The walking tracks at Bruxner Park are only a 10-minute drive from the CBD, which make them  the closest rainforest walks to the Coffs Harbour city centre.

These bushwalks are so near and so easily accessible that you’ll have no excuse not to go there at least once. It’s amazing how many Coffs Harbour residents have never actually walked along these forest trails.

Immerse yourself in a rainforest experience just 10mins from Coffs Harbour

There is even a special flyer available from the Coffs Coast Visitor Information Centre that has a map showing all the walking trails.

The leaflet, produced by State Forests of NSW, also has some interesting information about the flora, fauna and history of the Bruxner Park Flora Reserve.

Pick up the flyer with map from the Coffs Coast Visitor Information Centre

Walking tracks in Bruxner Park, Coffs Harbour:

• Rainforest Walk. Interpretive trail with some labelled trees. Loop trail, 1.6km (approx. 45 mins). Park your car at The Gap.
• Creek Trail. This one-way trail (approx. 1km, 20-30 mins return) joins the Rainforest Walk at Halfway Creek so it’s easy to combine both walks. You can also walk back via the road and check out The Vincent Tree, one of the biggest flooded gums in NSW.
• Korora Lookout Trail. Easy 20-min return walk along a ridge with great views north along the Coffs coastline and towards the Solitary Islands. Starts from the Scenic Drive about 500m from Sealy Lookout.

There are no cafés or shops in the area, so bring your own picnic – there are picnic tables at Halfway Creek and Swans Road Crossing.

And don’t forget the insect repellent – you’re in a rainforest and can expect mosquitoes and other insects as well as possibly leeches sometimes, particularly after rain and in summer. Spraying your shoes, socks and exposed limbs with insect spray will keep them off you.

Autumn, winter and spring are the best times for a visit, when it’s cooler and there aren’t that many insects around.

While you’re there, you should definitely drive a further 2km from The Gap to Sealy Lookout to enjoy expansive views over Coffs Harbour.

View over Coffs Harbour from Sealy Lookout in Bruxner Park

Getting there:

Drive north along the Pacific Highway for about 5km from the Coffs Harbour City Centre and turn into Bruxner Park Road (about 1km after The Big Banana). The road winds its way up through banana plantations and avocado groves for another 5km to The Gap where the Rainforest Trail starts.

You can also drive about 1km further along Bruxner Park Road to Halfway Creek where the Creek Trail starts. A 2km Scenic Drive from The Gap in the other direction takes you to the Korora Lookout Trail and to the Sealy Lookout point.

Below is a complete list of all the eateries at the Coffs Harbour Jetty Strip, their specialties, their phone numbers and a link to their website, if they have one. There are around 20 cafés and restaurants in all.

Where is the Jetty Strip of Restaurants?

The Jetty Strip is at the bottom end of Harbour Drive, Coffs Harbour, just before the road becomes Orlando Street. It runs between Marina Drive and Camperdown Street. See Map. It is opposite the Jetty Village Shopping Centre and near the railway crossing on Marina Drive, which goes to the Jetty Foreshores, Jetty Beach and the Coffs Harbour International Marina. It takes about 3 minutes to drive to the Jetty Strip from the Coffs Harbour CBD along Harbour Drive.

Part of Coffs Harbour's 'eat street' - the Jetty Strip with over a dozen cafés and restaurants

The cafés and restaurants at the Jetty Strip:

Starting from Jetty Dive Centre on the easternmost corner of the Jetty Strip, you’ll find the following eateries:

• Taste of North India  (Indian) – Phone: 02 – 6651 1668‎
• The Watermark Brasserie  (Modern Australian) – Phone: 02 – 6651 8221
• The Fishermans Katch  (Seafood & Grill) - Phone: 02 – 6652 4372
• Foreshores Café  (Modern Australian) - Phone: 02 – 6652 3127
• Ristoranto Piccolo  (Modern Italian) - Phone: 02 – 6651 9599‎
• Fountain Restaurant  (Vietnamese) – Phone: 02 – 6651 1978
• Scoffs Restaurant  (Seafood & Grill) - Phone: 02 – 6651 1516
• Urban Espresso Lounge  (Coffee, Modern Australian) - Phone: 02 – 6651 1989
• Tandoori Oven  (Indian) – Phone: 02 – 6652 2279  
• The Crying Tiger Restaurant  (Thai) – Phone: 02 – 6650 0195‎
• Golden Crown Chinese Restaurant  (Chinese) - Phone: 02 – 6651 6787
• Cold Rock Ice Creamery  (Ice cream, coffee, cake) – Phone: 6652 4999
• Water Surf Art Café  (Coffee, cake, sushi) – Phone: 02 6651 4500
• Maria’s Restaurant  (Italian) - Phone: 02 – 6651 3000
• Tahruah Thai Kitchen  (Thai) – Phone: 02 – 6651 5992‎
• Waves Bistro at the Pier Hotel  (Modern Pub Food) – Phone: 02 – 6651 8222

