Coffs Harbour Area - Relax at Coffs Harbour

Golden sand beaches sprawling for miles up and down the coast while banana plantations fill the hills around the area make for a landscape richly green and unusual. Coffs Harbour, where the mountains meet the sea, is a unique and exciting holiday getaway for the adventurous at heart.

Coffs Harbour, one of the largest regional cities in New South Wales, is best known for its riveting array of adventure sports. For adrenaline junkies there's skydiving, go-cart racing, parasailing, jetskiing, and whitewater rafting on the Nymboida River. Four-wheel drive adventures and mountain biking are also popular pursuits.

What brings many to this special part of the world are the dolphins and whales. In Spring dolphins frolic with their calves near the shore's edge. While in winter, you can take a cruise out to view humpback whales cruising up the coast on their migration to the warmer Queensland waters. Several humpbacks have calved in the shallow waters of Coffs Harbour. A number of excellent educational cruises are available.

Sea kayaking is another exhilarating way to get even closer to these majestic creatures and other marine wildlife such as manta rays, turtles and schooling fish found here. The waters also offer superb deep-sea fishing and magical scuba diving and snorkelling experiences.

For something less active, the area's many beautiful beaches make for perfect holidaying territory with surfing, fishing and picnics and barbecues among people's favourite pastimes.

The giant man-made banana at the northern end of town, pays homage to the region's thriving banana industry. Visitors to the Big Banana discover the world of horticulture with the added fun of cable flyers, ice skating, downhill skiing, experimental laboratory and plantation walks.

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Fertile farming land

With its fertile agricultural land, the Holiday Coast produces quality livestock and crops in the rich subtropical environment. Learn more about these primary industries on an agricultural tour of the region.

Golden beaches, island reserves

Long sweeps of uncrowded, golden beaches fringe Australia's North Coast. Meanwhile, Mutton Bird Island, reached by a path from Coffs Harbour jetty, is home to thousands of shearwaters (mutton birds), which make their nests in ground burrows between September and April.

Great driving

Australia's North Coast is part of the Pacific Coast Touring Route - one of Australia's great drives. Skirting the coast from Sydney to Cairns it includes off-the-beaten-track drives too. The drive between Coffs Harbour and Dorrigo, with its tropical fruit farms, is a delight.

Outdoor adventure

Coffs Harbour is an ideal base for furious white water rafting on the Nymboida River, while out to sea you can dive with grey nurse sharks, manta rays, and moray eels. Try deep sea fishing, four wheel driving, skydiving, go-karting, bushwalking, and mountain biking too!