North Coast New South Wales

Humpback Whale, Coffs Harbour, NSW. Photo credit: Coffs Coast Marketing; Destination NSW

North Coast New South Wales

Take the coastal road north from Sydney and you’ll enter a world of uncrowded beaches and national parks, with villages, towns and cities to suit every traveller.

Things to do on North Coast New South Wales – destinations and stop-offs

Byron bay
A small coastal town, popular with surfers, and where whale watching is big business. Scuba dive and snorkel in the area’s waters and enjoy the many water sports.

Then head ashore for quaint shops, trendy bars and restaurants, walking tours, hot air balloon rides, mountain biking, spas and more. Visit the lighthouse and you’ll be able to boast that you’ve stood at Australia’s most easterly point.

Lennox Head
A quiet village for those in search of relaxation. Between May and October it’s a great place to see humpback whales passing close by on their migratory route. There’s a famous ‘righthand break’ in the water here. If you’re a surfer you’ll be rather excited about that.

Coffs harbour
One of the coasts’ major cities (it has a university, three radio stations and three shopping centres) has its fair share of coastal New South Wales attractions. There’s Coffs Harbour Zoo, Solitary Islands Marine Park (which includes dolphins and turtles among its 100,000 hectares), and the Big Banana, a plantation that includes a huge walkthrough model of the fruit.

Close to Coffs Harbour are a number of national parks. Our favourite is Dorigo, land of impossibly tall waterfalls and a brilliant skywalk.

Coffs Harbour has a busy event season, including the annual ‘CoastOut’ gay and lesbian festival at the end of October and the ‘Woolgoolga Curry Fest’ in April.

Newcastle and Lake Macquarie
Find more on the Hunter Valley page.

Port Macquarie
‘Port’, as it is affectionately known, is a key stop on the NSW coast.

Get closer to koalas, kangaroos, lizards, crocodiles, and snakes at the world renowned Billabong and Koala Wildlife Park.
Walk the 1.3km elevated boardwalk, literal highpoint of a trip to the Sea Acres National Park, one of the state’s largest and most undisturbed rainforests.
Try Port Macquarie’s adventure experiences, from water skiing to whale watching, skydiving to 4WD driving.
Release some tension by shooting you mates at Mid North Coast Paintball, or fly Extreme Velocity, Australia’s first outdoor wind tunnel.
Cassegrain Wines is just one of numerous wineries in the area. Chardonnay and Semillon are specialities.
Port Macquarie’s Festival of the Sun sees local and world acts gather by the beach each December. If you’ve exhausted the festival scene in the UK, this is for you. And there’s no mud.
There’s plenty of accommodation in Port Macquarie to suit any budget. Find yours at the side of this page.

Gosford
The Rumbalara and Katandra Reserves are Gosford’s major contributions to New South Wales’ attractions. Both offer a captivating bushland experience, with walks, aboriginal cave paintings and engravings, and spectacular views.

The elevated boardwalk at Carawah Reserve takes you through salt marshes, mangroves, and mudflats.
Gosford Regional Art Gallery & Arts Centre features a lovely Japanese garden in addition to the art on display.
Missing football (not the Aussie Rules variety)? Take a trip to the Bluetongue Stadium to see the Central Coast Mariners in action.

Explore more of New South Wales
Drive the New South Wales coast – hire a car
Plan your adventure holiday to Australia

New South Wales

Driving? Pah

Not everyone drives the New South Wales coast. The Great North Walk between Sydney and Newcastle is a challenging 250km trek through greenery and bushland.

It’s not for the fainthearted, but it does give you access to the beaches, villages and landmarks that others zoom past.