The Spirit of Summer

A family birthday celebration took us up to Port Macquarie on the mid-north coast of NSW for a coastal summer. Walks at sunrise, sunny days on the beach, swimming, snorkelling and hiking were the main pursuits, along with some great food and family time.

Sunrise at Miners Beach

Port Macquarie continues to be a favourite destination for sea-changers, and domestic and international tourists and it's not hard to figure out why. It's renowned for its stunning beaches, natural beauty and abundance of wildlife. Along with that, there are lots of great cafes and restaurants, fresh seafood, spectacular rivers, majestic mountains, luxuriant rainforests, and some beautiful coastal and inland hamlets to explore.

Jim grew up in Port Macquarie and things have changed since he lived there. However, it's still a favourite destination for us when travelling along the coast of NSW.

Port Macquarie Beaches

Our day generally started with a coastal walk along some of the magnificent beaches at sunrise - to beat the heat and the summer crowds. This was followed by a refreshing ocean swim. We were truly lucky to have mild summer temperatures and sunny days for most of our stay. This part of the coast is a photographers paradise!

Rivers and Lakes

Our campsite was located on the Hasting River, so we also enjoyed strolling along the river walkways and splashing around at Lake Cathie, just south of Port Macquarie. Lake Cathie is a favourite destination for family groups with safe and shallow waterways for young children to play. There are also some deeper pools of water that flow out to the ocean which were a delightful refuge on a hot day. It was lovely to see all the gaily coloured sun shelters popping up on the shore and the sounds of summer happiness - splashing and laughter all around us.

Summer fun at Lake Cathie

Food, glorious food!

A few dozen oysters, a seafood feast at Laurieton, a special occasion lunch at the famous Whalebone Wharf and a special NYE lunch for two by the sea all added to the spirit of summer adventure.

On one day, we got a summer downpour from the heavens but managed to grab some nice photos of the approaching rainstorm as it flew in from the ocean. The colour and drama was magnificent.

A Haven in Paradise

One of our favourite areas in this region is Camden Haven, so it was definitely on the list to explore again. Surrounded by the picturesque Three Brothers mountains, the township of North Haven is nestled in the centre with the pristine Camden Haven River flowing down from the moutains into the river valley and the ocean beyond. To the south lies the magnificent Crowdy Bay National Park. This was named by Captain James Cook (as 'Crowded Head') when he sailed past in 1770 and saw a group of indigenous Australians on the headland. We had a lovely walk up along one of the headlands to get some magnificent views of the whole region.

View of Three Brothers from Crowdy Bay NP

Wildlife

Whilst most of our focus was on landscapes, we did manage to catch a few images of the local inhabitants enjoying their endless summer holiday.

Up next - more touring in Victoria, the SA Coast and Kangaroo Island.