limited bus service, but it has limited frequency that can make getting around by public transport difficult. While buses may run to most places, they often run at odd times, and terminate early in the day. The most useful bus route is the Shelly Beach - Town Centre route, which seems to run quite regularly, and is the best way of those without a car getting to the beaches and lighthouse. Other than this, don't bother with the public transport, it isn't worth the aggravation.

Fortunately, Port Macquarie has a great many places to walk to from the Town Centre. From here you can quite easily walk to many beaches and some attractions. Because it has such a compact CBD, you won't have to walk far to get to restaurants, shops and pubs if you stay in town, or nearby.

Port Macquarie has many quiet streets and a few cycleways suitable for getting around by bike. Check the contours before setting off, as there is often a short way or a flat way.

See
Port Macquarie has an interesting history. Being the first English convict settlement outside of Sydney and the Hunter it has a few historical sites and museums.



Do
Most of the amusement parks in Port Macquarie have closed down, and show no signs of re-opening. Port Macquarie is still blessed with numerous great beaches:







Mid-range
Central Port Macquarie has plenty of high quality mid range cafes and most days you can just turn up and get a table. Here are some of the best:



Splurge
There are so many mid range places in Port Macquarie that serve food of a high range standard, that it's almost not worth the extra effort. If you must eat at a high range place, here are a couple:


 * Scampis Seafood: Port Macquarie Marina. This seafood restaurant has great views. It serves a selection of fresh seafood dishes, however, the quality of meals has dropped slightly.
 * Whale Bone Wharf: By far the regions premier seafood restaurant, placed over the Hastings River. Has live crabs and lobsters along with fresh local produce. Fish feeding is possible from their balcony seats and private jetty.
 * Fusion Seven: The hidden restaurant, that food lovers should not miss. Owner and Chef Lindsay Schwab has one many awards and travelled to many countries and taken a small piece of everyone and combined them into his culinary skills. Using the freshest local produce when he can he creates flavours, textures and dining delights to die for.  Licenced premises, consistent quality food and service.

Drink
Port Macquarie is a great place for beachside relaxation, or a family holiday, but a haven for nightlife, it is not. Compared to most other towns of similar size along the east coast of Australia, the pubs and clubs in Port Macquarie are quite substandard. Below are some of the better ones.

Craft beer has made it to Port Macquarie, with two breweries now calling the town home. Wineries are not as common, but Cassegrain Wines is the largest local. They make an interesting style Rose, and you can ask for it at the local restaurants and pubs.


 * Finnians Irish Pub: Behind the bus terminal downtown, this place is the place to get pints of Guinness or Kilkenny, as well as other Australian brews. Home to an older crowd than the rest of the pubs downtown, it provides live covers bands on weekends. Has a great bistro as well. (See Eating)
 * Hotel Macquarie: The most popular pub with teenagers and young adults in Port Macquarie, and for no good reason. Every Friday and Saturday this place fills with just legal teenagers and young adults, and becomes very smoky and hot. It has 2 bars, one showing live sports, with a pool table and juke box. The other bar is a disco bar, playing terribly dated top 40 pop music. Fights commonly happen here on weekends, and although it's very unlikely you'll get caught up in one, be careful whose beer you spill. Located just up from the river away from The Beach House.
 * Altitude Nightclub: Located upstairs in the Galleria Arcade, and with a panoramic view of the street directly below it, this place used to be called Roxy's Nightspot in a former life. During that time it was a damp, smoky club, playing techno music from 5 years ago, through speakers that distorted due to the bass. It has since been renamed Altitude, and the door charge is $5 after 22:30. The place has been revamped with quality sound and entertainment with the best local and some big name national DJs, and it is very popular with the Hotel Macquarie crowd. Altitude offers live music every Thursday night with free pizza and a pool comp.
 * Down Under Nightclub: Located towards Coles if walking past Altitude in the basement of the Galleria Building, this nightclub is a very run down venue with the patrons being somewhat the same. On a Wednesday night it is the most popular for majority young people aged 18-25 with the odd here and there older patron, you can expect very expensive drinks, karaoke singers and very dated top 40s music, staff are very unfriendly and rude and expect a fight every hour. On the plus side there is no entry fee on Wednesday nights, regular police visits, and only a stone's throw from Coles.
 * Altitude Nightclub: Located upstairs in the Galleria Arcade, and with a panoramic view of the street directly below it, this place used to be called Roxy's Nightspot in a former life. During that time it was a damp, smoky club, playing techno music from 5 years ago, through speakers that distorted due to the bass. It has since been renamed Altitude, and the door charge is $5 after 22:30. The place has been revamped with quality sound and entertainment with the best local and some big name national DJs, and it is very popular with the Hotel Macquarie crowd. Altitude offers live music every Thursday night with free pizza and a pool comp.
 * Down Under Nightclub: Located towards Coles if walking past Altitude in the basement of the Galleria Building, this nightclub is a very run down venue with the patrons being somewhat the same. On a Wednesday night it is the most popular for majority young people aged 18-25 with the odd here and there older patron, you can expect very expensive drinks, karaoke singers and very dated top 40s music, staff are very unfriendly and rude and expect a fight every hour. On the plus side there is no entry fee on Wednesday nights, regular police visits, and only a stone's throw from Coles.

Sleep
Port Macquarie as a major tourist centre has lots of accommodation choice. Peak season is the summer Christmas and New Year period, when all accommodation can book out, and minimum stay periods are commonly enforced. There is some true resort style accommodation, together with a range of motels, hotels, guest houses, traditional B&Bs, backpacker hostels and apartments.



Stay safe
Late on Friday and Saturday nights, avoid the main street as there are often brawls. Mostly this occurs as people are making their way from the Macquarie Hotel to Roxy's. You'll often see large groups of 18-25 year-olds being hostile towards random passers-by. Other places to avoid late at night are the Town Green and the area surrounding the McDonald's car park (near Settlement City.)

Go next

 * Hinterland 20 minutes west of Port Macquarie, Wauchope is the official start of Port Macquarie's hinterland. Home to a good number of farms, and small hamlets, the hinterland is well worth taking a drive through (tours are available, see the local tourist information centre) Cassegrain Vineyard is the largest winery in the area, and is located just off the Pacific Highway between both aforementioned exits (Look for signs). Other wineries include Bago Mountain Wines (near Wauchope) and Long Point Vineyard (located south of Port Macquarie, ask for directions before leaving, as it's tricky to find). Also, head for Blue Poles cafe and art gallery in the idyllic little village of Byabarra, some 20 km southwest of Wauchope, along the Oxley Highway.