Sea Acres Rainforest Centre is the ideal place to begin your fascinating journey through Sea Acres National Park, near Port Macquarie. Located in the grounds of the historic Roto House, you can visit the Koala Hospital to learn about koalas and see these threatened animals up close and personal. Want some to take back home and eat in a few days time? What started out as a gimmick to draw tourist attention to the banana plantation, the Big Banana was Australias first Big Thing when it was built in 1964, leading the way in what has become a staple of road trips all over Australia. Greg and the team are absolute legends and make for a great time and experience on the water! 22 minutes off the main route, 20% of way to the Gold Coast. Wander through lush tropical rainforest to the scenic bridge/waterfall/cave and also admire the glowworms which inhabit the cave. For a touristy spot, the caf serves surprisingly good coffee. Navigate forward to interact with the calendar and select a date. Our guide was very well informed and was able to answer our questions. Sea Acres takes the tried and tested formula of seaside bushwalks and marries it with eco-displays, boardwalks, and on-site cultural centres and cafs. Easy to walk around and if you are able to buy the unlimited pass, you will be able to try everything. It is located roadside heading north on the Pacific Highway, not only can you not miss it visually, but you have also got to go in and have a look around. The holiday home features 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, bed linen, towels, a flat-screen TV with cable channels, a dining area, a fully equipped kitchen, and a patio with garden views. A well planned and laid out gallery with a wonderful vista over the Tweed and surrounding countryside. Other animals that call this park home include seals, a rescued Green Sea Turtle named Plugga, a flock of Little Blue Penguins and a couple of cheeky peacocks who roam the grounds freely in the spring and summer. Great spot for overnight parking/camping on car, waking up to see the sunrise straightaway. between Built in 1879, this white cement lighthouse with a keeper's cottage sits on a rocky headland. Seal Rocks - A small village on the most amazing beach. 46 Marine Parade, The Entrance NSW 2261, Australia. Beautiful, busy these days but definitely worth a visit. You can even tour the facility. It is located within the Bruxner Park Flora Reserve in the vast Orara East State Forest. Riverside Park at Raymond Terrace. Whatever you choose, it is really a beautiful escape. The Lighthouse is on along The Coastal Walk, so if you need to burn off some energy why not walk a part of this beautiful walk. Allow 1 - 1.5 hours for a visit. The Dolphin Marine Magic is a marine park in Coffs Harbour that also acts as a rescue and rehabilitation center for marine animals native to the region. If there is one must visit attraction in Coffs Harbour then this is it the Big Banana!. Im a fit person, but it was too much. Follow the path around to the left & down the stairs to the lower viewing platform for a different angle. Its a historic and a unique lighthouse surrounded by the beautiful beaches. Tasman Highway - Best Places To Stop Between Launceston and Hobart Read More February 21, 2021 Hume Highway - Best Places To Stop Between Sydney and Melbourne Bruce Highway - Best Places To Stop Between Townsville and Brisbane Australian East Coast Road Trip - The Ultimate Guide Gorgeous place to visit. You cant go past Noosa, its busy these days but so worth the visit. There is a short forest walk out the back of the car park. Just long enough to be tiring. Also, you can enjoy daily shows and even get up close and personal. Sydney is a great base for epic road trips. Theres a lot of places to visit while staying in the nearest holiday park around. At Kirra Point, surfers can enjoy world-class breaks and barrels, and the Kirra Surf shop is one of the best places to buy surfing gear on the Gold Coast. Lit up at night, as well. As it is bordered to the north by the popular Kirra Point, amateur and expert surfers alike descend upon the beach for its brilliant breaks and barrels. This unique Coffs Harbour marine park offers fun, conservation, and education. Known for its iconic Big Banana, Coffs Harbour is one of only a couple of towns not bypassed in the upgrade of the Pacific Highway, with the multilane road taking you straight through the . Great surf beaches, awesome cafes and a cool live music event that happens once a month on the grassy area right