Port Macquarie, NSW 2444

We moved to Port Macquarie 2 1/2 years ago and would never go back to Sydney. We moved from Avalon Beach which is a beautiful part of the Northern Beaches but needed a change. We now live on a small acrage 20 minutes outside of town. We have found our haven. People here are extremely friendly, shopping centres are good and I find I never need to leave the area to buy anything. We have boutique wineries in the area, great camping areas, amazing beaches and lots of things for people to do and explore from the very young to the very old. Climate is amazing. My son has been here with his family for 3 years and is a carpenter. He has never been out of work and said there is an abundance of work if you want it. Lots of restaurants to choose from, heaps of stunning, patrolled beaches for the kids and a massive dog beach at Lighthouse Beach.

Before moving to Port I knew that in 1991 seventy percent of the population voted not to have fluoride in the water.

In 2020, the elected mayor tried to commission a new poll to see if the town still held such regressive views. This was to help her lobby the state government to stop them preventing tooth decay. Make of that what you will.

Despite my low expectations, I was still blown away by how backwards this place is. And before you come at me for being a snob, I grew up in a country town. Port is different.

Move outside the town centre and footpaths don't exist. Neither do protected crossings or traffic lights. If you're blind and need to cross the road, don't live in Port unless you want to be flat. If you have the gift of sight and not the gift of good sense, and decide to move here, be prepared to see oldies riding their mobility scooters down busy roads because they have nowhere else to go. It has beaches though.

Any historical architecture has been destroyed for 80's cement rendered monstrosities. The cinema is rubbish, and the pubs are empty beer barns with toothless locals in fluro shirts feeding cash into pokies. It's got lots of parking for your hilux though.

The crime is above the state average and getting worse. If you don't believe me, go for a walk near kooloonbung park at night, where the local 'creek rats' shoot up and camp. It's not as bad as Kempsey though.

If after reading this you still don't believe me and want to move to port, just go on the local facebook pages and tell them you're an outsider looking to move here. See what kind of reception you get. It could be worse, at least the Real Estate Agents who post on this site seem nice, right?

IV Just perched a lovely Home Hear in this area and I Love it. Qight Good Nabour s. Can hear the waves. So much Buitiful wild life.

Port Macquarie is a great place to bring up a family, there are plenty of amazing schools and plenty of opportunity when they are out of school looking for work or wanting to stay local and want to go to a local university.
There are plenty of activities to do and beautiful scenery to be seen .E.G Beaches, Shopping centres, Play centres for kids and the whole family,restaurants and pubs
I'm 23, born and raised here, I don't ever plan of leaving this area, I highly recommend to port Macquarie

After moving to Port Macquarie from the Hunter Valley 6 years ago, I have found Port Macquarie to be a beautiful coastal town that has so much to offer for everyone. Everything that you need is within walking distance or a small drive at best. The ample amount of beaches here are absolutely beautiful with an endless choice of cafes along the way.
Ticks all the boxes!

Theres so much to love about Port Macquarie, the temperate climate, amazing beaches and the fact it is really now a city with all the services that come with city life(health facilities , restaurant's, University etc). Great place to raise your family.

I moved to Port Macquarie a few years ago and instantly felt included and a part of the community. There is always things to do, like bush walks, beaches good food and entertainment. Everyones super friendly and happy to help!

If your looking for a relaxed, family friendly place to call home, surrounded by pristine water ways and a multitude of nature escapes then Port Macquarie is it! Fantastic schooling options both public and private, amazing medical facilities, plenty to do with the kids on the weekends, a town that has all the makings of a big city but the old school courtesy amongst locals of saying G'day. Port Mac even has an Airport, and home to Charles Sturt University!

After moving 6 years ago we are still impressed. Easy to make new friendships Schools are great , and Port has an airport & hospital. Beaches are sensational. No place better to raise children with the most amazing neighbours.

The beaches are great, we have plenty of parks and playgrounds for the kids, we’re surrounded by some awesome 4WD tracks, breathtaking waterfalls and fantastic camping spots, not to mention the zoo, Ricardo’s strawberry picking and Timbertown.

