Summer School Holidays....Sorted!

Read On for the Ultimate Family Summer Holiday Itinerary in Port Macquarie...

Welcome to 'Port', where the vibe is relaxed and friendly, the adventures are epic, and koalas are practically celebrities. Got a week or so to soak it all up? Grab your sunnies, slap on some sunscreen, and let’s get cracking on an itinerary that’s jam-packed with all the must-do’s.

Image: Flynns Beach by @walkportmacquarie

Day 1: Arrive & Dive In

Morning: Roll into town and fuel up with a classic holiday brekkie at The Pancake Place. Their pancakes are next level - sweet or savoury and piled with fresh ingredients. Hot tip: best consumed with a monster iced chocolate on the side!

Walk off the pancakes and wander along the colourful Breakwall across to Town Beach for a swim. There’s a playground nearby and two fabulous kiosks.

Afternoon: Just a 5-minute drive from town will get you a world away. Visit Sea Acres Rainforest Centre & Boardwalk for a wander among ancient trees. The boardwalk is easy for little legs (and big ones after that pancake binge). Kids will enjoy finding different flora and fauna on their activity sheets, and you can book guided tours and aboriginal-guided tours. Bonus: there’s the fab Rainforest Café for coffee, cake, and/or lunch afterward.

Evening: Take a sunset stroll alongside the river on Town Green (with gelato in hand) —the perfect way to ease into holiday mode. Try Chop n Chill for dinner, and dine alfresco overlooking the giant fig tree, playground and river.

Day 2: Koala-ty Time with the kids

Morning: First stop, Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail. With 90 quirky koala sculptures around town, it’s a scavenger hunt the kids will love. Drop by the Hello Koalas Gallery & Gift Shop for maps, koala-themed treasures, koala sculptures and art.

Lunch: Head to Flynns Beach for a swim, then find a sunny spot at local fave Roam Cafe for great coffee and dishes made with love from fresh local ingredients.

Afternoon: Visit the iconic Port Macquarie Koala Hospital. Get up close with these adorable Aussie icons while learning about the incredible work being done to protect them.

Evening: Try Port City Bowling Club for great value meals at Drift Cafe & Bar, which adjoins an outdoor play area.

Day 3: Adrenaline & Outdoors

Morning: Take the short drive to Guulabaa - The Place of Koala, part of Cowarra State Forest. Learn about the vital work of Koala Conservation Australia at their Wild Koala Breeding facility and visitor experience. Spot koalas in the trees, grab a treat from the cafe, and browse artisan wares and Aboriginal art in the gift shop and gallery.

Guulabaa also has Wildnets Adventure Park on site- Australia’s largest suspended playground. Kids will love bouncing through the treetops and taking on the various challenges and games (including 9 new ropes courses). Parents are also welcome (but good luck keeping up)! For ages 3+.

When everyone is happily exhausted, grab the all-important family selfie with The Big Koala!

Afternoon: Take a short drive to Settlement Point, where you can swim or paddle in the river, which backs on to a playground with picnic facilities.

Evening: Swing by a fish-and-chips joint and take dinner down to the beach for a low-key, sandy-toed feast. We like Mike's Seafood, Off the Hook, Lighthouse Takeaway and the Chip Shop. Port Fresh Seafoods and The Big Oyster (Shuck Shack) also do awesome fresh and cooked seafood. Further south, you can get your fish fresh from the Laurieton Seafood Coop and eat your bounty by the river.

Day 4: Fruit picking to Dolphin Spotting

Morning: Head to Ricardoes Tomatoes & Strawberries and wander the under-cover vines to pick your own strawberries. Kids of all ages love it. Onsite ‘Cafe Red’ has claimed the ‘world’s best scones’ title!

Afternoon: Turn up the speed with Port Jet Cruise Adventures. Whether it’s spotting dolphins on the river, or an adrenaline-fueled thrill ride down the coast, this is guaranteed to be a family hit. They also have jet skis for hire (no licence required). On a warm day, you can even jump in the boom net behind their river cruiser- BYO cozzies and towels!

