A Trip to Port Macquarie / Part 1

My old friend, Stirls, moved from the central coast (just north of Sydney) further north to Port Macquarie. This restricts our visits somewhat.

It's about a 700km drive from our place including the slow trek right across metropolitan Sydney which means probably 10 hours on the road and a night's stopover each way.

I looked at airfares from our small regional airport and found some relatively cheap ones with a connection in Sydney. I say 'relatively', as the cost was about half of a return ticket from Sydney to New York. Regional airlines with route monopolies charge like wounded bulls.

But it was much better than driving.

It's a pretty short trip for us to Moruya's tiny airport for the hour's flight with REX in a small Saab 340 turbo prop to Sydney. There are only three departures a day.
In Sydney it was a change of terminals, with an almost four hour wait (long lunch!), for another hour 's QANTAS Dash 8-400 flight to Port (as it is known by the locals). This was a pretty bouncy trip with no drinks served because of the turbulence.
Total trip time with the layover was 6 hours.

Port Macquarie was founded in 1821 as a penal settlement, replacing Newcastle to its south as the destination for convicts who had committed secondary crimes in New South Wales. It served that purpose until 1830.

Today with a population around 45000 the town boasts about its year round great climate, its 17 unspoilt beaches, a lush hinterland, a diverse variety of attractions including the Koala Hospital, a zoo, river cruises and the Hastings River wine region. Like our area it has become a popular sea change destination for retiring baby boomers. Housing is less than half the price of that in Sydney so you can sell your $2million shack there, buy/build a very comfortable home and live well off the difference.

The wine region combines high summer humidity and high rainfall, as well as being uncompromisingly warm. It can be affected by the tail end of tropical cyclones (hurricanes) moving down the coast from Queensland and by its proximity to the warm waters of the Pacific Ocean. A very difficult area to grow good quality grapes.....just like ours.

Its six wineries covering around 200ha produce mainly Chardonnay, Semillon, Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot and Chambourcin.
Our first day started with a coffee in blazing sunshine at the local marina before a walk along the town beach and the Hastings River breakwater where painting of the rock wall had obviously been encouraged.

Then it was a short road trip south along the coast to Laurieton and up North Brother mountain in the Dooragan National Park to the look out which has some spectacular views both north and south.

Lunch was at the Sandbar Cafe in North Haven. The selection of Malaysian food made choice difficult but I settled on beef rendang with roti, saffron rice and sambal beans which was delicious.
That evening we went to the Duck on Clarence for a few great craft beers before heading across the road for a good Thai dinner and a bottle of Clare Valley Riesling.
Then it was a late evening watching the Australian soccer team try to at least hold the French to a draw (after the latter had been awarded a very dubious penalty) in the World Cup.
Alas they lost 2-1 but were not disgraced.