Having grown up on Sydney's Northern Beaches it was an easy move to the slow pace of Port Macquarie in 2001. The laid back lifestyle where most people only worked Monday to Friday and socialised on the weekend .Things have certainly changed over the years with the growth of the population driving changes across the board to schooling , the emergence of University , developing sporting facilities, dynamic social groups for a wide range of personal development and enjoyment . Our building industry has become an enormous asset to developing suburbs with a wide rage of quality project builders established and thriving and employing our young as a result. Our restaurant scene has certainly grown to a quality level that now sees new eateries pop up refreshingly regularly with a wide range of cultures awakening our once sleepy town and palates. Port Macquarie is emerging with an ever new profile and becoming a major centre for Medical and Educational facilities with services now on par with major cities. Tourism will forever be a major part of Port Macquarie and accommodation and resort facilities have flourished to help maintain that growth as we move forward and modernise one of Australia's favourite Holiday destinations.

I can not believe that people are complaining about Port Macquarie.

Firstly, we have previously lived on Sydney's North Shore, Darling Harbour, The Blue Mountains and, Tasmania so we are well used to discovering new communities.

We first explored PMQ 30 years ago as an overnight stop while travelling from Sydney to Grafton and in that time we have certainly noticed the changes . It has morphed from a sleepy little, of the main route, coastal village to a delightful area that has grown significantly due to recent infrastructure that includes the Charles Sturt University and, medical facilities that now are up there with the best that capital cities offer, and a vibrant community.

Please do not listen to the harbingers of doom and gloom and if in doubt why not move here for 6 months and rent before you make that monumental decision to move.

We have 17 beaches to explore (Shelly Beach has some amazing rocks that pre-date the Jurassic age!), an array of different cuisines at various price points (including a 2 hatted restaurant that locals dub the "stunned wallet: because of the ridiculous prices they charge.

Take the plunge

Cheers

Our family moved here 4 years ago from ‘the city.’ We loved the beaches and beautiful nature all around us.
The people, not so much. We have decided to move on, as we have never felt so unwelcome anywhere- and we have lived everywhere.... All of our family members have put in great efforts in school, sports and work to become involved members of this town. Yet, all 5 of us still feel very excludes and unwelcome, even after 4 years of trying. People around here are exclusive, unfriendly at best and impolite at worst, negative about almost everything. A walhalla of Karens. The biggest mistake of our life was moving here.

I have lived here for 24+ years and in that time I have watched Port transform from a cute, quiet little fishing village to a very busy place with a population that is growing at an alarming rate! There are so many people here now!
The pros are:
If you are s self funded retiree with plenty of money, it's all at your feet
Great beaches and waterways for surfing, fishing, swimming and boating tours, as well as designated off the leash beaches for dogs
Great surrounding areas for camping, bush walking, exploring and wine
Eateries and restaurants everywhere!
A decent hospital and the ambos are awesome. Lots of GP's and specialists
2 main shopping centres and smaller ones dotted around the place
Universities and TAFE, which has brought cultural and ethnic diversity. Great to see!
Everything pretty much contained and central
A fairly safe place to live

The cons:
People are flooding into this place with not enough infrastructure or housing to support the swell
It's an expensive place to live, with prices hiked during tourist seasons
Water is scarce during a drought. Water is for the tourists, while the locals suffer water restrictions for long periods to compensate
Renting is a nightmare, it's expensive, insecure and limited with a very strict criteria
If you own your home you will be paying very high rates for very little in return, a garbage service is the best you can hope for
The council is broke and it shows, you just have to look around to see how shabby this place is starting to look. Such a shame that the first thing a tourist sees when driving in is overgrown weeds everywhere and graffiti!
The traffic is a nightmare! There are times you would be forgiven for thinking you live in a Sydney suburb. It can take 15 minutes to drive 3km at certain times of the day, and other times in between
The old adage of 'there's work here if you want it' is just untrue! People who have full time work here have been in their jobs forever, and they aren't giving them up any time soon. There are shifts here and there in retail but it isn't enough to live on. Most youth that grow up here move away to find work because there is no future for them
There are a few dodgy areas like most places
The beaches here can be dangerous with many lives lost over the years. There needs to be more information available for tourists to stay safe
Public transport is expensive unless you are on a pension

When visiting Port Macquarie hang on to something when driving on the roads, the roads must be the worst roads in the country, we moved to Port Macquarie in 1988 and the roads were so bad with potholes, patched up all over the place, moved out in 2008 so relieved when we moved out, went back for a visit Feb 2021, the council should be ashamed of themself being a holiday town as the roads have not changed except the new road in from the highway at the big donut roundabout.
Our daughter hit a pothole and cracked her alloy wheel, the council said they wouldn't replace the wheel.

