Things to do in North Coast
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Twisted Sista
Bounteous baked goods include huge muffins, cheesy casseroles and overstuffed sandwiches on beautiful bread. Outdoor tables add to the slightly happy hungover vibe.
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Blue Water Pizza
Bright and brassy, this lively waterfront eatery is the place to come for wood-fired pizza, particularly on a Monday when all pies are a bargain $14.
reviewed
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Balcony
The eponymous architectural feature here wraps around the building and gives you tremendous views of the passing Byron parade and the always-clogged traffic circle. The food is Mediterranean fusion, with global influences. The drink list is long.
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Byron Orion
Orion's open door policy stops passers by in their tracks. It could be the delicious red vinyl walls and supper cocktails, but we're pretty sure it's the hot and spicy scents courtesy of Gujurauti beef, rogan josh, and vindaloo. Breakfast is decidedly Australian free range eggs.
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Dish
Ivy-clad walls and floor-to-ceiling glass create an atrium atmosphere at this dishy restaurant. The equally sophisticated cuisine includes pan-roasted eye fillet with potato, onion and bacon croquette.
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Bay Leaf Café
This tiny wedge-shaped bohemian cafe has a small but excellent menu prepared in a busy open kitchen. Best meal of the day is breakfast. That is, unless fresh homemade pasta takes your fancy.
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Estabar
Start the day with an excellent coffee or a Spanish-style hot chocolate at this sun-drenched cafe overlooking Newcastle Beach. When the temperature soars, stop in for the best gelato in town.
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Mary Ryan's
Snuggled up to the ABC bookshop, this literary cafe provides coffee drinkers with a caffeine high. Speaking of high, the ceilings are, leaving plenty of wall space for artworks.
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Lass O'Gowrie Hotel
Built in 1877 this is the oldest pub in Newcastle and has been the heart of the local music scene for the last 15 years. See local original acts here most nights.
reviewed
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Fisherman's Co-op
Fresh off the boats; perfect fodder for a Muttonbird Island picnic.
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Bellrowan Valley Horse Riding
Bellrowan Valley Horse Riding is in the hinterland, 30 minutes’ drive from Port Macquarie.
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Mongers
Tucked behind the Beach Hotel, this fish-and-chips joint issues forth to tables of devotees. It's a narrow, back-alley space but the quality is all high-street.
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Sticky Rice Thai
Beach-style Thai served up with typical Novocastrian zest and five beers on tap.
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Espressohead
Tucked away behind Woolworths; locals flock to this place for its excellent coffees. See if you can count the number of dodgy vans for sale on the bulletin board.
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Yuraygir National Park
This 20,000-hectare park covers the 60km stretch of coast north from Red Rock. The isolated beaches are outstanding and there are some bushwalking paths where you can view endangered coastal emus. Walkers can bush camp in basic campsites (adult/child $10/5 per night) at Station Creek in the southern section; at the Boorkoom and Illaroo rest areas in the central section; on the north bank of the Sandon River; and at Red Cliff at the Brooms Head end of the northern section. These are accessible by car; there is also a free walk-in campsite at Shelly Beach.
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North Coast Botanic Gardens
Immerse yourself in the subtropical surrounds. Lush rainforest and numerous endangered species are some of the features. The 6km Coffs Creek Habitat Walk passes by, starting opposite the council chambers on Coff St and finishing near the ocean.
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Fort Scratchley
Originally constructed during the Crimean War to protect the city from possible invasion, this recently restored fort perched high above Newcastle Harbour was one of the few gun installations in Australia to fire a gun in anger during WWII. On 8 June 1942, a Japanese submarine suddenly surfaced, raining shells on the city. Fort Scratchley returned fire, negating the threat after just four rounds. Learn all about it on a guided tour.
reviewed
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Wetlands Centre Australia
The Wetlands Centre Australia was born out of a desperate bid to stop the highway storming through the guts of this former rubbish tip. Now it’s 45 hectares of swampy wonderland, home to over 250 wildlife species. Mosquitoes are plentiful, so you’d best keep on walking, cycling or canoeing. The centre is a short walk from Sandgate train station.
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Kooloonbung Creek Nature Park
Home to many bird species, this park close to the town centre encompasses 50 hectares of bush and wetland that can be explored via walking trails and wheelchair-accessible boardwalks. It includes the Port Macquarie Historic Cemetery.
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Terrace Cinema
Near Wingham, Tinonee is a tiny heritage town. It features the usual Sunday drive crafts-and-souvenir shop, a museum and the highlight – the 22-seat Terrace Cinema. This little gem is the world’s second-smallest cinema, set in a charming 1860s weatherboard house. Unfortunately it’s only available for group bookings.
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Hat Head National Park
This coastal park of 6500 hectares runs north from near Hat Head to Smoky Cape (south of Arakoon), protecting scrubland, swamps and some excellent beaches backed by one of the largest dune systems in NSW. Rising up from the generally flat landscape is Hungry Hill, near Hat Head, and sloping Hat Head itself, where there’s a walking track.
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Diving & Snorkelling
A number of dive outfits in Byron Bay take advantage of the town's close proximity to the Julian Rocks Marine Reserve. About 3km off shore, this reserve has been rated one of Australia's top ten dive sites, with over 600 species of fish plus whales, dolphins and turtles. Outfits with good reputations include Dive Byron Bay and Sundive.
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