Port Macquarie - Australia's Most 'Wasted' City.
The Time to Talk Show gives an affectionate appraisal of the greatest coastal city in Australia - Port Macquarie. Broadcast on 103.9FM (2WAYFM).
Port Macquarie is a city on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia, located about 390 km (242 mi) north of Sydney, and 570 km (354 mi) south of Brisbane. The city is located on the coast, at the mouth of the Hastings River, and has an estimated population of 44,313.
Port Macquarie is a retirement destination, known for its extensive beaches and waterways. The town is also known for its koala population, being the home to the Billabong Koala Park, and the Koala Preservation Society's Koala Hospital, caring for koalas injured through bushfire, dog attacks and collisions with vehicles.
In recent times, real estate developments have led to debates with residents, in particular the Rydges Hotel (formerly Four Points by Sheraton) built opposite the Town Green[citation needed]. The Post Office on the Town Green was demolished to make way for a new apartment block, a development that saw the controversial removal of several large fig trees and subsequent debate in the community about the value of public space.[citation needed]
The residential suburbs stretch to Lighthouse Beach in the south, Thrumster to the west and to the north shore, on the north bank of the river. Settlement Point has a new canal development, being one of the most recent[when?] real estate developments in the town. More recently, July 2010, Sovereign Hills, has begun development in the west. At present it includes a new school, St Joseph's Regional College, and shortly[when?] there be will shopping facilities and residential areas.
To get a first hand impression of life in Port Macquarie, there are plenty of historical documents available for viewing at the Port Macquarie Historical Society.