Coffs Harbour

The Big Banana

Banana plantation

Arrawarra headland, Solitary Islands Marine Park

Coffs Harbour groyne

Dolphin Encounter, Pet Porpoise Pool

Coffs Harbour is a popular holiday spot, set beside the sea and backed by hinterland hills and mountains covered by forests, banana plantations, and other farms. It is the only place in Australia where the Great Dividing Range meets the Pacific Ocean.

Where is it?: New South Wales: North Coast. Coffs Harbour is 540 km north of Sydney and 440km south of Brisbane, making it close to the half-way point for travellers on the Pacific Highway coastal route between Brisbane and Sydney.

Things to see and do:

Coffs is a coastal holiday resort, and is therefore geared up for a wide variety of leisure activities in and around town. These include karting, golfing, sky diving, surfing, surf rafting, whitewater rafting, beach buggies, helicopter tours, kayaking and canoeing, scuba diving and snorkelling, of Skirmish and survival courses. While fishing is a major drawcard for the Coffs Coast, surfing also plays a major role with over 40 beaches to choose from. There are waves for all skill levels and if you’re starting out, there is a surf school at the Surf Life Saving Club at Park Beach.

Surrounding area:

It is only a short drive inland to the lush rainforests, where you can visit one or more national parks, nature reserve, flora reserves or state forests. In among these are some excellent walking trails for all levels of fitness. One at the inland town of Dorrigo leads to a skywalk high in the rainforest canopy and there are some spectacular waterfalls on a tourist drive called The Waterfall Way. Picnic facilities are available almost everywhere.

About Coffs Harbour

Coffs Harbour owes its name to Captain John Korff, who called the area Korff's Harbour when he was forced to take shelter from storm in the area in 1847. Its name was accidentally changed by the surveyor for the crown when he reserved land in the area during 1861.
Coffs Harbour is the hub of a thriving banana industry. One of the biggest attractions is the Big Banana, the first of Australia's Big Things (it celebrated its 40th Birthday in 2005), with the World's Largest Banana celebrating the region's best known export. There is also a popular underwater diving spot on a small natural reef.
The Coffs Harbour Jetty is an historically important timber wharf where coastal shipping once moved the timber from the hinterland. The Jetty area is the subject of current planning by Council and consultants to develop a cultural precinct and rejuvenated residential area.

Climate: the winter climate at Coffs Harbour could best be described as perfect, never too hot, never too cold, and from late May until November the humpback whale migration features a procession of these awesome giants as they head to and from their calving grounds inside the Barrier Reef.

Getting There: Busways, Sawtell Coaches, and Ryans Bus Service all run service throughout the Coffs harbour and the surrounding areas. The various coastal coach services between Sydney and Brisbane also stop at Coffs Harbour. Coffs Harbour is serviced by Countrylink Railway Services, with three northbound and three southbound XPT trains each day. Coffs Harbour Regional Airport is regularly serviced by flights to Sydney.

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