The great thing about these restaurants is that most are nice and casual and offer outdoor seating. (What would make that even greater is if the strip wasn’t so narrow and so close to the road where cars drive past.)

Opening Hours & Days:

Some of these are only open for breakfast, coffee and lunch until mid-afternoon, while others open for lunch and dinner or for dinner only. Also, some restaurants close on certain days (e.g. Sunday and Monday), so it’s worth to call and check opening hours before you plan your meal out.

Other close-by eateries near the Coffs Harbour Jetty (within easy walking distance):

• Caffe Fiasco  (Italian & Wine Bar) – 22 Orlando St – Phone: 02 – 6651 2006
• Hog’s Breath Café  (Steak & Grill) – Jetty Village Shopping Centre – Phone: 02 – 6652 5646
• Y Knot Bistro at the Yacht Club  (Modern Australian) – 30 Marina Dr – Phone: 02 – 6651 1741
• Wild Harvest  (Modern Australian Café & Seafood Restaurant) – Coffs Harbour Marina – Phone: 02 – 6651 6888
• Creekside Café at the Pet Porpoise Pool (Casual Meals) – 65 Orlando St – Phone: 02 - 6659 1911

Changes: Things can change quite quickly in the hospitality scene, so if you know something has changed and would like to send me an update or new information, please email me.

And… bon appétit!

Find out more about Coffs Coast fish and other sea creatures at the Coffs Aquarium

The Aquarium is only open on Saturday and Sunday, and daily during NSW holidays, and it makes a nice brief outing for a rainy day on the weekend. Treat yourself and have lunch or coffee at Pacific Bay Resort afterwards – it’s right there, after all.

It’s not big (don’t expect something like the Sydney Aquarium) but the NMSC Aquarium gives a good overview of the fish, coral and other sea creatures of the Coffs Coast area.

I found it quite interesting to see all the fish that live in the Solitary Islands Marine Park and we enjoyed the half-hour video presentation, but after about 75 minutes, we’d really seen and done everything and stood back outside.

If you have kids, you can spend a little longer as the Aquarium has an education room with fun games and activities for children.

What fish will you see?

The Coffs Aquarium is really like a window into the Solitary Islands Marine Park, which stretches north from Coffs Harbour. Because this is where warm tropical waters from Queensland meet cooler waters from the south, our part of the ocean has a unique mix of marine life.

You’ll see various members of Nemo’s extended family but also the type of fish you can expect to catch locally such as mullet, bream and whiting. My favourite fish was the butterfly cod – it looked amazing!

Some extraordinary marine species live in Coffs Harbour waters!

A fun and educational video presentation starts on the hour every hour and there are several fish feeding sessions throughout the day. There’s also a guide who you can approach if you have any questions (which you may well have because not all the fish tanks display information about all the creatures you see inside it).

Essential Info

Location: The Aquarium is located at the National Marine Science Centre in Coffs Harbour, next-door to Novotel Pacific Bay Resort – just a few minutes up the highway from the Coffs Harbour CBD.

Tickets: Entry is $8 adults, $5 children/concession, $20 family and free for children under 3.

Opening hours: Every Saturday and Sunday 10am-4pm and daily during NSW school holidays.

Website/Phone: The National Marine Science Centre website has a page about the Aquarium and you can call (02) 6648 3931 with questions or to arrange a group visit.

Will we see whales today? If so, how many? And will they merely spout some spray into the air to alert us to their presence, will we see their backs glide gently out of and back into the water, will there be some tails up in the air or are they putting on a full-on breaching and tail-flapping show for us?

