Want to make your next visit to Port Macquarie epic for the whole family? Here are eight fun things to do in Port Macquarie with kids.
This coastal town on the mid-north coast of New South Wales (NSW) is a popular family holidays NSW spot for families as it has everything for all.
Located 4 hours drive from Sydney, this laid-back town is a perfect spot to recharge and build some fond family holiday memories by the sea.
The town offers endless beaches, perfect surf, warm temperatures, beautiful walking tracks and even has Port Macquarie camel rides along the beach.
So, if you’re looking for an affordable family holidays NSW experience not too far from Sydney and Brisbane, then Port Macquarie is a great spot to consider.
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To help you out, here are some of the most fun things to do in Port Macquarie kids will love (as well as the adults).
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8 Fun Things To Do In Port Macquarie Kids Will Love:
1. Try a camel rides Port Macquarie experience
This is one of the most unique and fun stuff to do in Port Macquarie with kids that is sure to get your heart racing and laugh.
It’s camel rides Port Macquarie style! Travelling along the gorgeous, Lighthouse Beach you’ll get up and close with these incredible creatures more known to roam Outback Australian than one of New South Wales’ beaches.
Although it may be daunting at first to get up on a camel, you’ll soon adjust to the height and enjoy the ocean views, especially as Port Macquarie dolphins and whales (during migration season) are often seen frolicking in the waters.
So, be sure to bring a camera to remember this fun, educational and memorable family-friendly adventure.
These Port Macquarie camel rides last for around 30 minutes and you’ll be treated to not only stunning beach views, but some witty jokes and interesting facts about these creatures.
To help you get the most from your camel rides Port Macquarie experience here are some handy tips:
- Arrive early to avoid missing out on your departure time
- Bring cash on the day as payment is cash-only (no cards accepted)
- To avoid the disappointment of Port Macquarie camel rides not running on your selected day, be sure to call to confirm in advance on 0437 672 080 or 0415 752 254
Port Macquarie Camel Safaris
Cost: $40 (adults), $25 (child) and $15 (3-4 years)
Location: Lighthouse Beach (Matthew Flinders Drive)
Open: Daily from 9am – 1pm (except Saturdays). Weather permitting.
NOTE: No bookings are taken. Simply go down to the beach 1km south of the Lighthouse on Lighthouse Beach to their meeting point. If unsure whether their camel rides Port Macquarie tours are running (due to weather), call 0437 672 080 or 0415 752 254.
2. Explore Port Macquarie beaches
Now you can’t go all the way to Port Macquarie and not enjoy its beaches. From surfing, stand-up paddleboarding, snorkelling and swimming, the kids will love to spend all day playing in the water and sand.
One of the best ways to explore its beaches is via Port Macquarie’s coastline trek, which spans nine kilometres from Town Green Beach to Tacking Point Lighthouse.
On this trek, you are able to experience the dramatic coastline structures with their high cliffs, secluded and patrolled beach areas, rocky break walls and various lookout/ picnic areas.
Walkers are able to visit eight different beaches one of my favourite being Flynns Beach – a popular spot for families with its grassy area, picnic facilities and BBQs.
Other beaches further on from Flynns Beach include Nobbys Beach, Shelly Beach Port Macquarie and the secluded Miners Beach.
If you’re lucky – along the way you might see the Port Macquarie dolphins feeding in the Hastings River estuary or off the rocks at Shelly Beach.
Otherwise, from June to November, migrating humpbacks can be seen cruising along the coastline as they leave the cold waters of Antarctica.
Also if fishing is your thing, then there are numerous Port Macquarie fishing spots to be found on this trek to cast a line. According to Coast Beat the ‘beaches along this stretch are great for tailor, whiting and mulloway.”
Port Macquarie Coastal Walk
Cost: Free
Location: Town Green to Tacking Point Lighthouse
Distance: 9km
3. Wander a Port Macquarie rainforest
Ever wanted to explore a rainforest by the sea? Well, families can do this in Port Macquarie at the Sea Acres Rainforest Centre.