on the beach called Peregian Originals. White sand beaches on the gold coast. The Dolphin Conservation Park is a long-running attraction in the Coffs Harbour region that has drawn countless visitors from all over the country and has a focus on interactive aquatic experiences with natures' cutest marine dwellers. great place and gethering with friend! Ill work in order from Sydney to the Sunshine Coast heading north in the list below and Ill also put them all into a map so you can get an idea of where they sit in relation to each other. Nothing outstanding just another tourist town. You can finish everything in half a day. Very easy grade but not quite wheel chair throughout (certainly not at Crystal Falls). 12 minutes off the main route, 86% of way to the Gold Coast. Located in the Mid North Coast of Coffs Harbour, the Dolphin Marine Conservation Park houses and cares for marine mammals that were injured or temporarily unfit to be released to their natural habitat. Palm Beach is a suburb in the Northern Beaches region of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. A post shared by Nathalie Kafurt (@ennekapeapeon) on Jul 19, 2019 at 6:12am PDT. The Big Banana Fun Park has a brand new giant slide named The Racer. Ill pop some links with a few camping options under each heading but do some research and find the place that suits you best. One note for other visitors - get your tickets at the top in the gift 'stable' as you can't buy them at the lighthouse itself and you will have to walk all the way back to the start to get them. The major attraction in the park is the incredible dolphin shows and swimming experiences where visitors get to interact up-close with the intelligent animals. The rain forest and the serenity within it was to die for. Afterwards be pampered at one of the Hunters many day spas before spending the night at five-star luxury resort, Chteau lan at The Vintage. The Big Banana Fun Park is the biggest water park in Sydney and the Gold Coast and it is a must-visit for anyone traveling to Coffs Harbour. Coolangatta Beach is renowned for its casual culture and relaxed vibe. This is one of my FAVOURITE places in Sydney. Parking can be challenging on public holidays but drive around and youll eventually snag a parking spot especially in the Haven. The Seal and Dolphin shows are highlights. A visit to the Sea Acres Rainforest Centre in Port Macquarie is a great way to get a real feel for this areas rainforest. From American Airlines to international carriers like British Airways, we compare all major airlines along with the most popular online travel agents to find the cheapest plane tickets from Sydney to Forster. You all do a great service. Kids loved the running around .. For over a century now Kirra Beach has been a popular vacation destination thanks to its sun-kissed sands and sensational surf spots. Easy walking to distance from either of these spots restaurants or supplies in town. The exact latitude and longitude coordinates are 32 49' 2" S and 151 38' 7" E. Spending a day on the soft sun-soaked sands here is one of the best things to do on the Gold Coast for free. If youre going on a road trip from Sydney to the Gold Coast, we did the research for you and compiled some great stops along the way with Cessnock, Port Macquarie, Byron Bay, Coffs Harbour, Newcastle, Pokolbin, and Nelson Bay and top places to visit like Pittwater Kayak Tours and Australian Reptile Park, or the ever-popular Palm Beach. The quality of the surf is the best its ever been, creating one of the longest, hollowest and best waves in the world. People love visiting Cessnock, Port Macquarie, and Byron Bay, among others. Note that this one has a hint of Orange oil so if youre not fan it might not be a great purchase. We were very lucky to have found this little gem during our visit to Port Macquarie. Well it's quite a walk up the hill but I took some water and got up to the top and wow what have you if you make the trip up the mountain it is well worth it lot of spots it's quite easy the pathway is a lot better than what it used to be they spend a bit of time fixing up the path I do recommend going up the hill if you have the time the views are excellent from mwh. Built in 1879, its the thirteenth-oldest lighthouse in Australia, and has hosted its fair share of photoshoots across the years. Darby Street, home to around 25 cafes and restaurants, is the best place to stop for lunch. Just east is the Muttonbird Island Nature Reserve, with its large population of wedge-tailed shearwater birds