Dinner: Japanese is always a hit with our kids, and you can’t beat the freshness at Suzu Japanese Bar n Dining in the heart of town. Parent are well catered for with a great range of Japanese beers, sake and wine.

Evening: Collapse into bed with full hearts and a few windblown hairdos.

Day 5: Where the Wild Things Are

Morning to Lunch: Head to Billabong Koala & Wildlife Park. It’s home to a huge variety of animals, including—you guessed it—more koalas. You can get up close and personal with Australian and exotic animals. You can pat, feed, hold, hear and see over 80 species of mammals, reptiles and birds, and even book personal encounters with meerkats, koalas, monkeys, red pandas, cheetahs, and snow leopards!!

Afternoon: Head to lovely Lighthouse Beach. There’s a patrolled area at the northern end for swimming, and at the southern end, you can line up for a camel ride (yes, really)! Take a quick diversion to the Tacking Point Lighthouse on the headland for magnificent views up and down the coast.

Evening: Head to Little Shack for a casual dinner under fringed umbrellas, and watch the sunset over the Hastings River.

Day 6: Water Park Paradise

Morning to afternoon: It’s all action at Stoney Park, one of the largest inflatable water parks in the Southern Hemisphere! Kids will burn off all their energy while you laugh (or join in). It’s a short 15-minute drive north of Port Mac, and has lifeguards on duty throughout the man-made lake. This means all you have to do is relax.... or wander over to Stoney Aqua Golf and test your driving range skills! There is plenty of shade, chairs, picnic facilities, and a kiosk. You can bring well-behaved, leashed dogs, and if you don’t want to leave, there are cabins and camping spots on site.

Evening: Head to award-winning Settlers Inn or Tacking Point Tavern for great family meal options and adjoining playgrounds.

Day 7: Southern Charm by the Lake

Morning: Round off the trip with a day at Lake Cathie (pronounced 'Lake Cat-eye' for some unknown reason..). Just a 20-minute drive south of Port Mac, Lake Cathie is an expansive lake. It's best for swimming when it’s open to the ocean and the water is crystal clear, shallow, and protected. Bring your SUPs, floaties, kayaks, and fishing rods. The area also has fab picnic facilities, a playground, and a new skate park. Winning!

Lunch: Head to Lake Cathie Tavern, a 2-minute drive from the Lake. This family-friendly, freshly renovated coastal gem has its own playground and kids' menu and hosts live and local music most weekends.

Afternoon: Because too many holiday treats are never enough, grab a gelato from Blue Cow Gelato and wander along the Town Green promenade, which overlooks the Hastings River. If you're continuing home to the south, take a small detour via the pretty, whitewashed Dunbogan Boat Shed on the way for treats and fish-feeding!

Evening: Hit the road or the airport with sun-kissed skin, a camera roll full of memories, and kids who might just sleep through the trip home.

Exciting Side-quests!

Got a keen ‘fisho’ in your life? Book a deep-sea fishing mission with Port Macquarie Fishing Charters. They won’t let the big ones get away! Or, hire a BBQ Boat from Jordans Boat Hire. The whole family can go, throw a line in, then cook up the bounty on board!

Love a cheeky wine tasting? Our winery trail is family friendly! Head to Bago Maze & Wines (pic above) for the largest hedge maze in the southern hemisphere set amongst stunning grounds, or Cassegrain Wines (pic below) where you can book the kids in for a pony ride through the vines while you sneak in a wine tasting at their cellar door or lunch at the restaurant. Long Point Vineyard and Douglas Vale Vineyard also have interesting grounds the kids will love exploring. You’re welcome.

Beach-babes will love... Town Beach, Flynns Beach, Lighthouse Beach, Rainbow Beach, Lake Cathie, and Pilot Beach. Most are patrolled, all have cafes/picnic facilities/playgrounds/skate parks nearby. And groms can hone their skills by booking in with one of the local surf schools.

Head for the hinterland. Drive up to the lovely country village of Comboyne, then out to Rawson Falls. It’s gorgeous and has a swimmable waterhole underneath the falls.

So, what are you waiting for? Pack up the car, bribe the kids with ice cream, and head to Port Macquarie for the school holidays of a lifetime. We’ll see you there!