Moonee Beach Itinerary Ideas

Day 1: Moonee Beach village

Settle into your first day by embracing the rhythm of the place and discovering what’s so special about Moonee Beach. Once you’re up and awake, grab a flat white and fresh scone from local favourite The Black Apple, then pop down to Moonee Beach Day Use Park for an early morning dip. The shallow estuary pools at high tide make for a calm and sheltered paddle.

From there, take the easy 1 km coastal walk up to Moonee Beach Nature Reserve – keep your eyes peeled for dolphins playing in the surf and whales breaching off the coast from June to November as they migrate.

Keep heading north to Emerald Beach for the Look At Me Now headland walk. The 'roos here are so accustomed to visitors they'll graze metres away from you while the Pacific stretches out below. Sunrise is magical, but midday still delivers extraordinary views.

In the evening, wind down at the Moonee Beach Hotel, a lively bistro and beer garden with live music, putt-putt golf, and a classic pub menu that’s family-friendly and unpretentious.

Day 2: South Solitary Island and Coffs Harbour

Add one of the best diving spots off the east coast to your Moonee Beach itinerary – South Solitary Island. Only accessible by helicopter or boat, you can book a tour with Jetty Dive Centre in Coffs Harbour to experience this natural wonder. Trips are weather-dependent, however, so check conditions before you arrive.

If you can’t or don’t want to dive, here’s a good backup option: the South Solitary Island Viewing Platform at Sapphire Beach. It gives you a different angle of the island, and you can spot the lighthouse – that’s been operating since 1888 – on the horizon on clear days.

As the afternoon hits and you’re back on the mainland (or in Sapphire Beach), it’s a good opportunity to check out Coffs Harbour. You could take the kids to the Big Banana, or simply take a stroll through local shops and grab a bite to eat at one of the many cafes and restaurants.

Day 3: Orara Valley Tourist Trail

Drive west from Moonee Beach into a landscape of dairy farms, ghost gums and historic hinterland villages on the Orara Valley Tourist Trail. Stop at Coramba's remnant rainforest reserve, the beloved Idle In Café in Nana Glen, and the gold rush town of Glenreagh with its famously oversized golden dingo.

End your day at Bangalore Falls in Bindarri National Park, a tiered waterfall with swimming holes hidden in a mountain ravine just 20km from the coast. This is the kind of day trip to add to any Moonee Beach itinerary that makes you forget the beach exists entirely!