Port Macquarie or Coffs Harbour or anywhere in between?
VJ said
11:25 AM Aug 30, 2020
Hi everyone,
Were travelling up the Pacific Highway and cant decide where to pull up for a few days. We will stay in a caravan park...somewhere between or within Port Macquarie and Coffs Harbour. Id love to hear some opinions.
We then plan to travel back down and stay in Moss Vale or nearby there.
Cupie said
12:11 PM Aug 30, 2020
Several very good beach side spots in that area.
SWMBO really likes Port Macquarie & we usually stay at Sundowner Breakwall Tourist Park (sites 231 or 174 preferred)
Another favourite is Urunga Heads Holiday Park. (preferred site 146 although 93 to 100 are OK if out of school holidays but then 128 & 129 are OK too)
Crescent head is good if you are in to surfing & reasonable estuary kayaking too.
Don't like South West Rocks although the view can be great.
Lots of other good beach side spots like Nambucca Heads White Albatross .. We like the sites backing onto the 'lake'.
On our East coast trips we usually dawdle from spot to spot with 3 or 4 days in each.
Dougwe said
12:16 PM Aug 30, 2020
Welcome to the gang VJ, enjoy here and out in the playground.
Normally when heading north to Townsville I was staying with friends in Port Mc but they are not there now so stay at the Bulahdelah Bowls club, 1-3 nights. Then I go through to Byron Bay and stay there usually 1 night. I stay there again heading south but stay a few nights.
I just drive through Coffs.
Keep Safe out there.
VJ said
12:48 PM Aug 30, 2020
Thankyou, your reply is very helpful. Ill check the parks out that you suggested.
travelyounger said
05:06 PM Aug 30, 2020
Hi Urunga just south of Coffs has a great caravan park right on the estuary close to shops and clubs also Hat head or Cresant head up near Kempsey are hard to go past also Horseshoe bay South West Rocks is hard to beat .Lots of choices up that coastline other than Port or Coffs
Cheers
trev4612 said
09:45 PM Aug 30, 2020
Hi we are at the Weeroona caravan park Manning point at the moment plenty of space and quiet just a general store and bowling club the park is on the manning river and the beach is behind .It is 15 minutes to Old Bar and super market or 25 minutes to Taree.
Trev
Kebbin said
07:44 AM Aug 31, 2020
Hat Head would be my pick, nice an quite plenty of walking tracks, your between Port & Coffs. The River Cafe on the southern end of Kinchela St Gladestone is very good, the whole area between is packed with interesting places to venture out and about.
The Belmont Bear said
03:39 PM Aug 31, 2020
Where are you travelling from VJ ? I was talking to a guy yesterday who was heading for Lightning Ridge after having to come home from Harrington apparently they would not accept people into the Bowling club, pub etc. if they came from Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Central Coast or the Sydney areas. Bit strange really as we have had fewer positive Covid cases in the Lake Macquarie/Newcastle over the last couple of months than either Qld or NZ.
My favourite CP is in Urunga or if its full the smaller one on the river 10KM north at Repton (Belinger River Tourist Park) quieter but has good fishing straight of the bank behind your van and as a bonus the happy bus will pick you and take you to the local Bowling club/Chinese restaurant. As others have said there are many excellent villages and towns along the NSW north coast all the way from Newcastle to the Qld border. We are currently tossing up on whether to spend some time next month at Mooni Beach or Red Rock both are not far from Woolgoolga on the Coffs coast. At Red Rock you need to fill your water tanks before you go in as they only have bore water in the CP.
I reckon the road to Manning Point is pretty ordinary but I know plenty of people who have permanent sites out there and tell me it's a great place to stay during the summer holidays. Harrington on the other side of the Manning is also good but in peak season the town is packed out and like all coastal locations the prices are doubled.
They have done a lot of work on the manning point RD in the last 2 years you have 2 bridges to cross the first is at bohnock a bit tight for a car and van to pass but you can see what's heading towards you just wait your turn Scott's creek bridge is fine there is also a 4 wheel drive access to beach if required . At the moment you can drive all the way to old bar on the beach as the southern river entrance is closed.
Trev
Kantiki said
07:37 PM Sep 2, 2020
I live near Forster and we have beautiful caravan parks here. If you fancy a bit of free camping, we go to Coopernook State Forest campground. Lovely grassy and spacious. Drop toilets but nothing else.
Cupie said
08:10 PM Sep 2, 2020
Kantiki wrote:
I live near Forster and we have beautiful caravan parks here. If you fancy a bit of free camping, we go to Coopernook State Forest campground. Lovely grassy and spacious. Drop toilets but nothing else.
