Port Macquarie Christmas holiday season boosted by Sydney families
See why families are flocking to an idyllic Mid-North Coast town with one group, returning for a tenth year, describing this as the “best trip ever”.
Mid-North Coast
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Large family groups have featured heavily in Port Macquarie’s bumper tourist season with one operator describing it as a “purple patch” for the industry.
The Jaafar family group from The Hills district in Sydney has been returning to the town for the past 10 years and says this is the “best trip ever”.
In recent days tourists, have been out in full force with queues waiting to get into cafes, long lines for takeaway coffee and families waiting to board various tours down at the marina.
The Jaafars were waiting to board the Eastern Air Services adventure seaplane with Nick Jaafar praising the improvements to the walkways and parks around the marina.
“There’s more space for fishing along the walkway and more activities on offer,” he said.
“I remember when this path was just gravel.
“This is the best trip ever.”
Armani Jaafar said there was something for all family members to enjoy – particularly the kids.
“If the kids are happy, we are happy,” she said.
Luke Malin from Eastern Air Services was busy taking bookings for joy flights along the coast.
“We’re doing about 15 flights a day at the moment,” he said.
Further along the marina David Lazarus from Port Adventure Cruises was welcoming guests to his morning dolphin watch cruise.
He said large family groups from Sydney were making up the bulk of his clientele and described the bumper season as a “purple patch” for tourism in the region.
“This is the best year I’ve ever had. We had bushfires, then Covid but now we’re back,” he said.
Mid North Coast chief inspector Stuart Campbell also noted the prevalence of large family groups in the holiday crowds this year.
From detectives and plain clothes police, through to the dog unit and licensing officers, the police district has been calling on all its resources during the busy holiday season.
With beach parties causing havoc in some seaside locations in recent months, Port Macquarie police have been keeping an eye on the situation.
“Beach parties are a constant, there’s no doubt about that with the number of people around,” Mr Campbell said.
On the retail front it’s domestic tourists making up the bulk of Claire Smith’s customers at a local home and children’s wear store.
She said the town had “filled up a lot quicker than in previous years”.
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