Located at Shelly Beach, it features a 1.3km elevated boardwalk where you’ll learn about the rainforest habitat, how to cook bush tucker and local Aboriginal culture/ traditions.
They also run Discovery tours and often host educational events and activities for residents, tourists and families. In addition, once a month they offer rainforest meditation sessions.
When visiting the sea acres attraction you should stop by the Rainforest Café for some lunch or morning tea. It’s a tranquil place to relax and recharge, nibbling on treats amongst the rainforest palms.
The Sea Acres National Park has to be one of the most scenic Port Macquarie activities in the region.
Sea Acres National Park
Cost: Free but boardwalk charges $9 (adult), $5 (child), $20 (family pass -2 adults, 3 children)
Location: 159 Pacific Drive, Port Macquarie
Open: Daily 9-4.30am (except Christmas Day)
4. Strawberry fruit picking
For some good old countryside fun, why not visit Ricardoes Tomatoes. Here you’ll be able to sample some of the juiciest strawberries and tomatoes on offer at this pick your own fruit NSW farm.
Only a ten-minute drive north of Port Macquarie, this environmentally family-friendly farm will have you feeling like you’ve entered a Jack and the Beanstalk story with their red plump tomatoes hanging from tall climbing vines.
Grown inside state of the art greenhouses, it’s an impressive sight to see with over 30,000 plants flourishing inside featuring five varieties of strawberries and eight kinds of tomatoes.
Now that’s a lot of fruit to pick! No wonder it’s one of the top-rated Port Macquarie attractions to visit with kids.
When you start feeling famished by exploring the greenhouses, be sure to stop by the on-site café for lunch, snacks, tea and coffee.
Here you’ll also be treated to free samples of the Ricardoes’ award-winning jams and preserves.
Ricardoes Tomatoes
Cost: Per bucket (full bucket around $40-50 each)
Location: Blackmans Point Road, Port Macquarie
Open: Daily from 7-5pm (farm) and café (9-3pm)
5. Billabong Zoo Port Macquarie
Want to get up and close with cheetahs, snow leopards, koalas, red pandas, meerkats and snakes?
At the award-winning Billabong Zoo, you can do just that. Located 10 minutes drive from Port Macquarie this wildlife park is home to over 200 Australian and exotic mammals, reptiles and birds.
Spanning across 10-acres, families can have a ball exploring, seeing and learning about these animals through the zoo’s much love demonstrations and talks held each day. Some of the highlight talks include crocodiles, dingos, penguins, monkeys and lions.
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If you need to take a break, why not retreat to their playground and picnic areas set amongst lush gardens and tranquil koi ponds as you enjoy some lunch and refreshments available from the zoo café.
Billabong Zoo Port Macquarie
Cost: $34 (adults), $19 (3-15 years), $96 (family pass – 2 adults and 2 kids)
Location: 61 Billabong Drive, Port Macquarie
Open: Daily 9-5pm (except Christmas Day)
6. Visit Koala Hospital Port Macquarie
Did you know Port Macquarie is home to the world’s first hospital dedicated to the care of koalas?
With around 250 koalas admitted each year, it’s an important wildlife rehabilitation facility helping with koala rescue and the preservation and education of these vulnerable species.
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Open to the public, it’s an educational place to take the kids in Port Macquarie. Here they’ll learn about the residents and their injuries caused mostly by disease, car accidents, dog attacks and bush fires.
At 3pm each day (except Christmas Day) they hold a tour to talk about the koalas in their care. Feeding also occurs at 3pm and at 8am.
As the hospital is a not-for-profit organisation it heavily relies on donations from the public, admission is free but they welcome donations. They also have an Adopt a Koala program to help with the care and treatment costs of the animals they care for.
Port Macquarie Koala Hospital
Cost: Free
Open: 8-4.30pm
Location: Cnr Roto Place & Lord Street, Port Macquarie
7. Port Macquarie Golf
If you’re in the mood for some friendly competition or to improve your ace game, then the Port Macquarie Golf Club and Mini Golf is a fun activity for the whole family.
