“Oh the places we will go…”

The friendly beachside city of Coffs Harbour is Coffs Coast’s vibrant heart. Surrounded by National Parks and facing the Solitary Islands Marine Park, the natural environment and uncrowded beaches are complemented by exciting activities and attractions, excellent shopping, great accommodation and cafés and restaurants.

Coffs Harbour sits in a unique position where the Great Dividing Range escarpment meets the Australian East Coast. The subtropical city lies between the forested hills and sparkling blue waters.

Coffs, as it’s known to the locals, is a modern city with a small-town atmosphere – and the hub from which to explore Coffs Coast’s enormous selection of things to see and do. From scuba diving to sky diving, surf rafting to whale watching, there are enough activities to keep you entertained for well over a week.

FIND YOUR WAY

To get a feel for the ‘lay of the land’, take the short drive up to Sealy Lookout in Bruxner Park, northwest of the city, where you’ll enjoy superb views of the city and beaches below from the new Forest Sky Pier.

Coffs Harbour’s city centre and CBD are situated close to the highway. The City Centre’s unique shops and boutiques, al fresco cafés and the Thursday Growers’ Market are popular with office workers, regular shoppers and visitors alike.

The popular Jetty and Harbourside district is a few kilometres to the east along Harbour Drive, just past The Promenade with its shops and restaurants overlooking Coffs Creek. The ‘Jetty Strip’ opposite the Jetty Village Shopping Centre features around 15 cafés and restaurants offering indoor and al-fresco dining, whilst Park Beach Plaza offers over 120 stores and retail outlets.

Take a stroll along the Jetty foreshores, the historic Jetty itself, the Marina and the North Wall breakwall and admire the scenic harbour views. The hilly island dominating this view is Muttonbird Island Nature Reserve, home to thousands of wedge-tailed shearwaters. Its walking track offers exceptional views back to Coffs Harbour.

SURFING + SWIMMING

There are lifeguards on duty on the most popular beaches during the warmer months of the year. Check with the Coffs Coast Visitor Information Centre so you can swim safely between the flags. Park Beach is the main beach, or try the Jetty Foreshores for a quiet spot for the littlies. And of course, you’ll have to surf a wave or two! You can hire gear from local surf shops or take a lesson from the experts at East Coast Surf School, Coffs Coast Surf School, Lee Winkler Surf School, Sawtell Surf School or Solitary Islands Surf School. Coffs Coast has a number of excellent surfing spots including Northies at Park Beach, Diggers, Sawtell Island, Emerald Beach and Arrawarra.

WHALE + DOLPHIN WATCHING CRUISES

Between late May and early November, thousands of humpback whales migrate north along the east coast to breed in warmer waters, then return with their calves to summer feeding grounds in the Antarctic. Whale watching is an increasingly popular activity along Coffs Coast. You can join one of several cruise operators who leave the Coffs Harbour International Marina daily (weather permitting) for a few hours out at sea. Companies include Pacific Explorer, or for a fast and fun way to get close to the whales, Jetty Dive.

SCUBA DIVING + SNORKELLING

Warm waters and a rich variety of sea life make Coffs Coast an underwater paradise for scuba divers and snorkellers. The Solitary Islands Marina Park protects islands, shores, reefs, beaches and estuaries along a 75km stretch of coast from Coffs Harbour northwards. Two great ocean currents meet and mingle in these waters, bringing together a spectrum of marine species from the tropical north and the cooler south. Snorkelling is possible in many locations close to our shores. Some excellent dive locations exist just a short boat ride away, where you’ll see beautiful corals and a wide variety of creatures. Among them could be endangered grey nurse sharks, turtles and the endemic banded anemone fish (Nemo!). Arrange a trip with one of our local dive shops or hire your gear and a charter boat for your own adventure. Two companies offering great diving include Jetty Dive and Bananacoast Divers.

BOATING & FISHING

If you’re a boating or fishing enthusiast, Coffs Coast is the ultimate holiday destination for you. You can join a fishing charter for a morning of exciting game, reef or deep-sea fishing including Game Striker or Cougar Cat, or take your own boat out to sea or onto one of our rivers for a great day out on the sheltered waters of a wide estuary for instance. Public boat ramps can be found right along the coast to launch your vessel. A number of local fishing tackle shops open from early morning so you can get some fresh bait and tips on the best fishing spots before you head out. Beach and rock fishing are also very popular on Coffs Coast, so try your luck and you may enjoy your own freshly caught bream or whiting on the barbecue in the evening!

FOR THE KIDS

Whether it’s for the little kids or even the big kids (including you), these attractions and activities will keep you and the family occupied!

Attractions

Yes, you would have heard of the famous icon – the Big Banana, and there’s a reason that one million people visit this attraction each year – it’s the range of activities available including ice skating, laser tag, downhill toboggan ride, the candy making kitchen store, inflatable water park (including one of the largest in the world) the ‘World of Bananas’ theatre and plantation tour, and of course walking through the Banana itself. Other must-see, must-do places for your kids’ itinerary include the Butterfly House where a world of flying colour comfortably floats in an indoor mini sub-tropical rainforest setting, and Dolphin Marine Magic where the little ones can see a great marine presentation, swim with a dolphin, feed penguins and get kissed by a seal. Other attractions in the region include the Solitary Islands Aquarium offering an educational insight into the local marine life, and Tabatinga, the award-winning indoor playground.

Activities

Try riding a Segway, sing along to bopping heads, slide around inside an Ozbobble or try out your mini olympic skills on a giant inflatable obstacle course and climbing wall with Timeout Adventures. If there is any energy left, kids can go karting at F1 Kart Hire or Raleagh Raceway, ride a horse with Valery Trails or camel with Coffs Coast Camels, join a Beach to Bush Buggy Tour or learn to surf with any of the areas 6 surf schools.

For groups of 10 people or more kids can also try Zorbing or other team activities at the Coffs Coast Beach School including low and high ropes courses. And this is just the start – don’t forget the shows at the Jetty Theatre, miniature golf at The Cove, the miniature dutch village at the Clog Barn, seeing carob being made at Carobana and many more activities