Coffs Harbour
Couple enjoying scenic views over Coffs Harbour from Forest Sky Pier, Niigi Niigi - Sealy Lookout, Coffs Harbour
There is so much more to Coffs Harbour than the Big Banana. It’s a great place for a beach holiday – with glorious stretches of sand galore and a laid-back coastal vibe – and makes a fantastic base to explore the rainforests and waterfalls of the Waterfall Way or the incredible Solitary Islands Marine Park.
The beautiful beaches of the Coffs Coast beckon, with the wheelchair-accessible Jetty Beach a convenient and popular place to relax in the sun. Walk the breakwall to Muttonbird Island, a nature reserve that protects a colony of wedge-tailed shearwaters. Offshore, the Solitary Islands Marine Park is a haven for a huge diversity of marine life, with scuba diving trips with Jetty Dive Centre showing the best of the underwater world. This company also runs the first Whale Swims in NSW, an unforgettable experience during the migration season from August to September.
Just a short drive from Coffs Harbour is Sealy Lookout, where the Forest Sky Pier offers sensational view over the coastline. In this eco-tourism hub, you’ll also find the Aboriginal-run
Coffs Harbour also features several wildlife attractions, including the evergreen Coffs Harbour Butterfly House and the Solitary Islands Aquarium, focusing on regional marine species and education. The Dolphin Marine Conservation Park also make a great stop for getting up close to marine animals, including dolphins, seals and penguins.
For generations, Coffs Harbour has been defined by something big, yellow and very kitsch – the beloved Big Banana. Located on a working banana plantation, the walk-through banana was built in 1964, the first of Australia’s Big Things. Today, it’s part of a fun park with toboggans, mini-golf and a plantation tour; and no trip to Coffs is complete without stopping for a photo opportunity and a chocolate covered banana treat.
From pub grub to fresh seafood or sushi, you’ll find it at Coffs Harbour’s ‘eat street’, the Jetty Strip, where you’ll find more than 20 cafes and restaurants. Pop into the retail fish shop of the Coffs Harbour Fisherman’s Co-op for the catch of the day; Supply Speciality Coffee and Bar for a coffee fix and delicious breakfast; or head to the bustling Harbourside Market for fresh regional produce and gourmet food stalls, held in the reserve every Sunday.
Meanwhile, check out the stylish Mermaid Beach House for excellent Italian, Latitude 30 for a seafood menu with sweeping ocean views, and Dark Arts Cafe & Bar for a little bit of everything - locally roasted coffee, craft beer, wine, live music and comfort food.
Coffs Harbour is a 5hr 40min drive north of Sydney and just over four hours' drive from Brisbane. You can make this a memorable stop on a road trip, as you explore the spectacular NSW North Coast. You can also catch the train from Sydney and the journey takes around nine hours.
Qantas has direct flights to Coffs Harbour from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane; while Rex flies daily from Sydney to Coffs Harbour Monday to Friday with select scheduled flights over the weekend. Link Airways operates direct flights between Coffs Harbour and Brisbane six days a week. Coffs Harbour Airport is 4km from Coffs Harbour’s town centre.
Discover one of NSW’s most diverse destinations, with a long weekend in Coffs Harbour and Bellingen. This stunning stretch of coastline and mountains has something for everyone, from pristine beaches and lush rainforests, to quaint towns and bustling markets. And we can’t forget to mention the great food. Here’s how you can spend a long weekend in Coffs Harbour and Bellingen.
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