Ahhh January. When the rush of Christmas and the New Year is done, when there are no more gifts to buy, or food to prep – it should be the most relaxing month of the year. For some, it is! Summer in Port Macquarie is such a luxury, a true paradise, and we are all lucky to be spending it here. However, for those with children, or grandchildren, it can seem like a never-ending task to fill the days with fun, exciting, memorable activities. Here’s your fool proof guide to school holiday activities in Port Macquarie – to keep those little minds and bodies active and engaged this Summer holidays!
Indoor Fun
Sometimes its time to get out of the sun and have a little break from the outdoors. Here’s our favourite ways to enjoy the holidays indoors!
Crazy Maze Indoor Play Centre
Kids Crazy Maze play structure is full of fun activities to keep children active and entertained for hours. It has tunnels, climbs, tree houses, a flying fox, bridge climbs and slides and, of course, a ball pit! It also has a café for the parents – hello coffee! There are also squash courts available to hire if the adults would like something a little more strenuous to do… but it’s also a perfect spot to sit and get a little bit of work done if you need to!
Inflatable World
Who doesn’t love a jumping castle? Well, this is even better – it’s a whole world of inflatables, and a whole lot of fun! Adults are encouraged to have fun WITH their children – this is not a spectator sport! It’s high energy and guaranteed to ensure your kids have an awesome time and go off to bed early without any complaints!
Centre of Gravity
Centre of gravity is an exciting place for all ages with a huge indoor rock-climbing space as well as laser tag! They have over 70 climbs to choose from, ranging from super easy to super hard! The centre also has 200 metres of caving, high ropes, and a ‘leap of faith’ – everything to keep your kids (and yourself) entertained for hours on end! All at an affordable price for the whole family – if you’re looking for an action packed few hours then Centre of Gravity could be the answer.
Wave Bowl
Tenpin bowling is such a fantastic way to entertain a fussy group – all ages can participate and enjoy! Wave Bowl is not just tenpin bowls – it’s a centre of entertainment, sporting a licensed bar, restaurant, karaoke room as well as 12 electronic scoring tenpin lanes. There is something to keep even the hardest to please children entertained! There is also a new “boutique bowling” environment – complete with comfortable couches, bar seating and a lounge-like atmosphere, if you’re looking for something a little less fluro! 😉
The Westport Club
There is so much happening at the Westport Club for Summer 2019/2020! We have family bingo, heaps of trivia sessions, free barefoot bowls, delicious food and, most importantly, AIR CONDITIONING! There is always another chance to win with meat raffles, Members Jackpot and Car and Cash promo’s – you’ll never be bored while you’re relaxing with us! Check out everything that’s happening here.
Outdoor Exploring
The Hastings area boasts some of the most stunning natural landscapes in Australia – getting out to see them is a must this Summer season! Kids tend to demand something a little more entertaining than a scenic drive – here’s some ideas..
Bago Maze
Bago Maze is a truly beautiful architecturally designed native Lilly Pilly hedge maze. A magical place to seek out hidden walkways, sunken pathways and musical instruments. With beautifully landscaped gardens and lookout towers to take in the serenity, you can get lost and have fun working your way through to the end! It’s one of the world’s largest hedge mazes with over 2000m of pathways and hedges, making it the perfect place for the entire family to explore. Adults can relax with a glass of wine, coffee or indulge in a cheese or meat platter offering local produce from around the region. You can also take a picnic which makes catering for the kids a breeze!
Horse Riding at Cassegrain Wines
Port Macquarie Horse Riding Centre head office is onsite at Cassegrain Winery, offering escorted winery and bush trail rides suitable for all levels of riders, including children aged 6 years and over. The horses are hand-picked for their kind natures, and all are well-educated, so perfect for beginners! For the little ones under 6, they offer led pony rides, so no-one needs to be left out! Private lessons and pony parties are also available. Bookings are essential, so make a day of it with the whole family!
