As NSW’s first ECO Destination, Coffs Coast is known for white sand beaches and lush rainforests, but there’s a lesser-known side to this holiday hotspot that’s unlike any other.
Are you ready to tumble down the rabbit hole – and experience the wild and wonderful side of Coffs?
A quirky Coffs Coast selfie challenge – can you collect all of them?
Snap a selfie at each of these eccentric experiences – the funnier, the better! Tag us on Instagram @CoffsCoastNSW and include the hashtag #QuirkyCoffsCoast – we’d love to share your pics.
Dinosaurs, butterflies and fairies – oh my!
The iconic Coffs Harbour Butterfly House has been taken over by dinosaurs! That means you can now interact with a life-sized dinosaur in daily shows and cuddle roaming baby dinos.
Not to be outdone by prehistoric performers, there’s a glasshouse filled with live butterflies and fairies and a Wonderland-themed mirror house, maze and cafe. This is a place to let your imagination run wild, so bring your sense of adventure and dare a picture with a rogue raptor!
Coffs Harbour Butterfly House
5 Strouds Rd, Bonville
Snap a selfie with a PENGUIN
If close encounters are your thing, Coffs Coast Wildlife Sanctuary is for you. You can hand-feed the waddle of fairy penguins, chat with a sea lion or visit the turtle hospital.
Don’t be surprised if you see a fully-grown sea lion taking a stroll with the peacocks in the gardens – if you ask him nicely, he might show you his impressive set of teeth and tricks!
Coffs Coast Wildlife Sanctuary (Formerly Dolphin Marine Conservation Park)
65 Orlando St, Coffs Harbour
Read this story: Meet the forever residents of Dolphin Marine Conservation Park
A Big Banana and an oversized adventure
The Big Banana Fun Park is Australia’s first big thing, and it’s a perfect spot for an unusual holiday snap. But if one big thing isn’t enough, there’s also a GIANT slide, water park, toboggan, ice skating rink, laser tag and more!
Entry to the Big Banana Fun Park is free, which includes the Candy Factory and Opal Centre, but you’ll need to buy tickets for the other attractions.
The Big Banana Fun Park
351 Pacific Highway, Coffs Harbour
Experience a piece of Holland down under at the Clog Barn
Whilst wooden shoes might seem like a wild choice, clogs have been worn for over 700 years! Watch them being made daily and take a stroll around the miniature-model Dutch village.
There are clogs to try on, plus a giant pair just perfect for selfies! So grab some new shoes, enjoy the magic of the Clog Barn and don’t forget to pick up some pancakes. Entry is free.
The Clog Barn
215 Pacific Highway, Coffs Harbour
Visit seven countries in one day – without your passport!
If Holland isn’t enough – stop by China, Africa, Japan and more all within the 20 hectares of the beautiful Botanic Garden. You’ll also see plants from around the world, mangrove forests and a sensory garden filled with aromatic oddities.
The North Coast Regional Botanic Garden is the only ECO-accredited Botanic Garden in NSW and the place to see all the five Coffs Coast regional habitats. Entry is free, but gold coin donations are appreciated.
Coffs Botanic Garden
Hardacre St, Coffs Harbour
Walk to an island without
getting your feet wet
If you fancy island life, then Muttonbird Island Nature Reserve is for you. You don’t need a boat to get there – simply stroll along the marina before climbing an island filled with muttonbird burrows.
You’ll be treated to unmatched views of the ocean and coast, so grab a selfie at the top and reward yourself with an ice cream afterwards.
Muttonbird Island
32 Marina Drive, Coffs Harbour
Move over Willy Wonka,
Carobana Confectionery is here!
Healthier than cacao but just as delicious, carob is the perfect holiday treat. See all sorts of goodies being prepared – from peanut brittle to coated honeycomb and more.
Entry is free and dogs are welcome in outdoor areas.
Carobana Confectionery
125 James Small Drive, Korora
Be a marine scientist for the day at
the Solitary Island Aquarium
Offering a window into our local underwater world with aquariums, guided tours and interactive displays, this little aquarium packs a punch.
Be one of just 50 people admitted at a time and see which of the unusual underwater creatures might pose for a picture with you – bonus points if it’s an octopus!
Solitary Islands Aquarium
2 Bay Drive, Coffs Harbour
Step into the sky for free at
the Forest Sky Pier
Suspended on an escarpment 310 metres above Coffs, Forest Sky Pier, located at Sealy Lookout/Niigi Niigi in Orara East State Forest offers expansive views as far as 100km to the south – perfect for a selfie in the sky!
Entry is free and you’ll have access to the cafe, sheltered picnic area and walking tracks
Forest Sky Pier
Sealy Lookout Drive, Coffs Harbour
