In Port Macquarie

I have mixed feelings about Port Macquarie. It is the one place where I got honked to death by a impatient driver when I was driving just a tad slow. Goodness, I'm trying to find my way in your confusing city, can't you be just a bit more understanding???

The Visitor's Center here was most unhelpful and refused to give me any information. Instead, I was sent to speak with their tourism marketing department. However, the conversation with the marketing department of the tourism council ended up being very interesting. Port Macquarie is situated between Sydney and Byron Bay and often gets bypassed as people go up the coast to these two larger party towns. Port Macquarie currently caters to the family vacation market (80%) but wants to expand its backpacker (20%) draw. The city hopes to become market itself as a place of relaxation for backpackers in route to the larger party cities (capitalizing on its current strengths as a relaxation destination). It was fun learning about PM's tourism market and brainstorm ways to leverage a potential partnership between PM and Let's Go!

Near Port Macquarie is Crowdy Bay National Park, and in my opinion, one of the most spectacular parks ever. Not only is it home to gorgeous beaches and cliffs, but also to hundreds of kangaroos. The Eastern gray kangaroos lounge around, sunbathing on the lawns among picnicking families.

A picture of a joey peeking out of its mother's pouch.

A koala being cured of chlamydia at the Koala Hospital.

Cassowary, animal as large as an emu, at Billabong Park