Maybe not doing it wrong, just doing it at the wrong time.<\/p>\n
Reasons to love Port Macquarie<\/h2>\n
I\u2019m the first to admit that there\u2019s not much to dislike about long balmy days where it never gets uncomfortably hot, and beaches where there\u2019s always room to find a place to spread your towel \u2013 and get a nearby parking spot \u2013 even on the busiest days. There\u2019s also plenty to love<\/a> about buzzy beachside bars full of happy people enjoying their week off by the sea. And who doesn\u2019t love spotting dolphins on your morning riverside walk, catching a glimpse of a platypus in a rainforest creek, or having a unique encounter with a koala at the state\u2019s only koala hospital<\/a> or Billabong Zoo<\/a>?<\/p>\n Go on a morning coastal walk and catch the sunrise.<\/p><\/div>\n But it\u2019s winter when Port really shines. Not just a figure of speech, the weather really is better in winter; days are mostly dry and it\u2019s not very often that morning temperatures dip to single figures (and when they do, they don\u2019t stay that way for long). While many hardy locals swim all year round, the best time to take a dip in the sea is after Easter, because the water is warmest in autumn. If you really do want to rug up and enjoy the chill, the sub-alpine wilderness of Werrikimbe National Park<\/a> is a short drive away. Part of the World Heritage-listed Gondwana forests, it\u2019s an ethereal wonderland of misty snow gum woodlands carpeted in everlastings, gullies filled with giant tree ferns, and lush cool temperate rainforest. It flies completely below the tourist radar, so even in the middle of summer, it\u2019s rare you\u2019ll share the picnic area or campground with anyone other than the resident platypus, wallabies and lyrebirds.<\/p>\n My favourite winter treat is to pull on the walking shoes and step out on the two-hour coastal <\/a>walk<\/a> that links Lighthouse Beach<\/a> to the centre of town via seven gloriously deserted beaches. Odds are you\u2019ll see more whales than people at this time of year \u2013 the banksia-studded headlands are great whale-watching spots<\/a> and the perfect place to soak up the winter sunshine while staring out to sea. The walk ends at the Town Green on the mouth of the Hastings River, where you\u2019ll find several waterfront bars<\/a> that do great cocktails: try The Beach House<\/a> for breezy drinks, good pub grub and posh burgers on the veranda, or something a little more special beside the floor-to-ceiling glass windows of Zebu<\/a>. Either way, the views are a knockout.<\/p>\n The banksia-studded headlands are great whale watching spots. (Image: Jodie Lowe)<\/p><\/div>\n The final string to Port Macquarie\u2019s wintery bow is a slew of events. In summer it’s just too busy to hold events, so it\u2019s autumn and winter when these take centre stage. Perhaps the one Port event to rule them all is ArtWalk<\/a>, the area\u2019s peak cultural festival held every June long weekend. An artists’ market, street performances, live music, workshops and illuminations take over not just the Port CBD but across the entire Port Macquarie Hastings region.<\/p>\n When you need an umbrella for shade in winter you know its where you want to be. Enjoy a Port Macquarie winter morning coffee at Salty Crew.<\/p><\/div>\n There was a time when eating out in Port<\/a> was all about fish and chips. It still is, except in recent years some very talented chefs have catapulted fish and chips to the next level. The Stunned Mullet<\/a> has won a swag of chef hats over the past 10 years, and the seafood served at Bills Fishhouse + Bar<\/a> is always noteworthy; sister restaurant twotriplefour by Bills<\/a> overlooks the rose gardens at Cassegrain Winery<\/a> (they just won Australian Winemaker of the Year) and really puts the oomph into the paddock to plate. For more of a sand-between-your-toes beach vibe, head to the Salty Crew Kiosk<\/a> on Town Beach<\/a>, or turn your back on the sea altogether at the Black Duck Brewery<\/a> \u2013 on Friday nights the shed rocks with a great line-up of local musicians.