Watching mighty humpback whales in the ocean off Coffs Harbour

No matter how many times you’ve seen whales, because they’re so mighty and so unpredictable, every time you see one it’s exciting again. And it unites people, pointing them out to those who haven’t spotted them yet and going “oh” and “ah” and “wow” in unison.

Every year from late May, thousands of mighty humpback whales migrate north along the east coast of Australia from the cold Antarctic seas to the warm ocean waters off the Queensland coast to breed.

Along the NSW Coffs Coast, in June, July and early August you’ll see them on their way up, while from late August to early November they’ll be going back south with their calves. The whales actually tend to swim a bit closer to shore on their way back in order to protect their calves, so you may even get a closer view then.

Various tail-shots of migrating humpback whales along the Coffs Coast

Here are some excellent spots around Coffs Harbour to watch whales:

• On the water – aboard a whale-watching cruise, e.g. Spirit of Coffs Harbour Cruises (ph. 02 6650 0155) or Pacific Explorer (ph. 02 6652 8988)
• From the top of or the viewing platform on Muttonbird Island in Coffs Harbour
• From Beacon Hill Lookout on Victoria Street, Coffs Harbour Jetty area
• From Boambee or Bonville Headlands in Sawtell
• From Macauleys Headland, between Diggers Beach and Park Beach in Coffs Harbour
• From Look At Me Now Headland in Emerald Beach
• From Woolgoolga Headland in Woolgoolga

Bring your binoculars and if you’re going on a boat, make sure you bring your camera as I guarantee you’ll want to take lots of photos or videos!

All the headlands and lookout points mentioned above have benches to sit on, or bring a rug and a picnic and park yourselves on the grass for a relaxing game of “spot the whales”.

It’s a good idea to wait for calm weather because it can be incredibly difficult if not impossible to spot whales when the sea is choppy. Have fun!

One popular cycle route is the cycle path along Hogbin Drive between Coffs Harbour and the neighbouring village of Sawtell. The cycleway is separated from the road by a nature strip so it’s a safe and relaxing ride. And Sawtell makes a fun destination.

Just the stretch along Hogbin Drive is 6km, but if you go from the centre of Coffs Harbour to the centre of Sawtell it’s 10km. That’s a distance you can easily do in one hour (i.e. going a very leisurely 10km/hr).

A tree-lined section of the Hogbin Drive cycleway, Coffs Harbour - Sawtell

We enjoy meeting up with friends early on Sunday morning at the start of Hogbin Drive and riding to Sawtell to have breakfast before making our way back.

Some sections of the route you’ll be riding in the shade of tall trees while others are more open, giving you wide views of the area.

Cycling along Hogbin Drive near the university campus in Coffs Harbour

At the end of Hogbin Drive, you turn left into Sawtell Road and follow that for about 3km until you reach the centre of Sawtell.

However, if you want to avoid some steep hills, take the following easier, flatter option: At the roundabout at the end of Hogbin Drive, continue straight onto Toormina Road. After passing Centro Toormina Shopping Centre, turn left into Minorie Drive, at the end turn right into Werambie Street and take the path that brings you to the back of the Sawtell Railway Station.

Cross the railway line, follow Hulberts Road to Sixteenth Avenue and then take any left turn off there to bring you to First Avenue, Sawtell’s main street.

Park the bicycles, have a look around the Sawtell shops or follow the inevitable coffee aromas to find a good café for breakfast, morning tea or lunch.

The outdoor café at the Sawtell Surf Club, overlooking the beach

The Sawtell Surf Club Café being my favourite destination in Sawtell, we usually end up at a table overlooking magnificent Sawtell Beach. Keep an eye out for dolphins frolicking in the ocean and, between May and November, passing humpback whales.

For the bike ride back to Coffs Harbour, you can go the same way you came, but in reverse, or try an alternative route through the streets of Sawtell back to Hogbin Drive, although you may want to have a map with you… or someone who knows the way.

Once you’ve done this fun, safe and easy bike ride, I’m sure you’ll want to do it more often. Especially with the cafés in Sawtell having such great rewards on offer for your efforts!

I’ll go over the various ways to get to Coffs Harbour from Sydney – by car, bus, coach via the Pacific Highway; by plane with Virgin Blue or Qantas flights; or by train with Countrylink.

