Port Macquarie, Administrative center in New South Wales, Australia.
Port Macquarie is a coastal town in New South Wales where the Hastings River meets the Pacific Ocean. Sandy bays, wooded riverbanks and nature reserves surround streets and residential areas that spread several kilometers along the coast.
British authorities founded the settlement in 1821 on the orders of Governor Lachlan Macquarie, after surveyor John Oxley explored the site the previous year. Convicts built the first structures and cleared land before the colony opened to free settlers in 1830.
The name honors Lachlan Macquarie, a Scottish officer who served as Governor of New South Wales between 1810 and 1821. The town began as a penal settlement for repeat offenders from Sydney, which shaped its early layout and buildings.
The town has an airport with direct connections to Sydney, and the settlement sits about three hours' drive north of the New South Wales capital. Beaches, walking trails and wildlife viewing spots lie close together and are mostly within walking distance or a short drive.
The koala clinic northwest of the center is one of the few facilities worldwide dedicated solely to marsupials and opens its doors to visitors every day. Volunteers show how injured animals are cared for and explain why so many koalas need help.
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