<\/p>\n Winter is also the best time to eat strawberries and tomatoes in Port. Anywhere else they’re strictly summertime treats, but Ricardoes Tomatoes & Strawberries<\/a> are grown all year round, and are so packed full of flavour they’re like absolutely nothing you\u2019ve ever had before \u2013 unless of course, you\u2019re clever enough to grow your own. Farm tours are free, you can pick your own strawberries, and the Big Red Cafe does the world\u2019s best strawberry shortcake, as well as a stellar plate of scones with strawberry jam and cream. The tomatoes should come with a warning though: once you’ve tasted these, you\u2019ll never be able to go back to buying them from a supermarket again.<\/p>\n There are plenty of note-worthy places to eat in at Port Macquarie, like Little Shack.<\/p><\/div>\n Sure, the town\u2019s beaches, bars and restaurants with their sea-forever views are seductive, but some of the real delights of Port aren\u2019t actually in Port, and the hinterland is one of the east coast\u2019s most underrated spots. Beechwood<\/a> Hotel<\/a> is rated the best country pub in Australia by Wotif, and the view from the deck of The Byabarra<\/a> is one of the best. Walking trails in the rainforest on the Comboyne Plateau<\/a> lead to hidden waterfalls and secret picnic spots (and its home, Boorgana Nature Reserve, is the second oldest nature reserve in NSW). See one of the largest single-drop waterfalls in the southern hemisphere at Ellenborough Falls, and head to Bago Winery to get lost in one of the <\/a>world\u2019s largest hedge maze<\/a>s. Indulge in some seriously wallet-friendly retail therapy in Wauchope\u2019s op shops and quirky boutiques; the local farmers<\/a>\u2019<\/a> market<\/a> held on the fourth Sunday of the month is one of the best in the state, but if you miss it, you can always follow one of the district\u2019s taste trails<\/a> for an insider\u2019s guide to local producers, providores and shops.<\/p>\n Head to Bago Winery to get lost in one of the world\u2019s largest hedge mazes. (Image: Remy Brand)<\/p><\/div>\n If you really can\u2019t bear to leave the coast, the 30-kilometre trip down Ocean Drive from Port Macquarie to Laurieton<\/a> and Camden Haven<\/a> is a sensationally scenic seaside route. Don\u2019t miss Armstrong\u2019s Oysters<\/a>, where you can buy a dozen of the best direct from the farm on Stingray Creek, followed by a takeaway from Laurieton\u2019s fishermen\u2019s co-op, all eaten while the pelicans watch on as you swing your feet from the wharf.<\/p>\n Winter in Port Macquarie? Bring it on.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Sun, sand and sea: it\u2019s the great Australian holiday dream, and why Port Macquarie \u2013 just \u2018Port\u2019 to the locals \u2013 has been a favourite family summer holiday spot for decades. After all, the hordes of travellers that flock to this pretty coastal town an easy four-hour freeway drive north of Sydney each summer can\u2019t […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":120,"featured_media":238599,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"advertorial.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_expiration-date-status":"","_expiration-date":0,"_expiration-date-type":"","_expiration-date-categories":[],"_expiration-date-options":[]},"categories":[866],"tags":[7245,7222,7239,4394,5515,4628,7238],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n![\"D](\"https:\/\/s1.at.atcdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/D-Coastal-walk-sunrise.jpg\")
Why Port Macquarie is better in the cold<\/h2>\n
![\"Humpback](\"https:\/\/s1.at.atcdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Humpback-whale-with-Port-Mac-pines-in-background-by-Jodie-Lowe.jpg\")
![\"Beach](\"https:\/\/s1.at.atcdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Beach-umbrella.jpg\")
Where to eat in Port Macquarie<\/h2>\n
![\"Little](\"https:\/\/s1.at.atcdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Little-shack-bar-open.jpg\")
Road tripping the Port Macquarie hinterland<\/h2>\n
![\"Bago](\"https:\/\/s1.at.atcdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Remy-brand-Bago-maze-drone-pic.jpg\")