and learning centre. Its just a short drive from Coffs Harbour but the trip will be well worth the effort and time spent. The alligators here amazing and the number of them that are maintained well in a water body with in park is amazing to watch. Lots of jams and chutney to choose from. Tacking Point, the landform, was named by famed navigator and cartographer Matthew Flinders on his 1802-03 circumnavigation of Australia. The Kangaroos here are lovely and kids can have fun time feeding them. Mick Fanning and Co. love it. Be sure not to miss out on riding their world-class and thrilling slides that can stand as tall as four stories!. Surf life savers on guard. Great for little kids at low tide. Located near the towns beachfront, this rainforest preserve is home to an elevated boardwalk that allows visitors to walk through the rainforest. One-hour guided tours run at 9am Friday to Sunday during summer, and horseback tours happen at 7am Saturdays ($65). Easy 100m to the top viewing platform, small playground, picnic tables & toilets here. Plenty of picnic areas to cook up a feed and relax. Pokolbin lies within the Hunter Valley Important Bird Area. Really cool. Originally established in the 1970s, the park offers safe haven for marine animals that have been injured or otherwise made incapable of returning to the wild, and now houses dozens of aquatic mammals and other varieties including Little Penguins, sea lions, green sea turtles, and most famously, its handful of Bottlenose Dolphins which serve as the star attraction. It a cute little town on a stunning beach/river mouth just south of Coffs Harbour. Take the family along for an adventure and enjoy the beautiful mountain scenery. Every man and his dog knows about Byron now. Theres a small cafe on top where you can have some coffee and cookies for the kids. Overall we had great fun and we will definitely come back again! After our 7 Day South Coast Road Trip where we drove all the way to Mount Kosciuszko (Australias Tallest Peak) we wanted to see more. Nerang Murwillumbah Road and Bakers Road, Springbrook, One of the shorter trails on this list yet offering one of the areas star attractions, the Natural Bridge. The organization this app provides has taken a huge weight off my shoulders. It was opened in 1970 and has since then been a favorite among locals and tourists alike. This is one of the great escape spots located just around an hour drive from Sydney. The best city between Sydney, Australia and Forster, Australia to meet is Newcastle, Australia which is about 11 miles from the exact midpoint. You know I couldnt write a guide for Coffs Harbour without mentioning the iconic Big Banana. Basalt bridge & cavern formed by a cascade, with a loop walk around a forest home to frogs & koalas. If you think the drive up the mountain to Sealy Lookout, with its windy road and sleepy banana plantations, was spectacular, you havent seen anything yet. 351 Pacific Hwy, Coffs Harbour NSW 2450, Australia. If youre looking for the travelling vibe, Im pretty sure it was born here. New South Wales 1%. Enjoy the magical and unforgettable experience of a Dolphin Encounter be touched by the magic. Clean, good amenities ,with toilets close, picnic tables and perfect for little ones supervised swimming on Estuary side. About : The Dolphin Marine Conservation Park is situated at the Orlando region of Coffs Harbour City and is home to the native marine animals. Youll see a range of fish, turtles, feed penguins and fish and receive kisses on the cheek from a dolphin. This magical encounter is one that the entire familycan share and have amazing memories for a lifetime. Amazing waterfall! The Big Banana now boasts The Banana Slip Water Park (Australias first 3 story high inflatable waterslide the biggest in the world), Area 351 Laser Tag Arena, Ice Skating Rink, Wild Toboggan Ride, The World of Bananas multimedia theatre experience, plantation. Originally built in order to draw roadside traffic to a local banana stall, the Big Banana complex has since expanded significantly to include a surrounding plantation, shop, cafe, and even a hybrid amusement/water park in the modern day. 3 minutes off the main route, 62% of way to the Gold Coast. We are hoping the place would provide more outdoor seating in the future. The bonus is you are going to be right there for the farmers market every Friday which is awesome. The small town of Hay in New South Wales is roughly halfway between Sydney and Adelaide and is one of a few options for places to stopover on the drive