Timbertown
Timbertown is a popular attraction depicting the colonial era of a sawmiller’s village. It’s about 15 minutes drive from Port Macquarie and is a really fun day out for the whole family. The key attraction of Timbertown is the Timbertown Heritage Railway, with a steam train and a short circuit track within and around the village. There are also several businesses operating including a blacksmith, timber furniture, winery, and Wallaces Store with souvenirs and confectionery. The Maul and Wedge serves meals in school holidays – so now is the perfect time to head out for the full experience! Local artisans offer both local woodwork, artwork and craft items.
There are some interactive displays throughout the day including;
- Bullock team demonstrations
- Cross cut saw demonstrations
- Horse and carriage rides
- Steam train rides
- Miniature railway rides
- Blacksmithing demonstrations
- Panning for gold
Stoney Park Aqua Park
Stoney Aqua Park is located at Telegraph Point, which is about half an hour drive from the Port Macquarie CBD. The park covers a massive area and boasts a huge array of inflatable fun items for everyone’s enjoyment, suitable for ages from 6 all the way up to the elderly. Slides, blast bags, trampolines, swings, challenge tracks, balance beams, wobble pads and chill out areas are just a few of the many and varied features enclosed within the extensive walkways and floating tracks of the course.
The Aqua Park is based on a man-made lake sourced from a fresh rain-water catchment. This allows Stoney Aqua Park to maintain a safe environment, which means no sharks, guaranteed!!
Stand Up Paddle Boarding
Stand up paddle boarding is a fun and physically intensive way to get out and enjoy our beautiful waterways in Port Macquarie.
Located at the Settlement Point Reserve and 11a Buller Street at the Marine Rescue Boatramp for lessons and group sessions, Port Macquarie Sup Fun has plenty of hire boards and also offers a mobile service. Tony is a born and bred Port Macquarie local who prides himself in offering a unique Stand Up Paddling experience on the Hastings river. With his vast knowledge of the Port Macquarie area and its waterways, you know you and your family will be completely safe! Enjoy a sunset or sunrise paddle or join in a bootcamp paddle for a bit of a challenge!
Billabong Zoo
At the multiple award-winning Billabong Zoo you can get up-close and personal to Australian and exotic animals. You can pat, stroke, feed, hold, hear and see over 80 species of mammals, reptiles and birds. Billabong Zoo care for over 200 animals in this friendly 10-acre Koala and Wildlife Park. Enjoy their much-loved Zoo Talks throughout the day, which are included in your admission price! There is plenty of space to enjoy a picnic lunch as well as a café on site – you’ll secretly love it as much as the kids!
Hydro Golf and Putt-Putt
Hydro Golf & Putt-Putt is set among groomed lush lawns, the palm trees and shaded picnic areas create a safe and relaxing surrounding for the whole family. Hydro Golf is a beautiful water setting with various floating targets that invite the golfer to win daily cash jackpots and prizes. Prizes you can win include river cruises, dinner vouchers and much more. They provide golf clubs and all the balls for you to hit to your heart’s content! Water traps, sand bunkers and creative holes make the 27-hole Putt-Putt course a challenging and fun game for beginner to golfing champion! Fun for all ages.
Koala Hospital
The Koala Hospital, established in 1973, is an activity of the Koala Conservation Australia Incorporated – a Not-for-Profit Organisation which is recognised world-wide as a leader in Koala care and research. You are welcome to visit the Koala Hospital anytime between 8:00am and 4:30pm to walk around the grounds and see the koalas in care. Each day at 3pm there is guided tours run by volunteers where you can see the koalas being fed and find out more about how koalas are brought into care, issues they encounter, as well as provide important information in the conservation of koala populations. Cute fuzzy koalas with a side of education? Sounds great to us! Entry is free and there is no need to book, however a donation to support the important work done by the Koala Hospital is always welcomed.
Whatever you find yourself doing this Summer – you can be sure that there is plenty on offer in our beautiful town and surrounds! If all else fails – a simple swim at the beach, river or pool will keep most kids happy for hours on end. And there is no better place to get in the water than in stunning Port Macquarie.
