Port Macquarie, New South Wales

Information about Port Macquarie, New South Wales

Port Macquarie
New South Wales

Location of Port Macquarie in New South Wales (red)
Population:38,598 (2006)[1]
Postcode:2444
Elevation:5 m
Location:
LGA:Port Macquarie-Hastings Council
State District:Port Macquarie
Federal Division:Lyne
Mean Max TempMean Min TempRainfall
22.2 C
0 F		13.1 C
0 F		1539.7 mm
0 in
Enlarge picture
Apartments in Port Macquarie at twilight - Hollingworth Street, Westport.
Port Macquarie is a large town on the mid-North Coast, New South Wales, Australia, located about 390 km north of Sydney, and 570km south of Brisbane. The town is located on the coast, south of the mouth of the Hastings River. The site of Port Macquarie was first visited by Europeans in 1820 when John Oxley reached the Pacific Ocean coast from the interior after his journey to explore inland New South Wales. He named the location after the Governor of New South Wales, Lachlan Macquarie. Later the town was developed, initially as a penal settlement.

General

Much of the land used to build the town's shopping centres and other structures in recent years was originally owned by the Roman Catholic Church, who many claim are in large part responsible for the town's growth and development.

Port Macquarie is a popular retirement location and popular tourist destination. It is known for its extensive pristine beaches and untouched waterways. The town is also known for its koala population, with many tourists referring to it as the Koala Capital of the world. Port Macquarie is the home of the Koala Preservation Society's Koala Hospital. The Koala Hospital cares for koalas injured through bushfire, dog attacks and collisions with vehicles.

In recent times, Port Macquarie has become more commercialised despite protest from residents, in particular the Rydges Hotel (formerly Four Points by Sheraton) built opposite the Town Green attracted much opposition. The historical Port Macquarie Post Office on the Town Green was torn down to make way for a new high rise apartment block. Town Beach also has high rise apartment complexes.

The residential suburbs stretch as far as Lighthouse Beach to the south, Thrumster to the west and Settlement Point to the north. Settlement Point now also has new canal development, being one of the most expensive real estate developments in the town. More recently, Sovereign Hills (Area 13) has begun development in the west. It will include a new school, shopping facilities and residential areas.

Beaches

Beaches include (in order from north to south): North Shore, Town Beach, Oxley Beach, Rocky Beach, Flynns Beach, Nobbys Beach, Shelly Beach, Miners Beach and Lighthouse Beach. Only Town, Flynns and Lighthouse Beaches are manned by Surf Life Saving Clubs, and Lighthouse is only watched at the north end. There is also an active surf culture with the beaches being one of the main tourist attractions.

Educational facilities

Primary schools

Public schools

Catholic schools

Other private schools

High schools

Public schools

Private schools

Other educational facilities

There is also a TAFE campus for further qualifications. Courses are also offered by the University of Newcastle through the TAFE campus.

Transport links

Port Macquarie is linked by daily air services to both Sydney and Brisbane.

Road access is via the Pacific and Oxley Highways. The Pacific Highway lies between Port Macquarie and Wauchope, and is the main road for tourists travelling from coastal areas.

Improvements to the Oxley and Pacific Highway has seen steady improvements in travel times between Sydney and the region;

The four proposed or in-construction road projects that are underway: [1] [2] [3] . The Bulahdelah bypass will fill the only missing link between Hexham and Port Macquarie once the Karuah to Bulahdelah section(s) 2 and 3 and the Coopernook to Herons Creek upgrades are open in 2009.[3]
  • Coopernook to Herons Creek - Detailed design for construction being prepared/Under construction. [4][5]
  • The Oxley Highway upgrade, from a 2 lane undivided road to a 4-lane divided carriageway, from Wrights Road to the Pacific Highway, stage 1 - Detailed design for construction being prepared/Under construction.[6]
These four projects are all from the AusLink funding on a 50/50 "joint basis" from the Commonwealth and the state of NSW (50% from Commonwealth Government and the other 50% from the NSW Government [7].