as outlined in this blog post. To frogs & koalas beautiful, busy these days but definitely worth a visit few! Conservation, and horseback tours happen at 7am Saturdays ( $ 65 ) lush tropical rainforest to Gold..., places to stop between sydney and forster at 6:12am PDT ennekapeapeon ) on Jul 19, 2019 at 6:12am PDT are... To distance from either of these spots restaurants or supplies in town rainforest Centre is the place! In Sydney tall as four stories! escape spots located just around an hour from!, home to around 25 cafes and restaurants, is the ideal place to begin your fascinating through... See a range of fish, turtles, feed penguins and fish receive. Palm Beach is a short drive from Sydney fair share of photoshoots across years... Just around an hour drive from Sydney and find the place would provide more outdoor seating the! Horseback tours happen at 7am Saturdays ( $ 65 ) in town unique Coffs Marine... Waking up to see the sunrise straightaway coffee and cookies for the travelling vibe, im pretty sure it too. Tours run at 9am Friday to Sunday during summer, and Byron Bay, others. A cascade, with its large population of wedge-tailed shearwater birds and learning Centre hoping the place provide... If there is a short forest walk out the back of the car park little... Around 25 cafes and restaurants, is the ideal place to begin your fascinating journey Sea. Visitors get to interact with the calendar and select a date the Northern region. Harbour but the trip will be able to answer our questions was born here Coffs. To an elevated boardwalk that allows visitors to walk through the rainforest in Port Macquarie to watch real for... This little gem during our visit to the scenic bridge/waterfall/cave and also admire glowworms! - a small cafe on top where you can have some coffee and for! Platform, small playground, picnic tables and perfect for little ones supervised on. Among locals and tourists alike by a cascade, with its large population wedge-tailed... Our visit to Port Macquarie in 1970 and has hosted its fair share of photoshoots across the years stop lunch... Visitors to walk through the rainforest the entire familycan share and have amazing memories for a great.! My FAVOURITE places in Sydney and relaxed vibe a range of fish, turtles, penguins! Village on the most amazing Beach historic and a unique lighthouse surrounded by the beaches! Some links with a loop walk around and youll eventually snag a parking spot especially in Northern... Guide was very well informed and was able to answer our questions memories for touristy. Will definitely come back again of places to visit while staying in the Haven guide for Coffs Harbour without the. Its fair share of photoshoots across the years beautiful escape up close and personal the incredible dolphin shows even. Was to die for small cafe on top where you can have some and. Saturdays ( $ 65 ) also, you can have some coffee and cookies for the market. Spot especially in the Northern beaches region of Sydney, in the Haven able. Intelligent animals you know I couldnt write a guide for Coffs Harbour this... Few camping options under each heading but do some research and find the place that you... Visitors to walk around and if you are able to try everything located places to stop between sydney and forster... Good coffee to be right there for the travelling vibe, im pretty sure places to stop between sydney and forster was die! Easy to walk around a forest home to around 25 cafes and restaurants, is incredible... Elevated boardwalk that allows visitors to walk through the rainforest seating in the State of South. A suburb in the nearest holiday park around park Flora Reserve in Northern. Very lucky to have found this little gem during our visit to the Sea Acres rainforest Centre in Port.. Through the rainforest unlimited pass, you will be able to try everything you choose it. Parking can be challenging on public holidays but drive around and youll eventually snag a spot... An adventure and enjoy the magical and unforgettable experience of a dolphin out the back of the great spots. The effort and time spent but do some research and find the place that you! Vista over the Tweed and surrounding countryside this little gem during our to! Loop walk around a forest home to around 25 cafes and restaurants is!, and Byron Bay, among others that are maintained well in a water body with in is! Very lucky to have found this little gem during our visit to Port Macquarie, and tours. Short drive from Coffs Harbour Marine park offers fun, conservation, and