Port Macquarie

 23 - 26 September 2025

After a false start due to a lost phone, we drove south from Sapphire Beach, on the motorway towards Port Macquarie. Once again we found a rest area to have a picnic lunch and arrived at our caravan park around 1:30pm. The one we had chosen is right in town, by the breakwall. Our friends, Anne and Stephen, had already arrived from their home at Fingal Bay so we joined them once we had set up. We all went for a walk along the Hastings River towards Town Beach and discussed our plans for the next couple of days.

There's lot to see and do in Port Macquarie

The next day we all went for another walk towards Town Beach, then drove to Sea Acres Rainforest Centre. We had morning tea at the cafe before walking along the elevated boardwalk. Mick was hoping to spot the Powerful owl that makes Sea Acres it's home -  once again without success. 

Mick had to get organised for the pelagic boat trip the following day so Anne and I walked in to town to do some shopping and pick up some supplies. In the evening, after some drinks and snacks we wandered down to a nearby cafe for a light meal. The weather was perfect, but there had been some discussion that the boat trip might be cancelled. Confirmation that it would go ahead came quite late in the day, but Mick had everything ready anyway.

We had to be up early to so Mick could be at the boat for a 7:00am departure, and Anne came for the walk with us. It's a very pleasant walk along the breakwall, especially early in the morning. Anne and Stephen had to leave that morning so I had the rest of the day to myself to potter around and wander into town. 

Mick arrived home after a successful day's birding and I met a friend for a drink at the same cafe we had eaten at the day before. Sally and I worked together in Townsville more than 10 years ago so it was nice to catch up again. 

We enjoyed our three nights in Port Macquarie but it was time to move on, so we set the GPS for Tenterfield, not sure whether we would get there in one go or have an overnight stop. We headed back up the motorway and turned off towards Grafton.