Personally, I prefer flying. It’s quick and you can get good deals on air tickets if you keep an eye out for sales, that seem to be on almost all the time. I subscribe to both Virgin Blue V-mail and Qantas Red email newsletters that alert me when there’s a sale on.

All prices are as found online on 5 April 2009 and may vary. They apply when pre-purchased, and are for one-way travel.

By air: Sydney to Coffs Harbour flights

• Airline: Virgin Blue
  Price: Currently from $75 / $85 economy, can drop to as low as $49 when on sale + $8 for check-in luggage if pre-purchased or $20 at the airport
  Duration: 1 hour 5 min
  Frequency: 2 flights per day
• Airline: Qantaslink (Qantas)
  Price: Currently from $105 economy, sometimes down to $79 with sales on
  Duration: 1 hour 5 min
  Frequency: 4 flights per day

By rail: Sydney to Coffs Harbour trains

• Rail service: Countrylink
  Price: Currently $66 economy / $92 first class
  Duration: 8 hours 40 min / 8 hours 55 min
  Frequency: 3 trains per day

By bus: Sydney to Coffs Harbour coaches

• Coach service: Greyhound
  Price: Currently $93 or $83 on special
  Duration: from 8 hours 10 min (night) to 10 hours 30 min
  Frequency: 4 coaches per day
• Coach service: Premier Motor Service
  Price: Currently $64
  Duration: 7 hours 50 min (night) / 8 hours 35 min
  Frequency: 2 coaches per day

By car: Sydney to Coffs Harbour via the Pacific Highway

• Vehicle: Your own or hired car
• Price: Whatever petrol you use
• Distance: 535 km (from Central Station, Sydney)
• Duration: 6 hours 45 mins according to Google maps – depending on traffic!

View Larger Map & Get Sydney to Coffs Harbour Directions

Zoom in on the map for route details or get Sydney to Coffs Harbour driving directions from Google maps. 

If you know of another good way to travel from Sydney to Coffs Harbour that I haven’t mentioned above, please let me know and I may include it.

I rode a horse for the very first time in my life a few years ago with Valery Trails at Bongil Bongil National Park, south of Coffs Harbour. Their gentle, well-behaved horses and friendly guides made this a very enjoyable experience.

Guided trail rides through Bongil Bongil National Park on horseback

You can choose from a variety of different rides of various lengths and at different times of the day.

We joined a 2 -hour trail ride at 10am and after receiving some instructions and getting acquainted with our selected horses, we followed the instructor into the forest for a wonderful experience that made us really feel connected with nature.

Truth is, you don’t really need to do much apart from enjoy the experience and marvel at the wonders of the rainforest from a higher vantage point than usual, because the horses are so disciplined and well trained that they do exactly what’s expected of them, even if you accidentally give them mixed signals.

The two hours will be over too soon but you can stay around for coffee or tea and hang out at the property which has barbecue and pool facilities you can use.

Valery Trails is located in Valery, between Bonville and Gleniffer about 20km south of Coffs Harbour. It’s a nice and scenic drive to get there. For more information and prices, see the Valery Trails website.

A Saturday or Sunday morning or afternoon is ideal to head out west to Coramba, Upper Orara and Nana Glen. On Monday and Tuesday, you may find some shops or cafés closed, but the views will be equally beautiful.

Find scenic views like this one at Upper Orara all around the Orara Valley

From the centre of Coffs Harbour, follow the signs to Coramba via West High Street and Coramba Road. The scenery becomes rural in just a few minutes, with banana plantations, avocado and fruit trees, wide open fields with cows and horses, and hills and valleys everywhere you look.

Take Mount Browne Road, which loops through the farmlands and forests of the Upper Orara Valley, a particularly picturesque piece of our hinterland. Drive up to the viewing platform on top of Karangi Dam (virtually always around 99% full!) to experience one of the quietest spots you’ve ever been.

Experience the utter peace and quiet up at Karangi Dam in the Orara Valley

Just before Coramba, you can stop at the charming Mountain Ash Pottery and Gallery, and in the historic village (1880) of Coramba itself, you’ll find a bakery, gift shop, general store and a pub with a beer garden out the back with incredible rural views.

Drive another 10km or so to Nana Glen, a lovely little village with two wineries and two cafés. I love Kafe Kookaburra, opposite the road from Orara Vale Vineyard, where you can enjoy a drink or lunch in the garden under the trees surrounded by cheeky birds.

