Nambucca Heads
Nambucca Heads is a mid-sized coastal town of 6,700 (2021) in the Mid-North Coast region of New South Wales. It sits along the Pacific Motorway just a bit north of the halfway mark between Sydney and Brisbane.
Understand
Visitor information
- 🌍 Nambucca Valley Visitor Information Centre, Riverside Dr, info@nambucca.nsw.gov.au. Tu Th–Su 9AM–2PM; W 9AM–noon.
Get in
By car
Nambucca Heads is about 4 km (2.5 mi) from the M1 Pacific Motorway on the section between Coffs Harbour and Port Macquarie. There is clear signage from the exit to the town, but in any case, head south onto Giinagay Way, then turn left onto Link Road and then left again onto Old Coast Road.
The exit from the Pacific Mwy is about 107 km (66 mi) north of Thrumster (near Port Macquarie) and 63 km (39 mi) north of Kempsey. From the north, the exit is 44 km (27 mi) south of Coffs Harbour and 17 km (11 mi) south of Urunga.
By train
🌍 Nambucca Heads Station receives 2 northbound services a day from Sydney Central Station and 3 southbound services from Brisbane, Casino and Grafton. All Grafton XPTs stop at Nambucca Heads, in addition to the northbound Casino XPT and the southbound Brisbane XPT. However, the southbound Casino XPT only stops on request, meaning if no passengers book the train will not stop.
| Northbound | Southbound | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service | Departing Central | Arrival time | Service | Departing originating station | Arrival time |
| Casino XPT | 7:15AM | 3:18PM | Grafton XPT | 5:15AM (Grafton) | 7:08AM |
| Grafton XPT | 11:44AM | 8:09PM | Brisbane XPT | 6:00AM (Roma St; 5:00AM during DST) | 11:47AM |
| Brisbane XPT | 2:44PM | does not stop | Casino XPT | 7:30PM (Casino) | 10:51PM (on request only) |
The northbound Brisbane XPT does not stop and instead NSW TrainLink will taxi you from Macksville, leaving Macksville Station at 10:45PM and arriving at 11:05PM (the reverse is also true – taxi services from Nambucca Heads to Macksville leaves at 9:50PM and arrives at Macksville at 10:20PM).
The station is also 3 km (1.9 mi) out of town – you will need to call a taxi to get you inside town.
Get around
See
- 🌍 Captain Cook Lookout, Parkes St (at the end of the road; parking available). A lookout with some great views of the Nambucca River's estuary and the serene coastal landscapes around it.
- 🌍 Nambucca Historical Museum, 50 Liston St, ☏ +61 2 6569 4353, nheadmuseum@midcoast.com.au. W Sa Su 2–4PM. Local history museum.
- 🌍 Rotary Lookout, Parkes St.
Do
Buy
Eat
- 🌍 Good Time Charlie's, 1/22 Bowra St, ☏ +61 2 5531 6637. Daily 6AM–2PM. A small breakfast cafe with reasonably affordable food options.
- 🌍 Jade Chinese Restaurant, 12 Bowra St, ☏ +61 2 6568 9808. Tu–Th noon–8:30PM; F noon–9PM; Sa–M 5–8:30PM. The town's local Chinese restaurant. Takeaway available.
- 🌍 Lom Talay Thai Restaurant, 58 Ridge St (cnr Whaites St), ☏ +61 2 6568 8877. Tu–Sa 5–8PM.
- 🌍 Nambucca Kebabs, 4/42 Bowra St, ☏ +61 2 6599 3076. M–F 10AM–7PM; Sa 10AM–3PM.
- 🌍 New River Edge Indian Cuisine, 10/6 Bowra St, ☏ +61 2 6568 9880. Mid-range Indian restaurant.
- 🌍 Tasty Tucka, 40 Bowra St, ☏ +61 2 6568 7800. W–Sa 10:30AM–7PM; Su 10:30AM–3PM. Fish and chips shop.
Drink
- 🌍 Golden Sands Tavern, 31 Bowra St, ☏ +61 2 6568 6000. M–Th Sa 10AM–10PM; F 10AM–midnight; Su noon–8PM.
Sleep
- 🌍 The Cubana Resort Nambucca Heads, 56-58 Riverside Dr, ☏ +61 2 6568 8044. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 10AM.
- 🌍 Marcel Towers Holiday Apartments, 12/14 Wellington Dr, ☏ +61 2 6568 7041. Check-in: 1PM, check-out: 10AM.
- 🌍 Riverview Boutique Motel, 4 Wellington Dr, ☏ +61 2 6568 6386. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 10AM.
- 🌍 Riverside Rest Nambucca Heads, 2 Foreshore Cl, ☏ +61 2 6568 6348. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 10AM.
Connect
Go next
| Newcastle ← Macksville ← | S M1 N | → Urunga → Coffs Harbour |
| Sydney ← Macksville ← | S North Coast XPT N | → Urunga → Casino |