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The Pacific Coast Touring Route
stretches between the main gateways of Sydney and
Brisbane, showcasing the very best of Australia.
This is a trip of just over 1000
km and although it can be driven in a single day,
we recommend that you take your time and explore
the many wonders this unique stretch of coastline
has to offer
Along the way travellers can stop
off and spend some quality time at numerous places
of interest, including
Towns and villages along the way
offer a variety of accommodation from camping grounds
and caravan parks with on-site cabins through to
high quality resorts. As some of the towns are small
it is recommended that you plan your stops and book
accommodation in advance – in a town that has only
one hotel it doesn’t take much for all the accommodation
to be booked, and the next town might be several
hours drive further up the road.
Just an hour's drive north of Sydney,
the Central Coast covers the coastline from the
Hawkesbury River north of Sydney for the next 80km/50
miles.
The beaches are popular with swimmers,
sun-lovers and families alike and there are countless
waterways that in the region including: Hawkesbury
River, Brisbane Water, Tuggerah Lake, Lake Budgewoi
and Lake Munmorah. These waterways are great for
boating and fishing. This is also the only place
in the world where five separate waterways meet.
For unique experiences visit the
Australian Reptile Park and Wildlife Sanctuary,
where you can get friendly with the native reptiles,
koalas and kangaroos; the Macadamia Nut Plantation
in the beautiful Yarramalong Valley; the Crab N
Oyster cruise on the Hawkesbury River or join the
daily feeding of the eager pelicans on the shores
of Tuggerah Lake at The Entrance.
The Central Coast is known for its
adventure activities. Horse ride through the wilderness
at Australia's largest free-range horse riding centre;
explore the bays on a guided kayak tour; hire a
luxury yacht and sail the magnificent waterways,
scuba dive or go deep sea fishing. The Hawkesbury
river also offers tourists the opportunity to hire
a houseboat in order to explore this picturesque
and pristine waterway at a leisurely pace.
With 12 national parks and reserves
to explore, bushwalkers will discover Aboriginal
and European historical sites, an impressive display
of wildflowers (in spring) and breathtaking coastal
views and perhaps even catch a glimpse of the unique
wildlife.
Spend the day browsing through the
boutiques at Terrigal Beach, discovering a few of
the great art and craft galleries and antique shops
or exploring the thriving City of Gosford on the
Brisbane water with its sleek sailing boats, sparkling
water and waterfront dining.
The Central Coast offers something
for everyone, all year round. Quiet fishing villages,
lively resort centres with a wide choice of dining
experiences and unspoiled beach destinations all
with accommodation from upmarket resorts and elegant
bed and breakfasts to caravan and cabin parks.
The Hunter offers visitors the choice
of coast and country, beaches and mountains, wilderness
and wineries, peaceful country towns and charming
cities. Entering the Hunter from the south along
the coast, you will come to Lake Macquarie, Australia's
largest coastal salt-water lake; featuring expansive
surf beaches and the beautiful Watagan Mountains.
Over 100 wineries offer some of
the finest vintages in the world in Hunter Valley
Wine Country. Welcoming wineries, fine art galleries,
craft stores and some of Australia's finest dining,
typify the Wine Country experience. A feast of festivals
focusing upon the great local wines, food, and music
is on offer throughout the year.
The city of Newcastle is the main
commercial centre of the Hunter and is fringed by
brilliant blue beaches and one of Australia's busiest
ports. Newcastle delights first time visitors with
its beauty, cultural wealth, fantastic eateries,
and a refreshing unpretentiousness. A short trip
across the harbour takes you to the spectacular
Stockton Sand Dunes. Take a 4WD, sand boarding or
quad bike tour on the largest moving coastal sand
mass in the Southern Hemisphere.
Panoramic views abound in the World
Heritage listed Barrington Tops, an 80,000 ha reserve
where Australian fauna can be witnessed in its native
habitat and the peace and tranquillity of ancient
forests is experienced. The townships of Gloucester
and Dungog offer country charm and warm hospitality.
Upper Hunter Country is the perfect
place to discover genuine country towns with main
streets that seem to have maintained the unspoiled
character of yester year. Attractions in the area
include rolling acres of vineyards, horse studs,
Wollemi National Park, and the Lake Liddell Recreational
area.
Singleton, blends heritage with
the here and now. To explore the wines, the walks
and waterways is to step back in time to an era
when life was much simpler. Visit the wineries,
dairy farms, orange orchards, herb farms, Aboriginal
cave paintings, open cut mines and Singleton's hidden
treasure, Lake St Clair.
The North Coast of New South Wales
offers visitors kilometres of crescent-shaped beaches,
meandering waterways and green forests stretching
from Port Stephens to just north of Coffs Harbour
and Woolgoolga.
