Most visitors to Port Macquarie on the NSW mid-north coast expect to see these. Beaches....

..............some stretching as far as the eye can see.............

.....others delightfully secluded.

After all, this is NSW's oldest town, dating from 1821, and has drawn holiday-makers, honeymooners and sea-changers for many years. 

Imagine the surprise – no, make that, gobsmacked amazement – of explorer John Oxley and his men, trekking through mountainous inland NSW in 1818, when they broke out of harsh bushland and encountered a magical view of the sparkling ocean and sweeping sandy beaches.

Then there are the cafes. You'll find plenty of these, as well as all the fast-food chains. After all, this is a family holiday destination too, and the ocean is full of hungry surfers who come ashore just long enough to carb-load before heading out again. 

About a five-hour drive from Sydney, Port Macquarie is an ideal stopping point roughly halfway between Sydney and Brisbane on the Pacific Highway, aka Highway 1, now termed the Pacific Coast Touring Route. Getting to Port Macquarie (or Port, as the locals call it) – population over 40,000 – is certainly easier these days, but the rewards and surprises are just as great. 

But while we had expected those other things, what we weren't prepared for were these! Koalas, dozens of them, popping up everywhere throughout town, decorated to match their location.

Of course the real ones are here too, so it's no surprise that the local council chose to feature them for a year from last December until the end of 2015. The town has a Koala Hospital (free entry, daily) which rescues and rehabilitate these animals, tends to injured and sick ones, and raises tiny orphaned joeys. Of course they can be see in the wild too at the Sea Acres Rainforest Centre.

Of course we knew about the local food. This area is noted for its farmers' markets (more of that shortly) and producers, and several annual fairs and festivals featuring food and wine. The Observatory hotel made sure we got to appreciate it immediately with a gift bag of goodies in our room.

Just look what they give to guests: a sauvignon blanc from Cassegrain Wines, a bottle of chambourcin from Bago Vineyards, locally brewed beers from Black Duck Brewery, locally baked lavosh, Hastings Valley Dairy vintage cheddar, Ricardoes tomato chilli chutney, and handmade Baba Lila handmade chocolates. Of course we couldn't resist sampling these almost immediately!

Visitors to Port Macquarie have no trouble finding accommodation. There is everything from caravan parks and camping grounds, through bed and breakfast accommodation, to five-star elegance. The Observatory hotel adds even more by being justly proud of its green-cred. From 2008, it set out on a staged program to become carbon neutral. By retro-fitting with low-emission energy assets and the introduction of other environmentally-sound practices, the deluxe 4.5 star rated hotel is now one of Australia's few hotels to be awarded 100 percent carbon-neutral status.

Solar panels on the rooftop supply the energy consumption of about 100 guests per week, and there are many more initiatives in place. Read more about these....

As it happened, our visit coincided with National Tree Day and were presented with our very own tree  to plant, an indigenous Brush Muttonwood.

The hotel is named for the Astronomical Observatory which is located in the park between the hotel and popular Town Beach. The road is lined by Norfolk pines, and our extremely well-appointed apartment had a stunning view of it all.

Luckily for us, the best breakfast place in town was directly downstairs from our room.

Good coffee, great food....

...and the right attitude.

It was a sunny place to begin each day. After this, an excellent coffee, and a glance at the newspaper, it was time to head off and see what the region had to offer.

If you are in town on the fourth Saturday of any month, get up early, grab your shopping basket, and head for Wauchope showgrounds, about twenty minutes away. Here the farmers' market will be in full swing, and you'll pick up local cheeses, olives, homemade jams and freshly picked flowers.

The town is the centre of a rich food bowl and, as you can see, the locals are creative, with a lovely sense of humour. These products are made by Ewetopia which also offers farm-stay accommodation. As the name suggests they also have sheeps-milk products.

Pure milk from the farm's goats is used for these soaps made by Mountain Goat Soap.

The Northern Rivers region of New South Wales is well named. Wide rivers dawdle through lush landscapes before emptying into the ocean at regular intervals along the coast between Newcastle and Tweed Heads. These rich floodplains will grow almost anything – macadamias, avocadoes, kiwi fruit, coffee, bananas – and the sweet pastures plump out the udders of the many herds of black and white dairy cattle which dot the paddocks.

Stray inland from Wauchope on the Ellenborough Falls road, and you will be pleasantly surprise by tiny Byabarra. Only a handful of cars pass each day, yet most can’t resist stopping at Blue Poles cafe-gallery which also offers studio accommodation.

Having fallen for the Baba Lila handmade chocolates in our hotel room, we were thrilled to meet at the markets, Lila, the chocolatier who draws on her Russian heritage to create them. It’s a retail combination made in heaven, and by late-morning you can see how popular her stall is! Almost sold out.

Back in town, we discovered more koalas! There are over fifty on the Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail. Each has been individiually designed and decorated to suit its location. Going on a 'koala search' can be a fun family activity - and a good way to see the town and its surrounds at the same time.

Tacking Point Lighthouse is worth a visit too, with its long views over the ocean and coastline. To the south, on Lighthouse Beach you may be able to take a camel ride in holiday season.

