A Perfect Retirement Coastal Town at Port Macquarie NSW Australia

We had our lunch picnic in Port Macquarie, a retirement town with lots of beautiful beaches on the north coast of NSW Australia. However, with the new Charles Sturt University campus, which opened a few years ago, (April 2016), the upgraded domestic airport and the dual carriageway linking the town of about 46,000 people to Newcastle and Sydney – have given Port Macquarie a new lease of life. Port Macquarie has become more energetic and lively than before.  Let’s check out what this retirement destination has to offer.

Where is Port Macquarie?

Port Macquarie is a city 400 km north of Sydney and 570km south of Brisbane on the Mid North Coast of NSW, Australia. The city is located on the coast so there are plenty of beach activities.

Port Macquarie has a total of 18 beaches in the region. Just to name some of the famous beaches here – Flynns Beach, Shelly Beach, Town Beach, Lighthouse Beach, Rainbow Beach and Pilot Beach. We had our picnic lunch in Town Beach which is located near the center of town. There are lots of picnic tables and chairs in Town Beach, we choose to have our meal at a good spot (Gaol Point Lookout) which overlooks the sea from the top with lots of sea breeze. Beware the sea breeze, it is so strong that it may blow your food away.

Town Beach Colorful Breakwall

Not far from the town beach is the colorful breakwall also a hotspot for locals and tourists alike. Apart from the gorgeous view, one of the reasons the breakwall is so popular is because of the brightly painted rocks that enhance the walking path. You will see the stunning views of the Hastings River toward Town Beach.  You get entertained by the message and drawings in these rocks.

Let’s explore the town center of Port Macquarie

Built in 1845, Historic Wesleyan Church in Port Macquarie – the chapel is small and open to the public.  The church is now listed by the National Trust of Australia.  We pass by this church when we were heading to the KFC restaurant to get our takeaway lunch.

St Agnes’ Parish Port Macquarie

We had a stroll in the Port Macquarie town center, found a beautiful church stood on top of a hill, it is St Agnes’ Church which is built over 70 years ago.

Town Center

Other things that you may want to do in Port Macquarie:

• Local Markets at the Maritime Museum on the fourth Sunday of the month.
• Koalas Sculpture Trail – The public sculpture trail dedicated to celebrating the iconic koala, with 68 one meter high koala sculptures dotted around the landscape with each hand painted and decorated by artists, many from the Mid North Coast.
• Whale watching – You may catch a glimpse of the whales during the yearly migration during May to November in Port Macquarie. Some of the best spots around Port Macquarie include Tacking Point Lighthouse, Perpendicular Point and Charles Hamey lookout.

Final thoughts:

Port Macquarie is certainly a memorable getaway, our picnic at the Town Beach was a fun and breezy one. My hat was almost blown away! The colorful breakwall nearby was interesting with a lot of painted picture on them.  Now I can totally understand why Aussie love this town as it is just perfect for retirement!