So glad we moved out of PM.

A great variety of beaches, whether you are after somewhere to fish, surf or swim is on offer in the Port Macquarie area. Large variety of shops including major chain stores and local boutiques and normally open most days. Big range of restaurants and cafes to cater for all tastes & budgets. University, TAFE, major medical facilities are all on offer as well.
Kylie King, Harcourts Real Estate 0429 184 303

Beautiful location, great beaches, walking tracks and quiet.

This is not a bad suburb to raise a family. In fact it is also not an overly bad place to live. The things you need to consider though is that if you expect your children to live here as adults, you are really holding them back from achieving their true potential and having a chance to experience the world. What I mean is, that if this suburb were closer to a major city, it would be the perfect place to live. It has nice beaches, parks, good restaurants, big brand name universities with a limited range of courses on offer and that's about it. The employment is limited to the hospital which is modern, new and innovative by the way. Out side of the hospital, employment is limited to what ever is on offer. Yes you can get a job in the industrial area, retail or in a profession in town, but as the job market is limited, actually getting one of those jobs would be very difficult.
New people to this town rarely stay longer than five years, It is a difficult place to break into socially. I know people who have been living here 30 years and still feel socially isolated. The vast majority of the people I work with...their social group is limited to the people they work with.
Port Macquarie is very sports orientated, if you are into sports, this would be the place for you, if you are into academic things such as museums, art galleries or culture in general, these things do exist up here but are very limited.
Port Macquarie has been said to have the highest ratio of medical specialists per capita than anywhere else in the country, this together with the hospital provides world class healthcare.
The nearest major towns are Coffs Harbour two and a half hours to the north and New Castle about three hours to the south. apart from that, there are just country towns that lack major urban centres. If that is what you are looking for. There are some very happy people who live here, they believe it is an amazing place. But they are the people who's families and extended families are here so they have an established network.
If the best thing about a town is it's restaurants, then you know that that town does not have much else going for it. What I mean is if the most exciting thing to do in a place is eat, that is all you will be doing. Port Macquarie has some amazing restaurants with some of the best food around.
Most of the people I know who have adult children, their adult children have left this area to move to the cities.

I have been living here for almost six years now. I moved here when I was 23years old, 29 now. This has been a tough city to break into socially. I moved here from the Blue Mountains. I love the people I work with but my job would be the only thing keeping me here. That being said it is now time for me to go home.

I seriously think if you do consider moving up here, you really need to come here with an escape plan, even if that means keeping your house and renting here. If you go here thinking the move is permanent than this can really be a suffocating place to live. As soon as I planned on leaving I have become the happiest I have been in years.

Returned to Port Mac after many years for health and work reasons. Very expensive realestate near the beaches. Best area is Shelly Beach and Lighthouse for living. Building many new homes out to the highway resulting in traffic issues into the town centre.
Lots of quality cafes and the water ways are beautiful which I am fortunate to see on a daily basis working nearby. My saving grace.
Think about living out of Port Mac if you would like waterside living like Bonny Hills, North Haven and Laurieton. Beautiful blue water and clean sands, more relaxed lifestyle.
We will move on again, prob further south in a few years to find the forever home.

I’ve lived in Port Macquarie all my life. It’s an alright town. Look wise we have some really beautiful beaches and reserves! We have two big shopping centres and you can pretty much get everywhere on foot easily. There’s only one nightclub, which is pretty average but still busy on Saturday! But there’s still plenty of pubs and bars. Personally I think there needs to be more activities for tweens/young adults and more nightclubs. It can get abit boring here sometimes. If your moving to port make sure you pick a safe area. Robbery’s do happen and I recommend you locking your pets up at night. Also if you have a new nice car, someone will dint it. It happens all the time, the parking is terrible and people don’t know how to drive. Port is a growing town and I’m hoping it will get bigger and better, cause rents pretty expensive and jobs are hard to find. I know so many people aged 17-24 that are on centerlink because they can’t get jobs. Port is dog friendly and has amazing weather and wildlife.

Walkability of the city is a huge plus. Restaurants, cafe's, kids parks, river walks, river boat tours, safe swimming, shopping, best fish and chips, fishing and so much more. It is so safe and welcoming.

