Hidden Gems in Port Macquarie

Hidden Gems and Local Favourites in Port Macquarie

These are the places locals quietly love and visitors stumble upon and can't stop talking about. The spots that don't always appear in the official brochures but keep earning repeat visits. This is the insider guide.

Hidden Gems in Port Macquarie: Quick Reference

• Florence Jones Cheese and Wine Bar, Clarence Street: Waterfront wine and cheese haven known mainly to locals

• Maria River Distillery, via car ferry: Farm distillery only accessible by ferry — worth every effort

• Queens Head Beach, North Shore: Raw and wild, 4WD access only, almost no one knows about it

• Moorebeer Brewing Co, Merrigal Road: Tucked in the industrial area, genuinely brilliant

• Byabarra Cafe, Byabarra: Valley views that stop conversations mid-sentence

• Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail: 91 koala sculptures hidden across the whole region

• Armstrong Oysters, Laurieton: Freshly shucked direct from the farmer

• Long Flat Pub: An hour inland, worth every kilometre

• North Brother Mountain Lookout: One of the coast's great views, relatively few people know it

• Ricardoes Strawberry Farm: Locals go constantly, free entry, genuinely world-class scones

• The Royal Hotel Kew: Heritage Pub with a heart of gold. Best beer garden.

Florence Jones Cheese and Wine Bar

Tucked into Clarence Street overlooking Town Wharf, Florence Jones is the kind of place that stays a secret because the people who love it don't want it to get too busy. Owners Bronny and Suzanne know more about cheese, charcuterie and boutique wine than almost anyone you'll meet in regional NSW. Build your own board, choose from a curated wine and craft beer list, and settle in. It's intimate, warm and genuinely excellent.

Shop 4/74 Clarence Street, Port Macquarie. Open Wed to Thu 3pm to 8pm, Fri to Sat 12pm to 8pm, Sun 12pm to 6pm. florencejones.com.au

Maria River Distillery: The Journey is part of the Experience

The car ferry ride from Settlement Point makes Maria River Distillery feel like a proper discovery. Follow Maria River Road from the ferry landing to a lush former dairy farm with a Tuscan-style portico, farm-grown botanicals and some outstanding small-batch spirits. The Ginello (a gin-limoncello hybrid, the country's first) has become something of a cult product. The house-cured prosciutto antipasto platter is one of those lunches you'll still be thinking about weeks later.

Their spirits are also available in cocktails at Little Shack, Moorebeer, Noona's Pizzeria and Moo and Bean around Port Mac. Bookings essential.

Maria River Road, North Shore. Via car ferry from Settlement Point. mariariverdistillery.com.au

Queens Head Beach: Port Mac's Wild Secret

Take the car ferry at Settlement Point to the North Shore, then head north along the beach track (reliable 4WD required) to Queens Head Beach in Limeburners Creek National Park. The headland, the rock formations and the raw coastal beauty here are genuinely something else. Almost nobody knows about it. BYO absolutely everything.

Moorebeer Brewing Co: The Local After Work Favourite

Moorebeer is in a warehouse in Port Mac's industrial area, which means visitors often don't find it. Locals treat it like their neighbourhood pub. Seventeen taps of award-winning house beers, a cocktail menu that's grown into a serious offering, live music on weekends, a food truck from local legends Char Bar, and dogs are welcome. It's Port Mac's best kept drinking secret.

18/35 Merrigal Road, Port Macquarie. Thu 2pm to 8pm, Fri 12pm to late, Sat and Sun 12pm to 5pm. moorebeer.com.au

Byabarra Cafe: The View That Rewards the Drive

About 35-45 minutes from Port Mac on the Comboyne Road, The Byabarra is a blink-and-miss-it village with a cafe that absolutely earns the drive. The back deck looks right down the valley and on a clear day the view is jaw-dropping. The food is genuinely good. A natural stop on the Comboyne day trip route.

The Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail

90-odd one-metre-high colourful koala sculptures scattered across Port Macquarie and the surrounding region, each with a unique design and story. It's a free self-guided treasure hunt that takes you to corners of town and the hinterland you'd never otherwise find. The Big Koala at Guulabaa (2.5 metres tall, crowned Best Landmark Sculpture in Australia 2023) is the centrepiece. Start at the Hello Koalas Gallery and Gift Shop on Blackbutt Road to see 30+ sculptures and pick up a trail map, or get it online.

Hello Koalas Gallery and Gift Shop, 2/1A Blackbutt Road, Port Macquarie. Mon to Fri 10am to 4pm. hellokoalas.com

Armstrong Oysters: Direct from the Farmer

Freshly shucked oysters bought directly from the farmer in Laurieton, about 45 minutes south of Port Mac. As fresh as oysters get in NSW and the price is very good. See Armstrong Oysters for details.

Long Flat Pub: The Traveller's Rest

About an hour along the Oxley Highway from Port Mac, the Long Flat Pub (Traveller's Rest Hotel) is one of those Australian places that has resisted every attempt to change it. A legendary beer garden overlooking river flats, cold beer, honest food, and riverside camping available through the pub itself. Warmer months lead to river swims. One of the best places in the region.

North Brother Mountain: The View Everyone Should See

In Dooragan National Park near Laurieton, about 45 minutes south of Port Mac, the North Brother Mountain lookout is one of the best coastal panoramas on the entire NSW east coast. Drive or walk to the summit. Kattang Nature Reserve just below has great walks and is a top whale-watching spot in season.

LOCAL TIP  For the best current insider intel when you arrive, grab a copy of the free Discover Port Macquarie magazine from your accommodation, the Glasshouse, or cafes and shops around town. Published every season.