Situated along the coast, backed by the hills of the Great Dividing Range, and covered in lush banana plantations, Coffs Harbour (pop. 70,000) is a popular spot for partygoers, scuba divers, and adrenaline junkies. The town is also known for its proximity to Solitary Islands National Marine Park. The continuing expansion of Coffs has come at the expense of its coastal charm, but the town’s tight-knit community and scenic harbor make it a worthwhile stop.
As it passes through the city of Coffs Harbour, the Pacific Hwy. takes on three new names: Grafton Street, Woolgoolga Road, and Bellingen Road. Coffs is divided into two main clusters, each centered on a different end of Harbour Drive: the Palms Centre, on Vernon St. at the west end of Harbour Dr., is the Central Business District (CBD), while the Jetty Village Shopping Centre at the east end has a smaller strip of shops by the harbor. The Muttonbird Island Nature Reserve is accessible by walking along the breakwater boardwalk at the end of Marina Dr. The city can be difficult to get around on foot, but hostels will often provide rides to attractions that are more than a 15min. walk away.
Many motels are clustered along the Pacific Hwy. and Park Beach Rd. Caravan parks and hostels often offer weekly discounts in the low season. For longer stays and larger groups, you can book apartments at the visitors center. There are also several urban camping options.
Across from the Jetty Village Shopping Centre on Harbour Dr. is a row of expensive restaurants serving up Thai, Vietnamese, Indian, Chinese, Italian, and Mod Oz meals. The Palms Centre Mall, Park Beach Plaza, and Jetty Village Shopping Centre each have supermarkets. The Plantation Hotel has cheap pub meals, including an all-day steak special for $7 with any alcohol purchase.
The Coffs Harbour Jetty, once bustling with local timber industry, is now a nexus of recreation with some commercial fishing. It has BBQ facilities and is an easy walk from Jetty Beach. The breakwater boardwalk, near the marina, connects the mainland to Muttonbird Island (named after its wedge-tailed inhabitants), a terrific lookout for spotting whales. The island was sacred to the region’s Gumbayngirr people; according to one story, a giant moon-man guarded the island and the muttonbirds. Park Beach and the beach immediately north of the marina are both popular hangouts, but they have dangerous currents. Since Coffs beaches are only patrolled in the summer, exercise caution. The Botanic Gardens, on Hardacre St., one block north of Harbour Dr., is definitely worth the walk for the beautiful birds that flock to its exotic plants. (☎02 6648 4188. Open daily 9am-5pm. Donation requested.) The 4km Coffs Creek Walk connects Rotary Park, at the intersection of Gordon and Coffs St. in the CBD, with the Coffs Creek inlet near Orlando St.; it also has a detour to the gardens. Make the hike a 10km circuit by continuing on the Coffs Creek Habitat Walk (6km), which follows the northern bank of the creek.
The Big Banana, 4km north of town on the Pacific Hwy., embodies kitsch. Enjoy an interactive 3D movie and guided tour to learn more than you need to know about banana cultivation ($10.50, students $9.50, children $8). Go tobogganing ($5, 5 rides $15), hike up through the plantation for a view over the city, or just snap photos in front of the giant banana. The cafe sells outstanding treats, including frozen, chocolate-covered bananas ($3.50) and banana splits ($7). A candy-maker, puzzle shop, ice rink, inflatable water slide park, and trike rental are also on the grounds. (☎02 6652 4355; www.bigbanana.com. Open daily 9am-4pm. Free.) For those who haven’t gotten enough banana, drive another kilometer up the road and turn left at Bruxner Park Road. A 7km scenic road winds through banana plantations up to Sealy Lookout and Bruxner Park Flora Reserve. Farmers sell bags of bananas and avocados ($1-2) in wooden stands along the way; leave the money in metal courtesy boxes.
Advertisements all over town point to the Pet Porpoise Pool, on Orlando St. by Coffs Creek. Although they’re geared toward kids, the dolphin shows at 10am and 1pm are still pretty fun. Come 30min. early and a dolphin will give you a peck on the cheek. (☎02 6652 2164; www.petporpoisepool.com. Open daily 9am-4pm. $27, backpackers $21, students $19, children $14, families $75.)
There’s no shortage of activities in Coffs. Hostels generally offer good rates, but don’t hesitate to call tour agencies to find commission-free fun. Nearly all companies operate year-round, and some offer discounts during the winter.