Is the Coopernook Pub still hosting caravans?
yobarr said
08:25 PM Sep 2, 2020
Cupie wrote:
Kantiki wrote:
I live near Forster and we have beautiful caravan parks here. If you fancy a bit of free camping, we go to Coopernook State Forest campground. Lovely grassy and spacious. Drop toilets but nothing else.
Is the Coopernook Pub still hosting caravans?
Yes,I believe so,but you cannot disconnect the van.Many people were simply parking up,dropping the van,and disappearing.Common decency would dictate that you have a meal,or a few ales,at the pub,but that wasn't happening.As always,a few selfish people spoil it for others.Cheers
The Belmont Bear said
02:03 PM Sep 4, 2020
Kantiki wrote:
I live near Forster and we have beautiful caravan parks here. If you fancy a bit of free camping, we go to Coopernook State Forest campground. Lovely grassy and spacious. Drop toilets but nothing else.
We stayed a couple of times at an excellent CP right on the beach at Redhead near Hallidays Point but I believe that they turned it into a Lifestyle village to sell to cashed up retirees from the city rather than continue to operate it as a caravan park.
BB
Kantiki said
02:35 PM Sep 18, 2020
Sorry Cupie just saw your post. Yes the pub was still taking campers last time I was there. It is nicer staying in the state forest but it's only a short distance to go and have a nice meal at the pub.
Several very good beach side spots in that area.
SWMBO really likes Port Macquarie & we usually stay at Sundowner Breakwall Tourist Park (sites 231 or 174 preferred)
Another favourite is Urunga Heads Holiday Park. (preferred site 146 although 93 to 100 are OK if out of school holidays but then 128 & 129 are OK too)
Crescent head is good if you are in to surfing & reasonable estuary kayaking too.
Don't like South West Rocks although the view can be great.
Lots of other good beach side spots like Nambucca Heads White Albatross .. We like the sites backing onto the 'lake'.
On our East coast trips we usually dawdle from spot to spot with 3 or 4 days in each.
Normally when heading north to Townsville I was staying with friends in Port Mc but they are not there now so stay at the Bulahdelah Bowls club, 1-3 nights. Then I go through to Byron Bay and stay there usually 1 night. I stay there again heading south but stay a few nights.
I just drive through Coffs.
Keep Safe out there.
Thankyou, your reply is very helpful. Ill check the parks out that you suggested.
Cheers
Hi we are at the Weeroona caravan park Manning point at the moment plenty of space and quiet just a general store and bowling club the park is on the manning river and the beach is behind .It is 15 minutes to Old Bar and super market or 25 minutes to Taree.
Trev
Where are you travelling from VJ ? I was talking to a guy yesterday who was heading for Lightning Ridge after having to come home from Harrington apparently they would not accept people into the Bowling club, pub etc. if they came from Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Central Coast or the Sydney areas. Bit strange really as we have had fewer positive Covid cases in the Lake Macquarie/Newcastle over the last couple of months than either Qld or NZ.
My favourite CP is in Urunga or if its full the smaller one on the river 10KM north at Repton (Belinger River Tourist Park) quieter but has good fishing straight of the bank behind your van and as a bonus the happy bus will pick you and take you to the local Bowling club/Chinese restaurant. As others have said there are many excellent villages and towns along the NSW north coast all the way from Newcastle to the Qld border. We are currently tossing up on whether to spend some time next month at Mooni Beach or Red Rock both are not far from Woolgoolga on the Coffs coast. At Red Rock you need to fill your water tanks before you go in as they only have bore water in the CP.
I reckon the road to Manning Point is pretty ordinary but I know plenty of people who have permanent sites out there and tell me it's a great place to stay during the summer holidays. Harrington on the other side of the Manning is also good but in peak season the town is packed out and like all coastal locations the prices are doubled.
Cheers
BB
Belinger River CP
Urunga CP
They have done a lot of work on the manning point RD in the last 2 years you have 2 bridges to cross the first is at bohnock a bit tight for a car and van to pass but you can see what's heading towards you just wait your turn Scott's creek bridge is fine there is also a 4 wheel drive access to beach if required . At the moment you can drive all the way to old bar on the beach as the southern river entrance is closed.
Trev
Is the Coopernook Pub still hosting caravans?
Yes,I believe so,but you cannot disconnect the van.Many people were simply parking up,dropping the van,and disappearing.Common decency would dictate that you have a meal,or a few ales,at the pub,but that wasn't happening.As always,a few selfish people spoil it for others.Cheers
We stayed a couple of times at an excellent CP right on the beach at Redhead near Hallidays Point but I believe that they turned it into a Lifestyle village to sell to cashed up retirees from the city rather than continue to operate it as a caravan park.
BB
Sorry Cupie just saw your post. Yes the pub was still taking campers last time I was there. It is nicer staying in the state forest but it's only a short distance to go and have a nice meal at the pub.