Port Macquarie is truly a beauty ! So much natural environmental clean living with progress ! Families will love the ease to get around yet have a small city convenience to shop and enjoy the lifestyle ! Lighthouse beach is probably the best suburb here and attracts a lot of international visitors to the region ! Petrol is more but you can shop around ! The Dolphins and whales are awesome and you can see them easily I just woyidbt recommend port for single folk , families and couples definitely

We moved here at the start of 2014. The fishing, crabbing is great, not to hot in summer and not to cold in winter, really nice beaches, good sporting facilities. It's very busy with school holidays and even busier at Xmas. If you are considering moving here make sure you have a job here or are in a needed profession, it's the old saying it's not what you no it's who you no. Iv never been out of work in my life but I was nearly 4 months without work so all the savings were gone by then. There are lots of things to do around the place just depends on what you like. Lake Cathie a 10 min drive from port is an unreal family spot. Don't go out much here but there is some really good taverns and pubs. The taverns are more of a working mans place(men just knocking off work). Over all it's a cracker of a place just make sure you have work before you move here.

Been living here for five years. Find driving from one destination to another is only five to ten minutes drive. There are a lot of options for schools, mostly catholic schools. The place can get busy at Christmas time with a lot of traffic. Not much option for shopping, you do have two "major" shopping centres. The place has beautiful beaches and clean. Not much graffiti which is nice. There are more medical facilities now then there was a few years ago. You do have to be careful of ticks on your animals. The parking can be a pain especially during summer. The hospital is getting a much needed renovation. There are a few different eat outs but not a great deal to choose from. The cost of living can be expensive. There are a lot of public buses all around town and to Wauchope to the railway station. Not much for young adults, as in job wise.

I've lived in Port for a few years and can't stand the place. It's extremely cliquey and insular, most locals think that you need a passport to travel to Coffs. It seems friendly on the surface, but to be honest even Sydney is more welcoming.
There's very little to do beyond taking your kids to the park or beach. I think even the retirees are bored!
If you're prepared to spend your time making friends with the right people so your kids can have a smooth time at school, then this is the place for you.

Have lived in Newcastle and all over Sydney. Port Macquarie is the best place to live in NSW.

Friendly retirement place with narrow streets FEW FOOTPATHS and FEW BUS SHELTERS. During school holidays its impossible to find a park. Absolutely nothing in the way of nightlife. Internet acess is frequently oops servers down again.Medical facilities are on the improve. Certain areas will cost extra in insurance ie Clifton area including all of the Bulkhead Newmarket Grove side possibly due to the high rate of breakins (check at the local police station for best info). If you have a dog or cat this is a high risk area for paralysis ticks BE WARNED dont miss the tick drops every fortnight. The vets have a thriving bussiness in tick antitoxin treatment. VERY EXPENSIVE and can be fatal. Schools are pretty good, professionals ie Doctors and Dentists send children to St Columba,others choose either catholic or public. Eating outs not bad some places are overpriced for what they offer. THE WEATHER IS USUALLY FANTASTIC.thats why I stay oh and the roses flower year round.

A gorgeous beachside town.The people are friendly, genuine and relaxed. I hope to come back here often. The only downside is limited number of dining options.

Mort Street and Walters Street. We have lived in 15 locations from Canberra, To Lismore, Ballina, Sydney etc and this is the nicest by so far its not funny. Near Settlement City. So beautiful, with walks along the foreshores and river. Beautiful parks everywhere, excellent retail and cafe's and reseraunts. Choices of public, Catholic and Anglican schools. Very good traffic flow except the CBD in xmas holidays. Great health facilities with public and private hospitals and lots of local and visiting specialists. Busses provide pretty regular public transport. Plenty of recreational facilities with Go Kart track, moto cross track, stron cycling MTB and Triathlon presence. Strong competition across all the ball sports. Just needs a university. Feels very safe to walk around bot day and night and you rarely hear of antisocial behaviour or crime.

Have lived here for 5 years after living at a number of different places around the state and grew up down on the Central Coast. Good place for bringing up kids, plenty of excellent schools to choose from. Great beaches and are always clean. Top fishing to be had in and around the area. Love living here and will not move from here.

Port is a great family destination for holidays and seemingly a growing permanent destination for Sydney siders. Great beach options,natural areas and wines.Some quality apartments have been developed in William St.