Diving. Jetty Dive Centre, 398 Harbour Dr., offers a four-day PADI course ($295 for backpackers staying at any Coffs hostel). The course is run off Muttonbird Island and not the Solitary Islands, making for better prices but less-exotic visuals. For $345, the half-and-half course offers two dives at Muttonbird Island and two in the Solitary Islands. An extra $88 is required for a medical check-up and textbook. (☎02 6651 1611; www.jettydive.com.au. Single intro-dive $165; double intro-dive $175; double boat-dive with gear from $160; snorkeling $55. Open daily 8am-5:30pm.) Solitary Islands Marine Reserve stretches 70km from Coffs Harbour to the Sandon River and encompasses nearly 100,000 hectares of protected beaches, headlands, creeks, and islands. Due to the unique mix of tropical waters from the north and cool, temperate waters from the south, the area has some of the most diverse marine life on the coast. Visibility is usually best during the winter, when the water is chilly. Swim with harmless gray nurse sharks year-round. The island is only accessible through dives and private boats. Contact the NSW Fisheries and Marine Parks Office, 32 Marina Dr., for more info. (☎02 6652 3977; www.mpa.nsw.gov.au. Open M-F 8:30am-5pm.)
Fishing And Whale Watching. Fishing boats Adriatic III (☎04 1252 2002) and Cougar Cat 12 (☎02 6651 6715 or 04 1866 6715; www.cougarcat12.com.au) will set you up with bait, line, and tackle. (6hr. reef fishing $100; leave 6am-noon. Game fishing by appointment.) Whales swim past Coffs in June and July and again from September to November; spot them during the winter months with Spirit Cruises . (☎02 6650 0155; www.spiritofcoffs.com.au. 2hr. Leaves daily at 9:30am and also 1pm on weekends. $39-60.) Spirit Cruises also offers excursions to see or swim with dolphins from January to May ($19-40).
Whitewater Rafting And Jet-Skiing. The Nymboida River, 2hr. west of Coffs, is the most popular place to raft. The rapids, mostly Class I-V sections, pass through dense rainforest. Various companies offer tours to the Nymboida. The Goolang River, a manmade kayaking course, is usually Class III, but flow depends on seasonal conditions. Liquid Assets Adventure Tours, the pioneers of surf-rafting, run unbeatable whitewater rafting on the Goolang and Nymboida, as well as slightly tamer but still adrenaline-charged sea-kayak and rafting tours. (☎02 6658 0850; www.surfrafting.com. Meals included with full-day tours. Goolang day $80; full day on the Nymboida $160. 3hr. sea kayaking $50; 3hr. surf-rafting $50; combo kayak and surf-rafting $50; “Big Day Out” combo of kayaking, surf-rafting, and whitewater rafting $135.)
Surfing. East Coast Surf School has a remarkable success rate with novices. Classes for advanced surfers are also available. Call to arrange pickup from hostels. (☎02 6651 5515 or 04 1225 7233; www.eastcoastsurfschool.com.au. 2hr. group lesson $55, 5 lessons $200; 1hr. private lesson $70.) Liquid Assets (see above) also offers a “learn to surf” class (3hr. $50). Most hostels provide surfboards and boogie boards for rental. The best surfing is at Diggers Beach (patrolled during school holidays), north of Macauleys Headland, accessible off the Pacific Hwy. From the Big Banana , turn onto Diggers Beach Rd. and follow it to the end. The Gallows Beach, down at the Jetty, also offers good breaks. To learn about surfing without getting your feet wet, visit former surfing champ Scott Dillon’s Legends Surf Museum, at 3/18 Gaudron’s Rd. in Korora, about 2km north of Coffs Harbour on the Pacific Hwy. (☎02 6653 6536; dafin@key.net.au. Open daily 10am-4pm. $5, children $2.)
Coffs nightlife, focused around Grafton St., isn’t quite as active as the daytime scene, but finding a party crowd isn’t too difficult in the summertime, and hostels sometimes organize nights out for their guests. Most pubs have cover bands or DJs on weekends. The Plantation Hotel, on Grafton St., caters to the younger college crowd with its lounge rooms, dance floor, and frequent big-name DJs. (☎02 6652 3855; www.plantationhotel.com.au. Cover F-Sa $5. Open M-Th and Su until 2am, F-Sa until 3 or 4am.). The Coffs Hotel, on the corner of the Pacific Hwy. and West High St., has a “Shamrock Bar” with Irish and Aussie brews. (☎02 6652 3817; www.coffsharbourhotel.com. Free karaoke W and Th at 8:30pm and in-house DJs most other nights.) The somewhat bland Ex-Service’s Club (☎02 6652 3888), on the corner of Grafton and Vernon St., serves reasonably priced drinks (schooners $3.60). Non-members must arrive before 11pm. Although it is 20min. from town, the Greenhouse Tavern, on the Pacific Hwy. by Park Beach Plaza, has multiple bars and live music (☎02 6651 5488)
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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.
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