Port Macquarie

8 km (649 km) | 2 hours

I caught an early XPT ‘country’ train from Sydney Central. One of the many side benefits of this coastal experience has been becoming familiar with regional NSW public transport - for all our whinging it’s actually pretty good, at least for a leisure traveller with a bit of time on their hands, and incredible value by first world standards (even more so with a ‘seniors’ discount).

It's a superb train ride north across the Hawkesbury River and especially the long stretch on the water adjacent to Mullet Creek and Brisbane Waters. After leaving Newcastle it’s then a delightful ride through the picturesque countryside and intriguing but somehow semi-forgotten towns in the Hunter, Manning and Hastings valleys along with gorgeous views to the mountain ranges.

I alighted in the timber town of Wauchope, where I was met by my brother who was in Port for a conference. After a short diversion to the quaint hill town of Comboyne, we headed down to Port Macquarie, where Stage 4 of the walk had ended and Stage 5 would begin.

I was staying at Flynns Beach, so I headed north from there, along the Port Macquarie Coastal Track, back into the heart of the town. From Flynns and Nobby Beaches it was over the headland to Rocky Beach, with its rare blueschist and eclogite and then to Oxley Beach. Igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks all visible in one place thanks to the magic of plate tectonics. A great little warm up for the enticing four full days of walking ahead.