The lighthouse was erected in Victorian times and is now classified by the National Trust. The headland marks the end of the roughly nine-kilometre Coastal Walk from Town Beach to Lighthouse Beach.

And now for something completely different! 

Not every country town has something like this, but Port Venture Cruises offers junk cruises of the river and canals in an authentic vessel.

The company also offers cruises on its other boat, River Princess.

And here she is, our junk, ready to leave from the Cruise Terminal on the Hastings River.

We board and shortly glide out onto the river......

....and past  the houses on the canal developments. Sometimes, we are told, dolphins come and play around the boat.....

...though today the waters stayed quiet, but very beautiful. Port Macquarie has a very comfortable sub-tropical climate, and the weather was showing off how perfect it can be that day.

The junk moves at a stately eight knots - or 'pedal to the metal in this craft', as our friendly and very experienced skipper, Steve, says. As we go he tells stories and points out various parts of the river (Australia's oldest slipway, oysters raised on pontoons, a yacht which picked up survivors from a boat torpedoed by the Japanese in 1943) and brings the area alive for us.

And as it is the two-hour 'fish'n'chip' cruise (chicken and chips as an option), we are met halfway with our lunch!

And very good it was too.

For decades Port remained just as it name suggests - a port and ideal fishing spot. But tourism in the sixties changed all that. Motels mushroomed, resorts followed, and today it is a booming holiday destination.

People come now to enjoy the scuba diving, yachting, sailboarding, windsurfing,  horseriding, and hang-gliding, They hire boats, house-boats and jetskis; join river cruises, 4WD, eco and motorcycle tours; and go on canoe safaris. They charter fishing boats and aeroplanes, then parasail or skydive. Or they may simply play golf, or go fishing. See more ideas...

Port Macquarie’s Cassegrain Winery is noted for its delectable chambourcin and shiraz, and The Restaurant at Cassegrain, has long been highly-regarded.

On the fifth Sunday of the month the Artist's Markets draw crowds who come to listen to live folk music, browse the arts and crafts at the stalls, and soak in the ambience of the waterside gardens.

Of course (this is food-loving Port Macquarie after all!) there is plenty to eat as well.

Cross the mighty Hastings River, just north of Port Macquarie, and watch out for the large sign for Ricardoes Tomatoes & Strawberries, a clue that one of the state’s hidden gems is nearby. 

In 2005 brothers, Anthony and Richard Sarks, set out to raise the best and brightest and most flavourful hydroponic tomatoes. 

They became an immediate success. Soon they had added equally bright red strawberries and then, changing the colour-coding, introduced lettuces. 

Now there is a café and market selling tomatoes and strawberries (of course!) as well as other local produce and their multi award-winning products. 

With 140,000 plants of five varieties here, there are always plenty of strawberries to go around. 

How beautiful are these?

Perhaps the greatest drawcard is that visitors may pick-their-own strawberries. Children especially love doing this. Now, not only families come by car, but tourist groups by the coach-load. You can imagine how busy that cafe gets in summer!

Despite all the produce that grows in the area, it is still important to remember that Port Macquarie was originally known for its seafood. And it still is!

The long-established Big Oyster remains a drawcard, a place where you can relax and lunch overlooking the river and its oysterbeds, or take away a dozen or so freshly shucked ones to enjoy at home.

Whatever you do while you are in 'Port', take time to explore the string of beaches south of the town centre. Get a feel for the always-summer vibe, breathe in the salty fresh air.......  

......and pause to watch the waves rolling in from the world's largest ocean.

Back in town, Cafe 66 has excellent Italian food, and this astounding laneway mural beside it. Best to make a booking, as this place is extra popular.

Then, for something different, Tea and Treasures is just what you need for a quiet cuppa in beautiful surroundings. 

Tea is served here of course, so it is an ideal morning or afternoon place to stop and catch your breath. Of course the 'treasures' are all sorts of teacups and saucers, teapots and various china pieces for sale, many of which have been donated or collected. All the cakes, slices and biscuits are baked here, adding to the homestyle feel.

A town of contrasts, Port Macquarie is proud of the new additions such as the modern Glasshouse which serves as the town's entertainment and performance venue as well as information centre.

But then there is the history too, also valued.

(complete of course with a convict koala!)

Understandably the locals are proud of their local member who is called the 'father of Federation' and who became Australia's first prime minister.

If he could return over a hundred years later, Sir Edmund Barton would be proud of this tiny former fishing town and port. It has grown up beautifully - a hub for local residents and industry, a wonderful playground for visitors.

By now we had realised that Port Macquarie is a fun place offering something for everybody. Families, couples, travellers, locals. Here, old mixes with new in the balmy climate and it comes as no surprise that this town is high on the list of many people's favourite beach destinations.

Still ahead in 2015:

Port Macquarie Beer and Cider Festival, Saturday September 26.

&

Tastings on Hastings, with the celebrity chef Matt Moran, November 6-8.

For more information on Port Macquarie.... 

and more.....

Text & photographs: ©Sally Hammond

Video: ©Gordon Hammond

Sally & Gordon Hammond travelled to Port Macquarie independently. Accommodation was courtesy of The Observatory Hotel. Thanks to Port Venture Cruises as well.