COFFS HARBOUR – THE AUSTRALIAN TRAVELLER GUIDE

Somewhere amongst the banana leaves of Coffs Harbour is a garden oasis… or so say the rumours. Tatyana Leonov goes in search of the truth. I’m stretched out in an outdoor spa overlooking a hillside of sturdy banana trees. It’s silent, save for the occasional rustle of leaves and the sound of bubbles as they rise and pop against my skin. This is, I’m fairly certain, what mere mortals refer to as bliss. Those in the know, however, would call this Santa Fe luxury bed and breakfast. Whispers about an eclectic B&B located just outside Coffs Harbour had dogged me...

Where is it? 535km north of Sydney, 64 Aviation Drive, Coffs Harbour How to see it for yourself? Book a skydive with Coffs City Skydivers to see the central coast from above, while free-falling back towards earth. Mid-jump, enjoy views like this one, taking in views of over 200km of coastline and the Great Dividing Range. Why I love it “Breathtaking coastal views from above the Solitary Islands Marine park with the Great Dividing Range as a backdrop! I feel it shows the beauty of this area from our perspective, flying through the air with your friends!” – Lawrence Hill, Coffs City Skydives Image by Wayne McLachlan...

Sapphire Seas Beachhouse is a scenic stay, just north of Coffs Harbour on the NSW north coast. It's just the kind of knock-out summer holiday home every Aussie hopes to one day afford to own for themselves. Nuzzling up to the white sands of Sapphire Beach and tucked below a dramatic headland covered in sub-tropical rainforest, the property was built in 2003 by Jason Zuvela. It is now one of three luxury holiday rentals situated on his family-owned beachfront estate, and offers the perfect opportunity to “try before you buy”. Not that the property’s for sale, but you never know,...

Australian Traveller Magazine's 100 Great Australian Holiday Homes Five ensuite bedrooms, a three-tiered private theatre, gymnasium, flood-lit tennis court, butler station, 22m pool, eight-person spa, on-demand helicopter and a TV in every room; this ridiculously swanky Côte d’Azur-style villa would put Brad and Angelina’s French chateau to shame. The immense and absurdly luxurious property is in fact more like a top-end resort than a holiday home, languishing on its own private acreage in the hills above Coffs Harbour, 750m above the Pacific Ocean and with outstanding views from every outlook. Wear good sturdy shoes and take a packed lunch and...

The crystal clear waters surrounding North Solitary Island are thought to be home to the highest concentration of anemones in the world. The crystal clear waters surrounding North Solitary Island just off the coast from Coffs Harbour in NSW are thought to be home to the highest concentration of anemones in the world. In particular Anemone Bay and its surrounding area is renowned in scuba circles as a fantastic diving spot. Here the density of anemones can be up to 60 per square metre, creating a shimmering and colourful carpet covering the reef. And that’s not all; the anemones attract...

With more wind in his sails than he bargained for, David Whitley leans into the stiff breeze on Muttonbird Island to see if it’s worth braving the elements for. The terrifying, howling gusts of the Sahara or the Antarctic surely can’t be this bad. It’s a job and a half to stay upright, let alone stride along purposefully, savouring a mini wildlife wonderland. So forget Chicago, forget Wellington and forget industrial strength aircraft testing tunnels, Muttonbird Island at Coffs Harbour is surely the windiest place in the world. Attached to the NSW coastal city by a stone walkway, this is...

Coffs Harbour's Pet Porpoise Pool is an institution on Coffs Coast that has seen off the bad times. Australian Traveller magazine rates the sea animal attractions. The first thing you do when you enter Coffs Harbour's Pet Porpoise Pool is get a photo with a seal and a dolphin. It's free and part of your admission. They do try and sting you to buy a photo, but at the end of the day you're more than happy to. "It’s all about LOVE here at the Pet Porposie Pool," screams Kimberley, who, after my very fishy seal and dolphin kiss, kicks off...

Sawtell is so overlooked even Lonely Planet doesn't give it more than ten words. Just ten minutes south of Coffs Harbour on the Mid North Coast of NSW, Australian Traveller magazine checked in to see what the lack of fuss was all about. While Sawtell's housing architecture is a little on the worse side of the '70s, the main street is a very very enticing surprise. Divided by a row of lovely old fig trees with awning-covered footpaths,  the total effect is a very welcoming village centre. The fig trees are in fact heritage-listed and the town owes this charm to the...

Skywalking and bird watching on Muttonbird Island and in Dorrigo National Park  The Coffs Coast in northern NSW is typical of Aussie seaside living – booming holiday destination through the warmer months, with a Big Thing to help for the low season. The not-so-well-known part of the area combines the sea and the forest in a bird watching and bushwalking extravaganza. Start at Mutton Bird Island where the wedge-tailed shearwater (or mutton bird) hangs out from September to April before flying off to the warmer Philippines.  Then take the short trip out to Dorrigo National Park (described by Lonely Planet...

My Favourite . . .Coffs Coast Beaches Australian Traveller magazine reader, freelance writer and Coffs Harbour resident Susan Stephenson is spoilt for choice when it comes to beaches. Jetty Beach On the NSW north coast halfway between Sydney and Brisbane, the Pacific Ocean is tamed and accessible to all at Coffs Harbour’s Jetty Beach. Punctuated by the Marina in the North and a boat ramp in the south, the beach lures tourists and local families. From sculpting works of genius in the sand to paddling on its shoreline, or from throwing in a fishing line to trying out a Hobie Cat, opportunities...