Port Macquarie 2444 - New South Wales

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Port Macquarie is a large town on the mid-North Coast of New South Wales, located about 450 kilometres north of Sydney and 510 kilometres south of Brisbane. The town is located on the coast, on the south bank of the entrance of the Hastings River. The site of Port Macquarie was first visited by Europeans in 1820 when John Oxley reached the Pacific Ocean coast from the interior after his journey to explore inland New South Wales. He named the location after the Governor of New South Wales, Lachlan Macquarie. Later the town was developed, initially as a penal settlement.

Much of the land used to build the town's shopping centres and other structures in recent years was originally owned by the Catholic Church, who many claim are in large part responsible for the town's growth and development.

Port Macquarie is now popular as a retirement location and popular tourist destination. It is known for its extensive pristine beaches and untouched waterways. The town is also known for its Koala population, with many tourists referring to it as the Koala Capital.

In recent times, Port Macquarie has become more commercialised despite protest from residents; in particular the Rydges Hotel (formerly Sheraton by Four Points) built opposite the Town Green attracted much opposition. Also the Port Macquarie Post Office in Town Green was torn down to make way for a new high rise apartment block. Despite this, Port Macquarie still offers little in the way of night-time entertainment beyond a handful of nightclubs.

The local government area in which Port Macquarie is located is known as Port Macquarie-Hastings. The name was officially changed in August 2005 following the results of a random community survey. The area was formerly known as Hastings. The council has estimated the population of Port Macquarie and its immediate surrounding area to be approximately 62,000.

Latest Market Price in Port Macquarie

The median house price in Port Macquarie has dropped -5% from $350,000 in the 6 months to June 2008 to $333,000 in the 6 months to December 2008. The long term trend for house prices in Port Macquarie over the last 10 years is +7% per annum.

The median unit price in Port Macquarie for the same period has dropped -2% from $250,000 to $244,000. The long term trend for unit prices in Port Macquarie over the last 10 years is +7.7% per annum.

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