Coffs Harbour is a coastal city located on the Mid North Coast, New South Wales about 540 km (340 mi) north of Sydney, and 390 km (240 mi) south of Brisbane. The city is one of the largest urban centers in the North Coast area, with an estimated population of 69,403.
Coffs Harbor’s economy is largely derived from banana production, currently being replaced by blueberries and tourism and fisheries. The wider region is known as Bananacoast.
CLIMATE
Coffs Harbor has a mild subtropical climate with a significant rainfall season. The city is sunny, receiving 122.1 clear days a year, higher than Brisbane and Cairns. Summer is warm, wet and humid. Winter is light, pleasant and dry.
The temperature range from 7.60C to 26.80C. The driest month is September, with 59 mm of rain. With an average of 242 mm of precipitation, the highest amount of precipitation is observed in March. The warmest month of the year is January, with an average temperature of 23.4 ° C. The lowest average temperatures in the year occur in July, it is around 13.1 ° C.
An average annual water temperature of 22.70 ° C is reached in Coffs Harbor (Tasman Sea). The lowest water temperature in the month is reached around 19.70 ° C in August. Average highest water temperatures are around 25.90 ° C by weight and are measured in February.
Approximately 25.90 ° C is the maximum water temperature of the year. This is reached around February 21. The minimum value is 19.70 ° C and is measured around August 17. Coffs Harbor’s nearest Ocean is Tasman Sea and roughly 2.04km.
TRANSPORTATION
There are regular flights daily to Sydney and Melbourne that depart from Coffs Harbor Airport. Coffs Harbor can also be accessed by road, with the NSW TrainLink train network and regular bus services.
Throughout Coffs Harbour and the surrounding areas you can find Beaumonts, Busways, Forest Coach Lines, Newcombe and Sahdras. Go to Coffs Harbour station and take three northbound and three southbound XPT trains.
Taxis are also available with more expensive fare than other public transportations.
COST OF LIVING
The cost of living below is a guide by Sothern Cross University:
| Expenses (Per week) | Private rental | SCU Village (Lismore, Coffs Harbour) | Homestay |
| Accommodation | $130-$250 room | $140-$201 | $240-$290 |
| $350-$600 house | |||
| Food | $100-$150 | $100-$150 | Included |
| Public transport | $20-$70 | $20 | Included to and from campus |
| Electricity | $15 room | Included | Included |
| $40 house | |||
| Water | $5 | Included | Included |
| Mobile/internet | $30-$60 | $30-$60 | $30-$60 |
Please note that the cost of living depends on each student’s lifestyle.
THINGS TO DO
Coofs Harbor has Muttonbird Island, also known as Giidany Miirlarl (Place of the Moon). Lonely Planet listed this island as the first attraction you have to visit. Never forget to taste its food, try Fiasco, upmarket Italian fare in an open kitchen with various menus from best local suppliers and herbs from the restaurant’s own garden. You will also love the town’s best coffee, chia ‘pud’, eggy breakfasts, and superfood bowls.
Take a quick walk to jetty beach, which creates calm swimming conditions and protected by a breakwater. Don’t miss Sealy Lookout in the Orara East State Forest located only 10-minute drive from Coffs Harbour. Big Banana built in 1964 and is still as iconic even for the locals. Ice skating, toboggan rides, mini-golf, or enjoy the waterpark are possible to do in this “Big Things”.
Southern Cross University’s Marine Science Centre open its Solitary Island Aquarium to public. Might as well be your recommended things to do here. Professional surfers as well as beginners will love Diggers Beach near Big Banana. If you see around, you can also find some best fish and chips you can not miss.
These places are also worth to visit:
- Bongil Bongil National Park
- Ulidarra National Park
- Yuraygir National Park
- Cascade National Park
- Coffs Coast Regional Park
- Dorrigo National Park
- Hayden Dent Nature Reserve
- Junuy Juluum National Park
- Bellinger River National Park
- Bindarri National Park
- Moonee Beach Nature Reserve
- Nymboi-Binderay National Park
- Solitary Islands Marine Park
- Coffs Harbour Regional Gallery
- Bunker Cartoon Gallery
- St. John the Evangelist Anglican Church, McLean Street
- St. Augustines Catholic Church, Gordon Street
- HarbourChurch
- Life House, Also Bible College
- C3 Church Coffs Harbour
- Harbourside Presbyterian Church
- Coffs Harbour Regional Museum
UNIVERSITIES
Southern Cross University
With a reputation as a progressive institution, partnering with communities to create positive, global change, Southern Cross University is a multi-campus university on the east coast of Australia. Teachers College established in the 1970s was renamed Southern Cross University as its identity to this day.
The SCU campus is located in southeast Queensland near the Gold Coast Airport, in New South Wales in Lismore and at Coffs Harbor, where University’s National Marine Science Center is located. Branches in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth operate in partnership with EduCo and the University operates The Hotel School Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane in partnership with Mulpha Australia. SCU also offers titles with collaborators in China and Papua New Guinea.
Southern Cross University offers in-campus programs and online programs, with a rich academic portfolio that covers a wide range of disciplines.
In its latest Excellence in Research for Australia report, Southern Cross University has been ranked ‘at world standard’ in 23 areas of research. In 14 research areas, the University is evaluated on the ‘well above world standard’ in Earth Sciences, Geochemistry, Oceanography, Environmental Science and Management, Ecology, Zoology, Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, Crop and Pasture Production, Fisheries Sciences, Forestry Sciences , Civil Engineering, Resources Engineering and Extractive Metallurgy, Nursing, Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
Southern Cross University ranked among the top 150 universities in the world under 50 by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings. In addition to the following are some of the achievements of SCU:
- # 1 in Australia for the student support category, 2018 International Student Barometer
- World Standard or above in 23 areas of research, Excellence in Research for Australia 2018 national report
- 5 stars for student support, teaching quality and social equity, The 2019 Good Universities Guide
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