Port is a relaxed town. Many friendly people, many that have moved from the big smoke. Everyone seems to enjoy living in Port. Port has wonderful schools, both public, catholic or private. Tacking point school although very big, is a wonderful school, and offers so much opportunity. it also sits well above the state average in naplan tests. as does hastings public school. the catholic schools have high attendance, but this is more so in high school years. many public school students go to the Catholic high schools in port, and the schools do reach national standards on naplan. many activities are offered in port for children to do, with 2 local league teams, a number of soccer clubs in the area, and a wonderful friday night school rugby union comp, held in the one spot each week. 3 awesome dance schools, where the standard from all is extremely high. my daughter attends extreme dance studios and, is in love with the place.
such beautiful weather, such beautiful beaches. lots of community service/nurse work available. a wonderful tafe, where the teachers get to know students well, and a branch of newcastle uni, offering teaching and nursing.
life express is the biggest gym in town, and is a wonderful place to go to get fit and healthy, the staff are so friendly and the equipment is first class.
on the down side, there are not many rental vacancies, which does push the price of rent up a little. and in the last yr the price of houses has jumped a little. however these prices are still much cheaper than sydney prices.
i would recommend port for any family

I have lived here for over a year (ex Surfers Paradise) and just love it. The beaches are just so beautiful and clean. Surfing opportunities of all types abound. Many people say it is the best coastline in the country (my kids adore Shelley Beach - every Sunday). Most of the schools are good, especially the Catholic one where my 3 kids attend. I am an avid golfer and love Port Macquarie and South West Rocks golf clubs, while the others (Emerald Downs, Kempsey and Wauchope) have good layouts - just need better maintenance. Camden Haven is a real challenge. The streets are quiet but need work and expansion (what city doesn't?), but given the limited population (limited rates revenue), I bought a 4WD to help rather than wait. Crime, for the most part, is non-existent. I leave windows, doors, garage and car unlocked (and often open) and not a problem in over a year. Many police officers live here from neighboring areas. 20 minutes drive from Port and you are in Laurieton, Camden Haven, Kew, Kendall, Wauchope or Kempsey. Always places to see and things to do, especially if you appreciate the great outdoors. Wineries, esp. Cassegrain and Little Fish are great for lunch and counter sales. I love the history of the place as well - St Thomas Church was convict built in 1824. Port Macquarie is one of Australia's oldest cities having been settled in about 1814. Looking to live here - check Innes Lake/Brierley Hill or Settlement Shores.

Hello One and All -
I moved up from Sydney over 15 years ago - and Im not going back! (will include Brisbane & Gold Coast while I'm at it!)
Ok, nothing can beat the retail therapy or night life. But you dont have to worry about being mugged or bashed or robbed whilst minding your own business whilst out! And its an area that embraces multiculturism! Sure, there are a couple (and I mean only a couple!)of streets that are pretty 'exciting, but overall its a A1 place to move to (and check out Laurieton area whilst you are at it!) ..oh, and no I am not a real estate agent!
Happy area hunting

Surf street is one of the worst streets in Port Macquarie PERIOD. It is full of the cheapest rentals available other than Community Housing which has a list so long most people are forced to wait for community options..

Cars are stolen quite regularly and theft and drug dealing is quite frequent in this area.
Not a good place for a family or kids but if you don't mind keeping all your items locked up at night (like i have too less then 600m away) and listening to yahoo's all night then i suppose the cheap rent and closeness to the beach is a positive.

For cheap rent and a much safer, calmer area i would certainly recommend East Port or Lighthouse Beach if the price isn't as much of a issue.

Port Macquarie is 4.5 hours from Sydney or 7 hours from Brisbane and is right on the coast. Naturally this means there is an abundance or water sports including diving, surfing, swimming, canoe and kayaking. Other pass times such as paragliding, fishing tours and visiting historical sites, galleries and lookouts. There are some great wineries and cruises to be had. Accommodation options include caravan and camping parks, guest houses, motel and hotels as well as cabins and holiday apartments. Port Macquarie has many restaurants serving a variety of international cuisine as well as Steak Houses, bistros and cafes. There are many markets in the area some are weekly whilst other operate on a fortnightly or monthly basis.

Port Macquarie is a six hours' drive from Sydney. It is a decent sized town with plenty to do for the whole family. You can fish, sail, whale watch, dolphin watch, swim at the many beaches, wine and dine, bushwalk and the list goes on. There are even golf courses around the area for the golfing fanatics.

There are many high-rise units located within the town centre. However, if you venture a couple of minutes out of the city centre, you will see many beautiful and well kept houses. The majority of people who live here are retirees who have moved away from Sydney.