Set amongst beautiful acreage, the 18 hole mini-golf course will test your putting skills as your challenged with such obstacles as volcanos, bridges, hills and valleys.
Situated less than 10 minutes from the town centre, this Port Macquarie Golf Course also offers a driving range for the adults and older children to test their power swing and accuracy with target golf prizes on offer.
Port Macquarie Driving Range & Mini Golf
Cost: $13 (adult), $9 (under 15). Buckets from $7-12
Open: Daily 8/8.30 – 5/6pm
Location: 3 Lindfield Park Road, Port Macquarie
Note: No bookings required.
8. Get lost at Bago Maze and Winery
It’s a special kind of place that can accommodate both kids and adults, and the Bago Maze and Winery does just that.
This one of the funniest and challenging outdoor Port Macquarie attractions you’ll come by as it boasts the largest hedge maze NSW has seen plus acres of lush countryside vineyards.
Here the children can roam freely in the perfectly manicured 2km long, 2-metre high hedge maze featuring lookout towers and a treasure style hunt with hidden items and musical instruments to be found in the tangled pathways.
While the adults can take in the views of the maze from the Winery and Cellar Door, and enjoy the local wine and cheese platters.
Also once a month on the second Sunday they host live Jazz music, a soothing way to spend the day with the whole family.
Bago Maze and Winery
Cost: $12 (adult), $8 (child 5 years+), $40 (family pass – 2 adults and 3+ kids)
Open: Daily 9-5pm (last maze entry at 4pm; cellar door closes at 5pm)
Location: Milligans Road off Bago Road, Wauchope
Note: The Bago Maze takes around 20-60 minutes to explore.
How to get to Port Macquarie?
Located on the NSW mid-North Coast, Port Macquarie is closest to major cities Brisbane and Sydney making it a popular getaway for families living in Sydney and Brisbane.
It’s also accessible from other major cities via car and flights. Below is the travel time and most convenient transport options to help get you and the family to Port Macquarie for your next family NSW holidays trip.
- Sydney to Port Macquarie – Distance 392km. Drive 4hrs via M1 and Pacific Hwy or fly direct (1hr)
- Brisbane to Port Macquarie – Distance 536km. Drive 4.5hrs via M1 and Pacific Hwy or fly direct (1hr)
- Canberra to Port Macquarie – Distance 660km. Drive 7hrs via M31 and Pacific Hwy or fly direct (2hrs)
- Melbourne to Port Macquarie – Distance 1,251km. Fly direct (3hrs)
- Adelaide to Port Macquarie – Distance 1,748km. Fly direct (4hrs)
- Hobart to Port Macquarie – Distance 1,970km. Fly direct (3.5hrs)
- Darwin to Port Macquarie – Distance 3,841km. Fly direct (7.5hrs)
- Perth to Port Macquarie – Distance 4,145km. Fly direct (6hrs)
Top Port Macquarie Family Accommodation Picks
With so much to see and do in Port Macquarie, you really need to spend at least a few days in this amazing coastal town to explore. And, to help we highlight some of the top holiday accommodation Port Macquarie perfect for families.
These include the below holiday accommodation Port Macquarie properties:
- Sails Port Macquarie by Rydges
- Mantra The Observatory
- Mantra Quayside Apartments Port Macquarie
- Macquarie Waters Hotel & Apartments
- Sandcastle Apartments Port Macquarie
- Flynns Beach Resort
These properties include family-friendly amenities and facilities required to help you have a comfortable and enjoyable stay. Prices are affordable as well – WINNING!
MORE: Want more family holidays NSW hotspots to visit? Then you need to check out the Blue Mountains in West NSW. Here are some pretty epic things to do in Blue Mountains activities for the family to experience. The kids will love its natural attractions, toy museum and you will love the wineries, food and relaxing atmosphere.
What are your favourite things to do in Port Macquarie with kids?
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