Free holiday activities in the Hastings

Here’s a guide to the top 10 free things to do in our beautiful backyard.

The 10 kilometre Port Macquarie Coastal walk takes in historic sites and stunning coastal scenery, beaches and rainforest. It can be enjoyed as a day walk or several short walks.

You can join the walk at several points along the way but it begins at Town Beach and winds along Flagstaff and Rocky Beach lookouts, Nobby's Beach and Harry's lookout to Sea Acres. A stroll along the very beautiful Miners Beach to Tacking Point lighthouse (pictured below) ends the trek.

Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail celebrates the koala and the outstanding work of the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital - the first facility in the world solely dedicated to care and conserve the koala. 

Established in 2014, Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail is a multi-award winning tourism attraction featuring 57 hand painted one metre high koala sculptures on exhibition around Port Macquarie.

You can visit the koala hospital too and check out the great work they do to rehabilitate injured wildlife.

Follow this link to sculpture trail map.

Follow our guide to the best spots on the Mid North Coast – click on the photo below to explore our interactive map.

Old Bottlebutt is a grand and ancient Red Bloodwood (Corymbia gummifera) tree located in Burrawan State Forest. It is unique in shape - its large flared 'butt' having a massive girth of more than 16 metres just above its base.

At over 200 years old and more than 16 metres diameter at its base, Old Bottlebutt is a towering and unique attraction.  It is the main feature on a beautiful 600 metre loop walking track, beginning and ending at the Burrawan picnic area. It's is a special place, a place to stay and enjoy the sounds of nature. 

From Wauchope travel south on the Bago Road 10 kilometres, then turn left onto Internal Break Road and follow the signs. It is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week including public holidays.

The Queens Lake Walking Trail is a 4.4km walk (one way) along the picturesque Queens Lake in Camden Haven. The trail will take you through eucalypt groves, tidal mangrove flats and paperbark forests with stunning views across Queens Lake at every point.

This walk is a nature lover’s dream. Henry Kendall Reserve is a great place to start with shaded parking, toilets, picnic tables and views of Stingray Creek.  From here you walk back along Henry Kendall Drive towards Ocean Drive. Half way along, on the right hand side you will find the Queens Lake Walking Trail. Henry Kendall Drive is a dirt road and is quite wide but be careful and aware of vehicular traffic. 

The trail has recently been upgraded with an all-weather boardwalk with observation deck and seating.

The Glasshouse is the region's premier entertainment facility featuring the regional gallery and tourist information centre. On exhibition over the holidays in the gallery is Neon Summer.

Neon Summer the exhibition explores how contemporary art can inspire our imagination and create a dazzling world through vivid colour, magnificent form and breathtaking fantasy. The exhibition features splendid work by internationally recognised contemporary artists Kate Rohde, Troy Emery, Reuben Paterson, Simone Rosenbauer and JP Willis. 

Port Macquarie-Hastings Library is more than just about books.   A playground for your imagination is the best way to describe the library's free-to-use facility known as ‘Imaginarium’.

Whether you want to record a song, make a video or tell a story, the studio features a wide range of recording equipment and software ideal for creative minds keen to experiment or groups wanting to preserve important events. 

Livvi's Place is located at Westport Reserve in Port Macquarie overlooking the Hastings River.

The all-abilities playground features a nautical theme with a wheelchair accessible pirate ship created by local ship builders. There is a splash pad and storytime platform under a big shady tree and lots of sensory playtime features.

From the mountains to the sea the region is home to a diverse range of bird species - how many you can spot.

Click the photo below and be inspired with a gallery of some of our most popular species as identified in the recent Aussie Backyard Bird Count.

There is so much to do at Bonny Hills.  There’s surfing, boating, river and beach fishing and deep sea kayaking to be enjoyed. 

With 2.5 kilometres of pristine sand, Rainbow Beach is delightful for a stroll. You can even take your four-legged friends. North of Duchess Creek is designated as a dog-friendly beach.

Rainbow Beach is a great spot for surfers. Surf competitors can often be seen here enjoying clean three-foot waves.

Littlies in Bonny Hills now have a safe place to learn all about road rules whilst riding their bikes and scooters. The newly built bike track is a great addition to the play park for small children and toddlers.

Rainbow Beach is patrolled during school holidays October through to April.

To see what free activities are on offer in the Manning, Great Lakes and Gloucester region click the photo below: