Candles on the river
Carols on the RiverStage, a kilometre of Christmas lights in the riverbank trees, Boxing Day at the Pacific Palms market and New Year's Day markets at Black Head.
- 03Carols by Candlelight on the RiverStage
- 04What's on
- 05Market Crawl · Christmas markets
- 06Eat, drink, stay and play
- 07My Christmas Socials · Christmas Seaside Bingo & #HashQuest
- 08Sky & sea notes
- 09Puzzles & colouring
- 10Coast safe · Holiday safety
- 11Mid North Coast Stories & Playlist
- 12From our shelf
- 13Get the next edition
- 14For hosts & local businesses
Carols by Candlelight on the RiverStage
Taree's Rotary, Lions and Quota clubs bring Carols by Candlelight to the RiverStage at Queen Elizabeth Park, with Santa, local singers and around 2,000 candles. The event is alcohol and glass free.
- Carols by Candlelight, Taree.
- Pacific Palms Market from 9am.
- Fireworks at 9pm, Taree and Forster–Tuncurry.
- Black Head Bazaar and John Gollan Day, Harrington.
On around the coast
Festivals, shows and nights out from Forster–Tuncurry to Harrington and Wingham. Tap one for details from the organisers.
- Sun 11 Dec, 6–8pmCarols by Candlelight on the RiverStageQueen Elizabeth Park, Taree
- Dec – 26 JanLight Up TareeTaree riverbank
- Mon 26 Dec, 9amPacific Palms Market (Boxing Day)Pacific Palms Community Hall
- Sat 31 Dec, 9pmNew Year's Eve fireworksTaree and Forster–Tuncurry
- Sun 1 Jan, 8amNew Year's Day markets: Black Head BazaarWylie Breckenridge Park, Black Head
- Sun 1 JanJohn Gollan Day Festival & fireworksHarrington foreshore
- Sat 7 JanWingham Summertime RodeoWingham Showground
Times and programs come from the organisers and can change. Check the event page before you head out.
Christmas markets, town by town
The coast's regular markets, town by town. Most run on a set weekend each month, so there's one on somewhere almost every Saturday and Sunday.
- Burrell Creek Hall MarketsBurrell Creek · Second Sunday, every second month
- Byabarra Cafe and MarketsByabarra · Third Saturday of each month
- Comboyne MarketComboyne · Second Sunday of each month
- Crescent Head Community MarketsCrescent Head · Second Sunday of each month, 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM — plus every Sunday during school holidays
- Elands Community Hall MarketsElands · Second Sunday of each month
- Pacific Palms Junkyard MarketElizabeth Beach · Second Sunday of each month
- Forster Farmers MarketForster · Third Saturday of each month, 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Forster Town MarketsForster · Second Sunday of each month
- Gladstone Quality Meat MarketGladstone · Third Sunday of each month
- Blackhead BazaarHallidays Point · First Sunday of the month (September to May), 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM
- Hallidays Point Car Boot SaleHallidays Point · First Sunday of each month
- Johns River Country MarketsJohns River · Second Saturday of each month, 9:00 AM – 1:30 PM
- Clyde Street Hall MarketKempsey · Third Saturday and third Sunday of each month
- Kempsey Riverside MarketsKempsey · First Saturday of each month, 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM
- Made and Grown MarketsKempsey · Fourth Friday of each month, 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
- Kendall Meeting Place & Market BazaarKendall · Every Thursday
- Kendall Showground MarketsKendall · First Sunday of each month, 8:00 AM – 12:00 noon
- Krambach Farmers MarketKrambach · Third Sunday of the month, 8am – 12 noon
- Laurieton Riverwalk MarketsLaurieton · Third Sunday of each month, 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM
- Nabiac Farmers MarketNabiac · Last Saturday of each month, 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Old Bar Community MarketsOld Bar · Fourth Sunday of each month, 8am – 1pm
- Pacific Palms MarketPacific Palms · Last Sunday of each month, 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM
- Port Macquarie Uniting Church MarketPort Macquarie · First Saturday of each month
- Real Food Local Produce MarketsPort Macquarie · Every Tuesday, 12 noon – 5:30pm
- The Foreshore MarketPort Macquarie · Second Saturday of each month, 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
- The Local - Town Beach MarketsPort Macquarie · Fourth Sunday of each month, 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM
- Stroud Heritage Growers and Artisans MarketStroud · Fourth Sunday of each month, 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Taree Thursday Produce MarketTaree · Every Thursday, 7:30am – 12 noon — hang out under the heritage tree and have a yarn with locals
- The Hub MarketTaree · Third Saturday of each month, 8am – 1:30pm
- Telegraph Point MarketsTelegraph Point · Third Sunday of each month
- Tuncurry MarketTuncurry · Fourth Saturday of each month, 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM
- Wauchope Community Markets & Arts BazaarWauchope · First Saturday of each month
- Wauchope Farmers’ MarketWauchope · Fourth Saturday of each month, 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Wingham Farmers MarketWingham · First Saturday of each month, 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Markets can change at short notice. Check the market's page on the day. All Mid North Coast markets · Market Crawl MNC on Facebook
Eat, drink, stay and play
Places around Taree and the Manning River, each with a map link. After your visit, rate it on R8rly for the next guest.
Coffee & breakfast
- Raw Sugar Cafe Café · Taree MapRate
- Cafe Giardino Café · Taree MapRate
- The Boathouse Cafe Café · Taree MapRate
- Cafe Thyme Taree Café · Taree MapRate
Lunch, dinner & a cold one
- Exchange Hotel Taree Restaurant · Taree · pub MapRate
- Sailo's (Taree Aquatic Club) Events & Venues · Taree · club MapRate
- The Grill Taree Restaurant · Taree MapRate
- Manning River Hotel Restaurant · Taree · pub MapRate
Get outside
- The Big Oyster Activity · Taree MapRate
- Manning Regional Art Gallery Activity · Taree MapRate
- Brimbin Nature Reserve Activity · Taree · outdoors MapRate
- Apex Lookout Activity · Taree · outdoors MapRate
Places to stay
- Taree Motor Inn Accommodation · Taree · motel MapRate
- Country Plaza Motel Taree Accommodation · Taree · motel MapRate
- Railway Lodge Motel Accommodation · Taree · motel MapRate
Look up, look out
Tonight's sky
Christmas nights bring Orion and Sirius up in the east after dark, with the Pleiades high in the north. The long summer twilight lingers until after 8pm.
Open the Chronometer on The Undivided SkyOn the water
Christmas tables fill with Wallis Lake and Manning oysters and prawns, and Christmas beetles buzz around the porch lights on warm nights.
Explore The Undivided SkyPuzzles & colouring
A word search, crossword and maze made for this edition, plus a seaside scene to colour in on your phone. Print the pack for the kids, or play on screen.
Made with PixelWrap Studios. Make your own patterns, mandalas and tartans to colour in.
Holiday safety
Surf clubs patrol every weekend and public holiday through the holidays. Swim between the flags, and watch for rips on the open beaches.
Fireworks nights and the road
Double demerits apply over the Christmas–New Year holiday period. Fireworks viewing areas are alcohol-free in Taree; check road closures before you drive.
Live Traffic NSWIn an emergency, call 000.
Mid North Coast Stories & Playlist
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Got a photo, a memory or a local tip for the next edition? Send it in.
stories@ocuper.comSomething to read on the deck
27 Unbreakable Rules of the Universe
A guide to how the universe works, inspired in part by Nikola Tesla.
Find out moreKombi freebies
Free Kombi colouring pages to print for a rainy afternoon.
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Each new Ocuper lands in your inbox: what's on, market weekends, puzzles and colouring for the kids, and offers from local businesses.
Christmas Seaside Bingo
Tick a square each time you spot it during your stay. Four in a row earns bragging rights.
0 of 16 spotted
#HashQuest
How many can you tag during your stay? Visit, snap, tag, post.
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