I can’t believe this is the first trip and blog post of 2022! The past couple of years have really flown by and it’s insane that it has been two whole years since our last overseas trip and six months since our last big domestic one!
After spending Christmas and New Year sick with coronavirus, I was stoked to finally get away from the house for a weekend trip. While I’ve lived in New South Wales my whole life, I haven’t explored much of the state, often opting for overseas or interstate travel instead.
Coffs is located on the mid-coast of NSW, a 5.5hr drive north of Sydney or 4hrs south of Brisbane. The town also has an airport so you can fly in. Like anywhere outside of a city in Australia, you definitely need a car to get around. We made it a mini road trip and had the comfort of our own car for the trip.
Coffs is a beachy town perfect for a relaxing holiday, but we love to pack our days full of fun adventures, so crammed in a lot into the 48hrs we had.
So here you go – the best things to do in and around Coffs Harbour.
Swim at all the beaches
As a coastal town, Coffs Harbour boasts many gorgeous beaches. When we first arrived, we headed to Park Beach for a swim. The beach was gorgeous with rock pools and a small hill lookout over the area.
On the second evening, we headed to the Coffs Harbour marina and discovered the Muttonbird Island Nature Reserve. The 3.7km boardwalk takes you up and over the mountain, with lookout spots at either side. As the name suggests, the island is home to wedge-tailed shearwaters (muttonbirds) and a range of other wildlife. We spotted nests all over the hill. At the top, we admired panoramic views of Coffs as the sun set.
On our final morning, we drove to the other side of the marina to Jetty Beach to grab some breakfast. We were surprised to see so many cars around but it turned out the markets were on. The Harbourside Markets run every Sunday morning with shopping, food and drink stalls. We got some fresh juice and giant doughnuts to enjoy while walking along the jetty (we even saw a turtle)! Jetty Beach was gorgeous, but sadly a tsunami warning meant we couldn’t swim.
Waterfalls at Dorrigo
Fan of hiking and waterfalls? An hour west of Coffs lies the Dorrigo Rainforest Centre, with entry by a $2 donation. Nestled within lush bushland, highlights of the Centre include bushwalking tracks and the Skywalk lookout.
The main trail at the Rainforest Centre is the Wonga Track, a 6km 2-3hr moderate hike with two beautiful waterfalls at the midpoint. The track is a loop which we took anti-clockwise, stopping at Crystal Shower Falls and then Tristaina Falls. Crystal Falls was incredible, with a huge suspension bridge and access to walk behind the waterfall. Tristaina Falls had a smaller swing bridge but the waterfall was just as impressive. For those after a shorter walk, you can do the 30-minute Lyrebird Link track for a spot of birdwatching and a picnic.
After our hike, we headed into Dorrigo town to visit the famous Dangar Falls, an impressive 30m drop waterfall that you can swim in. At the carpark there is a viewing platform looking down on the waterfall plus tables for a picnic. If you’ve got more time, take the boardwalk down to the falls for a dip. Even in the middle of summer, the water is chilly but very refreshing. There were a few people floating around with their inflatables – we wished we’d brought some too!
Tip: visit the Rainforest centre and do the hike first and then head to Dangar falls to cool off with a swim.
Big Banana Fun Park & Sky Forest Pier
The most iconic sight of Coffs Harbour is the Big Banana. If you’re in the area, be sure to snap a photo with the original ‘big thing’! The Big Banana Fun Park is also home to a cafe and lots of fun rides – toboggan, mini-golf, waterslides and more. As it was a school holiday weekend, they only had unlimited passes available for $70 so we gave it a miss (the website suggests that you can buy passes for three rides for $30). We did stop for lunch at the cafe which was delicious – the chocolate-dipped bananas are a must-try!
Up the road from the Park is the Sky Forest Pier, a lookout with panoramic views over the coast and mountains. The best part? No hiking is required as it’s just steps from the carpark! This does mean it gets busy though – so avoid the middle of the day. Also, keep in mind that the area is gated and only open during daylight hours. We were short on time, but down the road from the lookout is a Treetops high ropes course – perfect for a little adrenaline rush!
Feel the magic of Butterfly House
Our final stop of the trip was the magical Coffs Harbour Butterfly House. Open from 10am to 2pm six days a week, Butterfly House is home to hundreds of butterflies, a Wonderland themed maze and a dinosaur walk. At $20pp entry (for adults), it’s the perfect spot to spend a few hours getting up close and personal with some beautiful butterflies.
It was amazing to get away for a few days to spend time in nature and we were blessed with beautiful weather. Pandemic-permitting, I’m hoping for lots more mini-getaways in 2022. We’ve got another big road trip planned for next week, so stay tuned for more photos and travel guides from that!
That’s a wrap on my guide to Coffs Harbour. I hope you enjoyed the post and that it inspired you to explore more of New South Wales.
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