If you are travelling along the East Coast of Australia make sure to visit Port Macquarie, a beautiful township just a four to five hour drive from Sydney, New South Wales. It is a calm place, compared to other backpacker destinations, great to relax for a few days. But don’t worry, there are still a lot of things to do, also for the adventure seeking traveler.
Some of the activities you can enjoy in Port Macquarie are enjoying stunning views along the scenic coastal walks, relaxing on one of the beautiful beaches, visiting historical landmarks and so much more.
There are several budget accommodation options in town like Ozzie Pozzie Backpackers or Beachside Backpackers, which have all plenty of facilities and friendly staff. You can also spend the nights camping at one of the many camp sites nearby.
One of the great attractions in Port Macquarie is the Koala Hospital, a charitable organisation to treat sick and injured koalas. Since Koalas living near urban areas are at risk from traffic, more than 200 each year end up in this shelter. Visitors are welcome to walk around the open-air enclosures at any time of the day, however, a guided "Feed, Walk and Talk" tour is at 3pm every afternoon. If you haven’t seen Koalas yet, this is the perfect location. During the tour the koalas are fed and a volunteer will explain the issues that brought the koalas into the Hospital. There is no admission fee.
In Port Macquarie you can have a fantastic time without spending a fortune. There a lot of National Parks to recharge your batteries. You can have a picnic with your traveling friends and go for a relaxing walk. Willi Willi National Park is a great place to enjoy an extensive mountain wilderness. You can take a short waterfall walk and enjoy a swim in the rock pools. Swans Crossing is another wonderful National Park to visit with several walking and hiking trails.
Port Macquarie is also a true water lover's paradise with not only the beautiful Hastings River offering heaps of fun activities but also with 18 different beaches in the Greater area for swimming and surfing. Enjoy a relaxing cruise along the River to view whales and dolphins or go fishing with your mates. The adventure seeking travelers will have lots of fun to try their hands at water skiing and jet boat riding. A popular beach is the long and beautiful Lighthouse Beach next to the Historic Lighthouse, a significant landmark and breathtaking lookout. To get there you can stroll along the stunning 9km Coastal Walk, which starts at the iconic break wall on Town Green, where you can see colourful graffiti rocks. If you are looking for even more historical sights check out St Thomas Church, the 5th oldest Anglican Church still in use in Australia.
If you are seeking the extreme check out Australia’s most spectacular Skydives in Port Macquarie, offering you fantastic coastal views. There is a twenty minute ride at the beginning, followed by a 40 second freefall and a four minute parachute ride. It is the most exciting thing to do and will leave you with mind-blowing memories.
To have a unique and fun filled experience hop aboard on one of Australia’s own camels and ride along the beautiful Lighthouse Beach. Camel Safaris are a true highlight for every traveling backpacker in Australia.
Another great experience to check out in Port Macquarie is to go on a wine tasting tour. Bring your mates or make new friends while tasting traditional wine and amazing local cheese at the Bago Vineyards and lose yourself in the beautiful scenery.
You see, Port Macquarie is a backpacker’s paradise offering fun activities in a relaxing environment.