Port Stephens is known for its white
beaches, crystal water and subtropical climate and
is a favourite with Sydney-siders. Nelson Bay visitors
can take one of the dolphin watch cruises which
depart regularly. Activities include all types of
water sports, golf, fishing and bushwalking.
The Great Lakes region is endowed
with beautiful lakes where locals and visitors indulge
in sailing, fishing, canoeing, windsurfing and house
boating. The shallow water of Wallis Lake is the
largest and best oyster producing area in NSW. Inland,
you'll find breathtaking views, dramatic mountains,
clear fast rivers, peaceful hidden valleys and quaint
villages, reminiscent of bygone pioneering days.
The twin towns of Forster/Tuncurry are a popular
family destination.
Taree and the Manning Valley offer
a breathtaking combination of rivers, mountains,
forests and beaches, taking in more than 26 seaside
and hinterland towns and villages that are a haven
for nature and adventure activities. Four national
parks, rare subtropical floodplain rainforests and
some fantastic and unspoilt stretches of coastline
make the Manning Valley a great wind down after
the city.
The Macleay Valley is a treasure
trove of natural beauty, boasting some of the best
beaches in the world and a hinterland that begs
exploration. Kempsey, the birthplace of Australian
country music legend Slim Dusty and home of the
Akubra Hat, has an award winning museum and many
beautifully preserved historic buildings. At South
West Rocks you will find Trial Bay Gaol, built by
prisoner labour in the 1880s, magnificent views
from Smoky Cape Lighthouse and the underwater wonder
of Fish Rock Cave.
As Australia's first resort, Port
Macquarie has become one of the largest towns in
New South Wales. But there's more to the Port Macquarie
region than great weather, golden beaches, rivers
and lakes, National Parks and stunning country scenery.
From the thriving town of Port Macquarie to the
seaside villages of the Camden Haven and west to
Comboyne and Wauchope, the wide variety of restaurants,
attractions, shops, sporting and adventure activities
offer something for everyone.
From the cool shade of the World
Heritage rainforests in Dorrigo National Park on
the rim of the Great Dividing Range, it's a short
distance down to the Coffs Coast's golden beaches.
Hub of the area is the bright and busy town of Coffs
Harbour, home of the Big Banana (…and Russell Crowe
– Oscar winner and Hollywood star). The international
Coffs Harbour marina precinct is a colourful location,
with shops and restaurants lining the waterfront.
Bellingen is a creative country town with a busy
art and music scene and fine heritage streetscapes.
Nambucca Heads is known for its relaxed atmosphere,
river and beach fishing, sailing and surfing. There
are numerous Aboriginal artists in Nambucca Shire.
In addition to tropical fruit plantations, forests,
horse riding and pottery shops, the valley hinterland
close to Macksville is home to the famous 'Pub With
No Beer'.
Located on the North Coast of New
South Wales just below the Queensland border, the
Northern Rivers NSW region is an area that encompasses
Tweed Heads, Byron Bay, Ballina, Lismore, Casino
and Grafton all nestled into the scenic backdrop
of three river valleys: Tweed, Richmond and Clarence.
The Northern Rivers is a place of astonishing scenic
beauty and should be on all international itineraries.
With over 300 kilometres of impressive
coastline, vast meandering rivers, crystal lakes
and cascading mountain streams, the region is an
aquatic playground. Among the headlands, sheltered
bays and seemingly endless beaches you'll find colourful
resorts where you can skip from the shimmering sands
to a stylish beachfront cafe and secluded coves
where the rainforest meets the sea.
Six precious World Heritage listed
national parks: the Border Ranges, Nightcap, Mount
Warning, Lamington and Springbrook national parks
and Iluka Nature Reserve can be found here, as well
as dozens of smaller parks, nature reserves and
rainforest remnants enough natural wonders to enthral
and delight the most ardent eco tourist. The two
dominant landforms of the area are Mount Warning,
an ancient volcano, and Australia's most easterly
point Cape Byron.
With rolling green hills, lush pastures,
32km of sweeping unspoilt white sand beaches and
the tranquil Richmond River, Ballina is the ideal
base from which to explore the region. Byron Bay
is a world-renowned tourist destination famous for
its 37km of fabulous coastline, including seven
world-class surfing beaches and adventure activities.
Mullumbimby, Murwillumbah, Brunswick
heads are all fantastic examples of Northern Rivers
towns laid back, relaxed and beautifully peaceful.
Nimbin is another small town in the hinterland,
just near Mount Warning, but Nimbin is anything
but typical as it is the spiritual home of Australia's
‘Hippies’ being the location of the first counter
culture commune in the Australia in the 1960’s
Yamba
is a coastal town at the mouth of one of Australia's
largest waterways, the Clarence River. Surrounded
by river, ocean, lake and forest, visitors can enjoy
river cruises, beaches, bushwalks, fishing and boating.
Just south of Yamba is Angourie, one of the coast's
best surfing spots. Nearby are Yuraygir and Bundjalung
national parks.
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