Port Macquarie
Koala Capital of the Mid North Coast
On the lands of the Birpai people.
schedule 1 min read / Updated Jun 2026
A coastal city where the Hastings River meets the Pacific, four hours north of Sydney. Port Macquarie is home to the world's first koala hospital, a painted rock breakwall that tells the story of the town, and 17 beaches inside the urban area.
Port Macquarie was founded in 1821 as a penal settlement for reoffenders, the third such colony in New South Wales. The name comes from Governor Lachlan Macquarie. The original convict-built St Thomas's Church from 1828 still stands and is one of the five oldest churches in Australia.
The town is best known for the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital, the first in the world, established in 1973 and treating over 250 koalas a year. Visitors can walk through the rehabilitation yards during public feeding sessions. The nearby Billabong Zoo is one of the few places in Australia where you can still have a one-on-one koala encounter.
The town breakwall is painted with memorial artworks by visitors going back decades and makes for an unusual walk at sunset. Beyond the town, Lighthouse Beach is a 15 kilometre stretch of surf beach, and Sea Acres Rainforest Centre has an elevated boardwalk through one of the few remaining coastal rainforests this far south.
Tourist locations
Places to visit in Port Macquarie.
6 locations to explore
Billabong Zoo Koala and Wildlife Park
Meet 80 species up close
$47 adult
Full guide arrow_forwardPort Macquarie Breakwall and Painted Rocks
Community canvas beside the river
Free
Full guide arrow_forwardPort Macquarie Koala Hospital
Caring for wild koalas
$12.50 adult
Full guide arrow_forwardRicardoes Tomatoes and Strawberries
Pick-your-own freshness
Free (pay by weight for picked fruit)
Full guide arrow_forwardSea Acres Rainforest Centre
Ancient rainforest above the Pacific
$9 adult
Full guide arrow_forwardTacking Point Lighthouse
Coastal sentinel since 1879
Free
Full guide arrow_forwardWhere to stay
Holiday parks near Port Macquarie.
2 options via our booking partner
NRMA Port Macquarie Breakwall Holiday Park
1.2km away
Port Macquarie Rental Village
2.6km away
Bookings handled by our partner Parkbooker. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Scenic views
Lookouts near Port Macquarie.
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Attribution
Sources & credits
Content (1)
Images (2)
- North Brother.jpg · OZmobi · Public domain
- Rainbow Beach at Bonny Hills.jpg · OZmobi · Public domain
Images sourced from Wikimedia Commons under licenses that permit commercial use. If you are the rights holder and believe an attribution is incorrect, please contact us.