I was afraid it would be a tiny ice rink but it was actually bigger than expected. I’ve been to an indoor ice skating rink before where you all you could do was go around in tiny circles, but at the Coffs Harbour ice rink, you can actually pick up some decent speed on the straight stretches before having to turn the corner.

The quality of the surface is also pretty good and there are lots of helpers on and off the ice eager to assist anyone who needs a hand.

Ice skating at The Big Banana ice rink, Coffs Harbour: fun for the whole family

(There’s also a short VIDEO at the bottom of this page)

It’s quite strange to see people ice skating in shorts and t-shirts, but it’s a permanent 15 deg C in the hall and if you dress too warm, I guarantee you’ll want to throw off some layers after skating a few rounds.

Essential Info

What do you need? Thick socks, that’s really the only thing you’ll need to bring. Wear something that’s comfortable to move around in and suitable for an air temperature of 15 degrees C. There are lockers for your bags and valuables.

Skates: Skate hire is included in the entry fee. You can choose from two different types of skates: figure skates or hockey skates. They’ve got them in all sizes. There are special kiddie skates as well.

Location: The ice skating rink is located at The Big Banana in Coffs Harbour, just a few kilometres north from the CBD on the Pacific Highway. You can’t miss the Big Banana! From there, just follow the signs to the ice rink.

Tickets: Entry prices are: $14.50 adults (14+), $12 kids 4-13, $2.50 under 4 and $42.50 for a family pass (2 adults + 2 children < 14). This includes skate hire. The Big Banana also offers combo passes if you’re interested in different attractions.

Opening hours: Every day 1.00pm-2.30pm, plus 7pm-9pm on Friday and Saturday nights. Extra morning sessions run daily during NSW school holidays only: from 10.30am to noon.

Website/Phone: Visit the ice skating page on The Big Banana website or call (02) 6652 4355 for more information.

There’s no need to book, you can just turn up. Don’t forget your socks!

Below is a complete list of all the eateries at the Coffs Harbour Jetty Strip of restaurants, 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
• Foreshores Café  (Modern Australian) - Phone: 02 – 6652 3127
• Fountain Restaurant  (Vietnamese) – Phone: 02 – 6651 1978
• 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
• Oberoi’s Indian Restaurant (Indian) – Phone: 6651 9699
• 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
• Indulge Café Bar Lounge (Modern Australian/Wine bar)- Phone: 02 – 6652 5565
• 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.)

Other eateries close to the Coffs Harbour Jetty Strip (within easy walking distance):

• Fiasco Ristorante + Bar  (Italian & Wine Bar) – 22 Orlando St – Phone: 02 – 6651 2006
• Lakiss’ Jetty Pizzeria (Pizzeria) – Jetty Village Shopping Centre – Phone: 02 – 6652 1939
• 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
• Latitude 30 Restaurant & Bar  (Modern Australian Restaurant, Café, Wine Bar) – Coffs Harbour Marina – Phone: 02 – 6651 6888
• Creekside Café at the Pet Porpoise Pool (Casual Meals) – 65 Orlando St – Phone: 02 - 6659 1911

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 are closed on certain days (e.g. Sunday and Monday), so it’s worth to call and check opening hours before you plan your meal out.

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 $10 adults, $6 children, $8 concession, $25 family (2 adults + 2 children < 16) and free entry 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.