Fast facts
- Relaxed fishing and oyster-farming town, centre of a rich rural district
- On low-lying land around the Nambucca River
- 498 km north of Sydney, population 3,000
Why go there
The broad Nambucca River is the main attraction, offering a range of fishing and boating options.
Located on the Pacific Highway approximately midway between Sydney and Brisbane, this is a good place to break the road journey with an overnight stop.
History
The original inhabitants of the region were the Kumbaingeri or Ngamba Aboriginal people. Cedar cutters began felling timber in the area in the 1830s and '40s, and were followed by dairy farmers.
The town’s name came from two Scotsmen, Angus Mackay and Hugh McNally, who established a township in the 1880s. Since that time, the town has developed as a service centre for the surrounding tropical fruit, vegetable and dairy farms.
Things to do
- Have a drink at the Pub With No Beer. This pub, 26 km west of Macksville at Taylors Arm, became famous in Slim Dusty's hit song 'A Pub With No Beer'.
- Visit Mary Boulton’s Pioneer Cottage, a replica of a settler's home that brings the pioneering history of the district vividly to life.
Events
- The Pub With No Beer Festival,, in September, features a top-class line-up of music that includes well known hard rock and pop names.
- The Macksville Show, held on the weekend following Easter, demonstrates country life at its very best.
Don’t miss
- Fishing in the Nambucca River.
- The historic atmosphere inside the Star Hotel.
- A drive through the river valley along Taylors Arm Road.
- Surfing at the local beaches.
- The drive through Way Way State Forest, south of Macksville.
