Mid North Coast

For other uses, see North Coast.

The Mid North Coast is a country region in the north-east of the state of New South Wales, Australia. The region, situated 416km north of Sydney, covers the mid northern coast of the state, beginning from Port Stephens at Hawks Nest to as far north as Woolgoolga, near Coffs Harbour. The region has many beaches and subtropical national parks and forests as well as rural farmland and logging. Major coastal towns include Coffs Harbour, Forster and Port Macquarie. The Mid North Coast is a popular destination for camping or resorts and surfing, with coastal and hinterland tracks, with the unique heritage-listed mountain village of Bellbrook popular for day trips inland or 4wd campers and keen bass fishers.

Mid North Coast New South Wales
McBrides Beach, Forster, New South Wales
Mid North Coast
Coordinates	31°16′S 152°54′E
Population	308,372 (30 June 2016)
• Density	14.4187/km2 (37.3442/sq mi)
Area	21,387 km2 (8,257.6 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC 10)
• Summer (DST)	AEDT (UTC 11)
LGA(s)	Bellingen Shire City of Coffs Harbour Kempsey Shire Mid-Coast Council Nambucca Shire Port Macquarie-Hastings Council
State electorate(s)	Myall Lakes Port Macquarie Oxley Coffs Harbour
Federal division(s)	Lyne Cowper
Localities around Mid North Coast: Northern Tablelands Northern Rivers Tasman Sea New England Mid North Coast Tasman Sea Upper Hunter Hunter Tasman Sea

Heading northwards beyond Newcastle, the Mid North Coast region's main towns include the towns of Bulahdelah, Forster, Tuncurry, Wingham, Taree, Port Macquarie, Kempsey, South West Rocks, Macksville, Nambucca Heads, Bellingen and Coffs Harbour. Of these Taree, Port Macquarie and Coffs Harbour are the major commercial centres, all with large shopping centres, public facilities and attractions. Kempsey and Forster-Tuncurry are considered semi-major commercial centres. Smaller towns that are popular tourist spots are Bellbrook, North Haven, South West Rocks, Urunga, Gloucester, Crescent Head, Hawks Nest, Woolgoolga, Old Bar, Lake Cathie and Pacific Palms.

The region has a subtropical climate and is known for its waterways, beaches and hinterland of forests and farms. Major industries are farming, logging and tourism.

Demography and area

The following local government areas are contained within the region:

Population by Local Government Area

Mid North Coast rank	Local Government Area	Population 30 June 2016	10-year growth rate	Population density (people/km2)
1	Mid Coast Council	91,958	8.7	9.1
2	Port Macquarie-Hastings Council	79,905	14.2	21.7
3	Coffs Harbour City Council	74,641	12.0	63.6
4	Kempsey Shire Council	29,454	5.1	8.7
5	Nambucca Shire Council	19,521	6.7	13.1
6	Bellingen Shire Council	12,893	1.4	8.1
Mid North Coast		308,372	10.0	14.4

Public transport

Bus

Many bus services run throughout the region. Providers include Buslines, Busways, Eggins, Ryans and Sawtell Coaches.

Rail

There are several railway stations on the Mid North Coast serviced by three trains; the Grafton, the Casino and the Brisbane XPT trains. Each run north and south once a day. Heading north from Sydney Central, the first station on the mid north coast is Gloucester followed by Wingham and Taree. Further north are Kendall, Wauchope (for Port Macquarie), Kempsey, Eungai, Macksville, Nambucca Heads, Urunga, Sawtell and Coffs Harbour. There is no station for Forster–Tuncurry.

Politics

The Mid North Coast includes six local government areas: the City of Coffs Harbour, the Bellingen Shire, the Kempsey Shire, the Mid-Coast Council, the Nambucca Shire and the Port Macquarie-Hastings Council. It also includes four state electorates (Coffs Harbour, Myall Lakes, Oxley and Port Macquarie) and two federal electorates (Cowper and Lyne).

The region is conservative and is dominated by the Coalition in state and federal politics, particularly the National Party. Of the two federal electorates, Cowper has only been held by Labor once (for one term) and Lyne has never been held by Labor (although was held by an independent for five years). In state politics, the Coalition safely holds all Mid North Coast electorates (the Nationals hold Coffs Harbour, Myall Lakes and Oxley while the Liberal Party holds Port Macquarie).

In the Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey, a 2017 plebiscite eventually legalising same-sex marriage in Australia, both of the federal Mid North Coast electorates recorded majorities for the "yes" vote, while in the 1999 Australian republic referendum and the 2023 Australian Indigenous Voice referendum, they both recorded majorities for the "no" vote.

See also

• Regions of New South Wales

External links

• Destination NSW: North Coast (Tourism NSW)
• Local Government Directory