Tag: Video

Port Macquarie

After years of sailing on our schedule, I am finding it challenging to be stuck for weeks making no progress on fixing Go. But, we have been stuck in worse places than Port Macquarie, and we are trying to make the best of our time here. Here’s what we’re doing to have fun and stay busy in Port Macquarie, New South Wales, also known in Aussie lingo as “Port”.

About Port Macquarie

A town in the Mid-North Coast region of New South Wales, Port is located at the mouth of the Hastings River almost 400km north of Sydney. It’s known for its beaches and convict history. The town has a population of about 50,000, many of whom are retirees relaxing in the cafes and on the waterfront. Port is also home to a healthy mix of young families and college students.

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Fireworks in Sydney

Sydney is now one of our favorite cities, for multiple reasons. We love the museums, restaurants and live music scene, the varied architecture, and the friendly people. Plus, it’s safe and clean. And, if you like free fabulous pyrotechnics, Sydney is the place. Fireworks in Sydney are frequent and fantastic.

Weekly Fireworks in Darling Harbour

Our first experience with fireworks in Sydney was from the bridge in Darling Harbour, a popular tourist spot in the city center. For much of summer, the Darling Harbour fireworks are every Saturday night at 9PM. On our first weekend in Sydney, we joined the throngs lining the bridge to see the show, while many more watched from shore and aboard boats in nearby bays.

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Touring Townsville

We loved Townsville, in the northern part of Queensland, Australia. Having good friends who live there certainly helped us love this tropical town, but that wasn’t the only reason. Townsville has miles of cycling and walking trails, an excellent selection of bars and restaurants, art and museums! We spent a few weeks touring Townsville and have recommendations if you visit. If you’re sailing Australia’s east coast, it’s likely you will.

mural, street art, Townsville
Cool art in downtown Townsville

Where Is Townsville?

Townsville is as far north as we sailed in Australia before cyclone season. It’s located on the coast in northeastern Queensland, 900 miles north of Brisbane. With a population over 170,000, Townsville is the largest settlement in North Queensland. We found a lot to do and enjoyed our time touring Townsville.

Townsville Queensland on a map of Australia
Townsville in the northeast of Australia

When to Visit Townsville

As it is part of the tropical zone of Australia, Townsville’s climate is warm. We arrived in August, wintertime, the ideal season to visit Townsville. Days are warm in winter, but still comfortable, think low 20s C (70F). We left our boat there for our trip to North America and when we returned in October, springtime in Australia, the days were hot. It gets even hotter in summer into the mid 30sC (90F).

Touring Townsville Must: The Strand

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