Travel Talk

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The Great Mid North of NSW

Searching beyond New South Wales' mid-north coast beaches, Kirrilee Anker discovered peculiar facts, chai latte and the perils of standing underneath a cute koala...

Nearly two hundred kilometres of coastline, 20 National Parks and reserves, 84,000 World Heritage hectares, coastal wetlands and Great Dividing Range rainforests. Can anyone blame us New South Welshmen for flocking to the state's mid-north coast during summer? While most are attracted to the beach, don't forget - there's plenty to discover on land.

The location in question combines Greater Port Macquarie and Coffs Coast regions. The former's main centre, Port Macquarie is four hours drive north of Sydney. It's where our exploration of the region's off-shore activities began.

After a late night challenging regular patrons of the Port Macquarie Hotel to games of pool (and failing miserably), we managed an early rise to catch feeding time at The Koala Hospital. Run by volunteers, the hospital nurses sick or injured koalas to health. Approximately 250 koalas are admitted annually and you can watch them at their most active during feeding time from 7.30am until 8.00am. Or catch the daily Walk and Talk programme at 3.00pm. While it's free to visit, the Hospital relies heavily on visitor donations - all well deserved.

Wandering around, we noticed several koalas high in the trees outside the hospital perimeter. They were patients on the mend. Peering up at one, a volunteer hurried over to us with a word of warning, "I'd watch out for that one. He's a bit of a devil."
"Why's that?" I asked?  "He has a tendency to line people up and empty his bladder on them."  No sooner did we move on than a stream fall from the skies.

Having once been a penal settlement for some of Australia's toughest convicts, a guided tour of Port's Historical Courthouse is fitting. Built in 1869 to replace a derelict courthouse, the building served the community for nearly 120 years. Or visit the Alma Doepel, Australia's only surviving built commercial square rigged sailing vessel. The ship has over 100 years of history behind her including breaking the Trans Tasman sailing record.

Back on route, Coffs Harbour is two hours' drive north and the centre of the Coffs Coast. The region is a peculiar one. Offshore, warm tropical currents meet with cool southern waters, and the mix makes for a combination attractive to all manner of marine life. It made our mission not to be drawn to the beach a difficult one.  

Snorkeling and diving here is right up there with the Great Barrier Reef. It's why the Solitary Islands Marine Park was created in 1998. At the lower end of the Marine Park there's a second protected area, Muttonbird Island Nature Reserve. Here you'll see thousands of muttonbirds crowding the skies from November to April. An observation deck at the top of the reserve offers great views of the city.

 But if you want adventure, Coffs is fantastic for trying out whitewater rafting. Liquid Assets Adventure Company transport thrill seekers out to Nymboida River and Goolang Creek to pile into an inflatable boat and negotiate the rapids. Not to mention walk away with some serious heart palpitations...

Meanwhile, the imposing Great Dividing Range draws you inland. One place to head to is Bellingen, 30 minutes' drive away. Bello is a rural Byron Bay, minus the grunge. It's where you'll find arts and crafts produced by talented locals, enjoy cosmopolitan food in friendly cafes, hear live music at tucked-away venues, come across festivals and place names such as Never Never.

Backing onto the Bellinger River, Bellingen YHA is a pick-up point for Bellingen Canoe Adventures. Don't miss one of these tours. Daniel the guide is one truly funky, down-to-earth dude who operates several tours a day. But we were there for the Nighttime Tour. For an hour visitors paddle under the stars and into the realm of nocturnal wildlife. Even better, there's a glass of bubbly waiting at the end.

 The following morning we paddled out again, steam from an overnight storm still rising from the water surface. On one side a tangle of jungle hugged the bank, while lush dairy pastures rolled over the other side. Back on shore we were treated to the finest chai latte, topped with caramel sauce.

 Nearby Dorrigo National Park is known for its lush rainforest; there's everything from 20 minute strolls, to five hour one-way treks. An easy but spectacular stroll is the Skywalk where you can wander among giants high above the canopy. On a clear day, the views extend beyond the valley to the South Pacific.

Of course, in between all these alternative activities there are always the beaches for swimming, kayaking, diving, surfing, snorkeling, learning to surf, windsurfing, sailing, fishing, cruising …


Key Facts

Getting There:
YHA Travel has airfares from Sydney to Coffs Coast from $85 one way.

Accommodation:
Port Macquarie YHA
Ph: (02) 6583 5512
E: portmacquarie@yhansw.org.au

Coffs Harbour YHA - Backpackers Resort
Ph: (02) 6652 6462
E: coffsharbour@yhansw.org.au

Bellingen YHA Backpackers
Ph: (02) 6655 1116
E: bellingen@yhansw.org.au

Images:
Beach girls: no caption. Credit Tourism Port Macquarie
Bellingen markets: Bellingen's Saturday markets. Credit: Coffs Coast
Dorrigo skywalk: Dorrigo National Park Skywalk. Credit: Coffs Coast
Kayaking: Kayaking on the Bellinger River. Credit: Coffs Coast
Bellinger River, credit Coffs Coast