Coffs Harbour.

Coffs Harbour is a beautiful coastal city located on the north coast of New South Wales, Australia, about 540 km (340 miles) north of Sydney, 385 km (240 miles) north of Newcastle, and 440 km (275 miles) south of Brisbane.

The town gets its name from a sailor called John Korff, who named the area Korff's Harbour when he was forced to take shelter from storm in the area in 1847.

The name was accidentally changed by the royal surveyor when he reserved land in the area during 1861.

The region has a wintertime population of over 70,000 people that swells to 100,000 + in the holiday seasons.

Popular with people wanting to relocate from big cities to small towns on the coast or in rural areas, Coffs Harbour continues to grow at an exceptional rate, with a population projection of 80,000 by the year 2016.

According to the CSIRO, Coffs Harbour has the most livable climate in Australia, and it is nestled between a high mountains on one side and dozens of beautiful beaches on the other.

Coffs Harbour is known as 'The Big Banana' as the yellow fruit is heavily cultivated there, the hillsides surrounding the region are covered in banana plantations which thrive in the sub tropical climate.

A visitor centre and fun park, dedicated to the fruit ( easily identified by the big banana!) is a must if you are visiting the area.

The Big Banana includes a Sky Walk over the plantation and a toboggan ride over half a kilometre long,

The World of Bananas an entertaining and vivid multi media presentation on the history of the fruit, the worlds largest inflatable waterslide and an ice skating rink.

Although Queensland accounts for around 80% of Australia's banana cultivation, the Coffs Harbour region still accounts for a significant proportion of the total country's production.

There is also a popular underwater diving spot on a small natural reef.

Nearby the Solitary Islands Marine Park preserves a diverse underwater ecosystem that takes in the southern limit of northern tropical fish species and the northern limits of the southern temperate species.

MUTTON BIRD ISLAND:

Directly out to sea from Coffs, adjacent to the human engineered breakwater is the unique muttonbird island.

The island is a nature reserve and home to the peculiar Wedge Tailed Shearwater, sometimes called the mutton bird, which breed and nest in small burrows after migrating from warmer climates each August.

The birds are known as mutton birds after the first settlers to the area sought the birds because their meat tasted like lamb or mutton.

A boardwalk has been constructed on the island to protect the fragile mutton bird burrows while allowing it to be viewed in its natural habitat.

Mutton Bird Island is reached from a harbour walk from Coffs Harbour Jetty.

The walkway around the island is about 1 km in length and has informational stations positioned along its course.

The Aboriginal people knew the island as Gittain Mirera and legend had it that a Moon Guardian tended the mutton birds as food for the local people.

WHALE AND DOLPHIN WATCHING:

In spring, between June and November, whales migrate up the coast from Antarctica to warmer waters further north.

They can often be seen breeching or surfacing as they pass close to the coast.

Dolphins also live in the coastal waters and can be seen on dolphin spotting tours which operate out of the harbour marina.

There are many National Parks, Reserves and Marine Parks surrounding the city of Coffs Harbour, including:

· Bellinger River National Park (west of Bellingen in the Bellinger headwaters)

· Bindarri National Park (20 km west of the city, near Ulong and Dairyville)

· Bongil Bongil National Park (south of Sawtell)

· Cascade National Park (north of Dorrigo)

· Coffs Coast Regional Park (beachside reserves and parks along the Coffs Coast)

· Dorrigo National Park (just south of the Dorrigo township)

· Hayden Dent Nature Reserve (North West of Coffs Harbour)

· Junuy Juluum National Park (north of Dorrigo)

· Moonee Beach Nature Reserve (Moonee Beach-Emerald Beach)

· Nymboi-Binderay National Park (north of Dorrigo, east of Glenreigh, on the Nymboida River)

· Solitary Islands Marine Park (in the Tasman Sea from Coffs Harbour to Wooli)

· Yuraygir National Park (stretching from Yamba to Red Rock and west along the Coast Range)

COFFS HARBOUR TRIVIA:

In recent years Coffs Harbour has become something of a celebrity retreat with several famous Hollywood stars making the area their home here.

The most well known is Coffs own Russell Crowe but there are also several other international and Australian stars living in the area including Jack Thompson, Rachel Ward, Bryan Brown, Peta Wilson and Wendy Mathews.

Go there soon, eat a banana and most of all.....enjoy,

John.

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