For the most convenient, visit Town Beach

As the name suggests, Town Beach is walking distance from the middle of town — the natural first stop on any list of best beaches in Port Macquarie. This 600m (1,969ft) arc runs from the southern breakwall of the Hastings River mouth to the lofty Flagstaff Lookout, backed by a park populated by picnicking families, skateboarding teenagers and yoga enthusiasts taking free group classes every weekend morning. As well as supplying a popular canvas for graffiti art, the breakwall provides a great swell for surfers and bodyboarders. In fact, this laid-back country town claims the official title of Australia’s bodyboarding capital — an achievement enshrined in the marble boogie board statue at Town Beach’s northern end.