Activities in the region
Lake Cathie is a popular base for tourists visiting the numerous activities in the area. There is much to see and do. Don’t forget to bring your binoculars!
- Visitor Information Centre at Port Macquarie.
- Drive to the top of North Brother Mountain to the lookout. At 500 meters this lookout is the highest in NSW and the views are spectacular. It has three viewing platforms. Don’t forget to bring your camera!
- Visit Timber Town. It is a working re-creation of a sawmilling village. The site has been redesigned in the past 12 months with numerous additional features. Ride the steam engine around the perimeter of the property. Watch the craftsmen at work.
Ellenborough Falls is the highest waterfall in NSW. There as an excellent viewing platform that allows viewers to see the waterfall and you can walk the 220 steps from the bottom to the top. It is situated in tropical rainforest country west of Wauchope. The vegetation is tropical with numerous ferns and staghorns.- The Koala Hospital allows you to get close to koalas.
- Sea Acres is 73 ha of coastal rainforest featuring a wonderful wheelchair and pram friendly 1.3km boardwalk.
- The Port Macquarie Observatory has public viewing nights where tourists can view the stars through large telescopes.
- The Coastal Maritime Museum is well worth a visit. Visit the historic Pilot houses and
enjoy the beautiful coastal views. - Try a deep sea fishing cruise with Canopus or Ocean Star.
- Hire a boat, a canoe or a fishing vessel at one of several boat hire places such as Dunbogan Boatshed or Jordan’s Boating.
- There are several cruise boats catering for lunch and dinner. An authentic Chinese Junk has lunch cruises in the Hastings River. Cruises cater for whale and dolphin watching.
- Be adventurous and try a camel ride on the beach at Port Macquarie Camel Safaris.
- There are many wineries in the area. Bago Vineyards, Cassegrains Winery, Long Point Winery, Douglass Vale Vineyard and Innes Lake Vineyards.
Bago Vineyards have monthly jazz concerts and Cassegrain also have regular entertainment. Cassegrain, Innes Lake and
Long Point also have restaurant facilities - For the kids there are 2 stroke Hire carts on a real racing circuit at Adrenalin Rush Karting.
- Spend an afternoon at Paintball at Skirmish Down Under - Port Macquarie
- Take the kids to Port City Wave Bowl, a ten pin bowling alley.
- The Big Buzz, is a fun park of 25 acres of things for kids. It is 1 hour from our park.
- Kids love the Hydro Golf, Putt Putt Golf and Laser Clay Shooting at Panthers Sports Club.
- Visit Billabong Koala and Wildlife Park, a world renowned koala breeding centre.
- Koolongbung Creek is a nature park in the heart of Port Macquarie with 3 km of board walks and numerous bird watching platforms in 72 Ha of wetlands maintained by volunteers. It has one of the largest bat colonies in NSW. The reserve is maintained by a large group of volunteers.
- Enjoy the vast coastal expanse from the Lighthouse beach lookout. It is a popular whale watching spot.
- Our area is well known for its extensive Farmers Markets, these attract a large number of people.
- Drive through the lush, green countryside to Lorne Macadamia Farm and sample the wares.
- Visit the Laurieton Riverwalk Markets and pick up a bargain.
- Antique shops, art galleries, cafes, and restaurants abound. There are craft centres in the large towns.
- Spend a few hours making your own jewellery at Magnolia Beads at North Haven.
- This coast is a booming retirement growth area. Consequently there are numerous clubs, restaurants, cafes, taverns and takeaways which specifically target this part of the market. Prices in many of these are extremely reasonable.The clubs cater for bingo, ballroom and modern dancing, entertainment and other senior-oriented functions.
- There are several art galleries and Port Macquarie boasts the biggest art and culture theatre on the coast. It is called the Glasshouse.