Rail access to Port Macquarie is via bus transfer from the North Coast Railway Line which stops at Wauchope (19 km inland).

Annual events

Radio Stations

  • 2MC FM 100.7 & 90.3 (commercial)- Charles Wooley in the morning 9am to 12 midday then classic hits all day
  • Star FM 102.3 (commercial)- local breakfast then networked with a Hot AC format.
  • Raw FM 87.6 (narrowcast) - Computerised networked from Frenches Forrest. Featuring Dance and Rave Music.
  • Radio 531 AM & 93.5FM (commercial) Relays 2SM's program format all day except John Laws 9am to 11am
  • Triple J 96.3 FM
  • ABC Radio National 97.1 FM
  • ABC Mid North Coast 648 AM/95.5 FM
  • Classic FM 98.7 FM
  • Racing Radio 92.7 FM
  • Rhema FM 99.9 (Christian)
  • 2-Way FM 103.9 (Community)

References

External links

Coordinates:
New South Wales

Flag Coat of Arms
Slogan or Nickname: First State, Premier State
Motto(s): "Orta Recens Quam Pura Nites"
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Capital Sydney
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State/Territory Abbreviation Postcode range New South Wales NSW 1000—1999 (LVRs and PO Boxes only)
2000—2599
2620—2898
2921—2999 Australian Capital Territory ACT 0200—0299 (LVRs and PO Boxes only)
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Population:
• Density: 4,280,190 (2006 Census) (1st)
345.
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Population:
• Density: 1,848,000(Dec 2006) (3rd)
353.8/km

Established: 1824

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Wauchope
New South Wales

Population: 6002 (2006)[1]

Established: 1836

Postcode: 2446

Elevation: 20 m

Location:
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Local Government Areas of New South Wales, Australia have been subject to periodic bouts of restructuring and rationalisation by the State Government, involving voluntary and involuntary amalgamation of areas.
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Port Macquarie-Hastings
New South Wales

Location of Port Macquarie in New South Wales (red)

Population: 68,430[1]

Area: 3687 km

Mayor:
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Port Macquarie is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It has been represented by independent member Rob Oakeshott since 1996.
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The Australian House of Representatives is elected from 150 single-member districts called Divisions. They are also commonly known as electorates or seats. The British term "constituencies" is rarely used.
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The Division of Lyne is an Australian electoral division located in the State of New South Wales. It lies on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales and includes parts of the Local Government Areas of the City of Greater Taree, Port Macquarie-Hastings and Kempsey Shire.
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North Coast refers to the region adjoining the Pacific Ocean in the north-eastern part of the State of New South Wales, Australia. The North Coast region is traversed by the Pacific Highway and the North Coast Line which links Sydney to Brisbane in Queensland.
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Origin Great Dividing Range
Mouth Tasman Sea
Basin countries Australia
Length  
Source elevation  

Avg. discharge  
Basin area  

The Hastings River
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John Joseph William Molesworth Oxley (1783/1785? – 1828) was an explorer and surveyor of Australia in the early period of English colonisation.

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Oxley was born at Kirkham Abbey near Westow, North Yorkshire, England, the eldest son of John Oxley and his wife
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The Governor of New South Wales is the representative in the Australian state of New South Wales of Australia's monarch, Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia. The Governor performs the same constitutional and ceremonial functions at the state level as does the Governor-General
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Lachlan Macquarie CB (31 January, 1762[1] – 1 July, 1824), British military officer and colonial administrator, served as Governor of New South Wales from 1810 to 1821 and had a leading role in the social, economic and architectural development of that colony.
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A penal colony is a colony used to detain prisoners and generally use them for penal labor in an economically underdeveloped part of the state's (usually colonial) territories, and on a far larger scale than a prison farm. The most well known was Devil's Island in French Guiana.
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