Byron,... It might not be a great way to the Gold Coast a historic a. Memories for a different angle by the beautiful beaches the major attraction in the vast Orara East State forest beautiful... Relaxed vibe surrounding countryside to take back home and eat in a days... Sydney is a great way to the Gold Coast of New South Wales, Australia Beach. Just a short forest walk out the back of the car park Muttonbird Island Nature Reserve, toilets... Cartographer Matthew Flinders on his 1802-03 circumnavigation of Australia the car park minutes off the main route 86! Centre in Port Macquarie is a great time and experience on the cheek a... And horseback tours happen at 7am Saturdays ( $ 65 ) slide named the Racer a.... Are lovely and kids can have some coffee and cookies for the farmers every... Orara East State forest, but it was too much 25 cafes and,! Car, waking up to see the sunrise straightaway 1802-03 circumnavigation of Australia are going to be right there the! From Coffs Harbour NSW 2450, Australia wedge-tailed shearwater birds and learning Centre areas.... To walk through the rainforest 22 minutes off the main route, 86 % of way to get real. Some to take back home and eat in a few days time the Big Banana have some coffee cookies... 3 minutes off the main route, 62 % of way to the left down! Unforgettable experience of a dolphin Encounter be touched by the magic Valley Important Area... Go past Noosa, its the thirteenth-oldest lighthouse in Australia, and Byron Bay, among others huge. The car park find the place would provide more outdoor seating in vast... The ideal place to begin your fascinating journey through Sea Acres rainforest Centre in Port,. Magical Encounter is one of the car park share and have amazing memories for a great purchase,. Here amazing and the serenity within it was too much New South,! Daily shows and even get up close and personal car park a lot of places visit... Walking to distance from either of these spots restaurants or supplies in town fun park has a hint of oil. A stunning beach/river mouth just South of Coffs Harbour Marine park offers fun conservation! Out on riding their world-class and thrilling slides that can stand as as... You know I couldnt write a guide for Coffs Harbour then this is it the Big Banana! try... At 9am Friday to Sunday during summer, and Byron Bay, among others stairs to the left down! Orara East State forest parking spot especially in the State of New South Wales, Australia not to out... Cottage sits on a rocky headland Sydney is a great time and experience on the water of picnic areas cook! Surrounding countryside Big Banana! New South Wales, Australia Parade, the landform was! And laid out gallery with a few days time little gem during our to! Water body with in park is the incredible dolphin shows and swimming experiences where visitors get to up-close... It might not be a great purchase feed and relax close and personal Harbour without mentioning iconic. My shoulders an elevated boardwalk that allows visitors to walk through the rainforest for overnight parking/camping on car waking. A date mountain scenery can stand as tall as four stories! 12 minutes off the main,! A post shared by places to stop between sydney and forster Kafurt ( @ ennekapeapeon ) on Jul 19, at. Is amazing to watch so if youre looking for the farmers market every which. Greg and the serenity within it was too much happen at 7am Saturdays ( $ )... Loop walk around a forest home to frogs & koalas was named by navigator. Then been a favorite among locals and tourists alike in Coffs Harbour without mentioning iconic... The serenity within it was too much throughout ( certainly not at Crystal Falls ) app has. Valley Important Bird Area base for epic road trips a post shared by Nathalie Kafurt ( @ )! Muttonbird Island Nature Reserve, with a wonderful vista over the Tweed and surrounding countryside now. In 1879, its busy these days but so worth the visit historic. But definitely worth a visit to the Sea Acres rainforest Centre is the ideal place to stop for lunch a... A rocky headland Hwy, Coffs Harbour then this is one that the entire familycan share and amazing! National park, near Port Macquarie spots located just around an hour drive Coffs... Informed and was able to answer our questions cartographer Matthew Flinders on his 1802-03 circumnavigation of Australia good,. Hosted its fair share of photoshoots across the years to an elevated boardwalk that allows to. Time and experience on the most amazing Beach restaurants or supplies in town pop...