The Orara River runs through here as well and there’s a nice park with picnic tables when you turn right in the centre of Nana Glen towards Bucca and Moonee Beach. Great place to relax in the shade by the river with a book and a snack.

Late afternoon, the light becomes magical. This is at the Kia-Ora farm in Nana Glen.

You can continue on to Glenreagh and Grafton, go back to Coffs Harbour the same way you came, or take Bucca Road through the Wedding Bells State Forest for about 23km until you’re at the Pacific Highway, from where it’s just another 10 minutes back to Coffs Harbour. If you’re keen to stretch your legs, there are several places you can stop on Bucca Road and take a walk along a forest trail.

Besides petrol for the car and perhaps some money for coffee or lunch, this tour doesn’t cost anything and you get to see a whole other side of Coffs Harbour. Just don’t forget to roll down your windows and stop regularly to admire the views, listen to the birds and smell the pure air of our pretty hinterland.

If the weather is good, Red Rock is the perfect destination for a relaxing day out with your special someone or the whole family.

The picturesque park by Red Rock River invites a rest, a picnic and a swim

Here are just a couple of things you can do when you’re in Red Rock:

• Swim across the crystal clear river to the sand bank, walk in the direction the tide is going, get back in and float back to the park where you entered the water. 
• Go fishing in the ocean or the river, from under a tree on the riverside or the boardwalk, or from your boat you can launch at the boat ramp (the caravan park kiosk sells bait).
• Bring a good book, a blanket and a picnic and relax under a tree in the picturesque park, or bring a ball or frisbee and play on the lawn of the riverside park.
• Launch your canoe, kayak or rubber dingy in the river and go for a paddle up through the undisturbed nature of Yuraygir National Park that starts here.
• Go for a walk along the boardwalk, you’ll see and hear lots of  birds by the waterside.
• Swim or surf in the ocean near the actual ‘Red Rock’ the village is named after.

Plus anything else you can think of that you can do in a park, on the beach, in the surf or on a river!

The near-deserted beach at Red Rock and the formation the village is named after

Just remember that there’s only the one shop/kiosk/takeaway at the Red Rock Caravan Park and no other shops, so you’ll have to bring most of what you need with you.

You’ll find it fairly quiet even though it’s a fantastic holiday destination, except for the summer school holidays when it can be pretty packed.

I guarantee it will be one of the most utterly relaxing days you’ve ever spent anywhere!

Get to Red Rock by heading north on the Pacific Highway from Coffs Harbour. It’s about 10 minutes past Woolgoolga, and signposted as a turnoff via Corindi. The trip from the Coffs CBD should take no longer than 35 minutes.

They’re called the Harbourside Markets. Not to be confused with the Jetty Markets, which are held indoors underneath the Jetty Village Shopping Centre.

The Harbourside market stalls are set up underneath the trees and the atmosphere is really laid-back. It’s the perfect way to start your Sunday.

There's a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere at the Harbourside Markets

There’s a paved walkway along the Jetty Foreshores, just behind the sand dunes, all the way from Coffs Creek to the Deep Sea Fishing Club (probably between 1 and 2km). You can park your car on many spots along the foreshores, go for a walk on the pathway, Jetty Beach or the Jetty itself, and end up at the markets.

There are usually around 40 stalls or so, selling only home-made and home-grown products and produce. From fresh veggies to cakes, plants, jewellery and arts and craft, you’ll usually find something you like, want or need. 

You can also get a massage and there’s often a jumping castle, fake tattoos and pony rides for kids. There’s music playing to add to the relaxed atmosphere and from 10.00am, musicians (different ones every week) play live music in the centre of the market ‘circle’.

We go to the Harbourside Markets nearly every week. Sometimes we bring the Sunday paper, buy a large cup of freshly brewed, organic coffee and perhaps a slice of banana bread or something, and settle down on a picnic bench in the shade just behind the market, where we can still enjoy the music.

The market stalls are set up in the shade of the trees on the Jetty Foreshores

The markets are on every Sunday from 8am to 2pm. A bit of rain doesn’t stop them, and ever since they started in September 2007, I think they’ve only been cancelled half a dozen times in all due to swamped grounds.

I really do think the Harbourside Markets are the best way to start your Sunday in Coffs!