Carols under the stars
Carols at Black Head and Tuncurry, a Christmas concert band in Taree, fireworks over two waterways and a Harrington New Year's Day you won't forget.
- 03Tuncurry Carols by Candlelight
- 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
Tuncurry Carols by Candlelight
Rotary Club of Lower Midcoast's Carols by Candlelight fills Harry Elliot Oval in Tuncurry, with local choirs, the community band and Santa. A week earlier, Hallidays Point holds its Carols in the Park at Black Head, with Santa arriving on a Diamond Beach RFS truck.
- Carols in the Park, Hallidays Point.
- Manning Valley Concert Band Christmas Celebration, 2pm.
- Tuncurry Carols by Candlelight.
- Fireworks at 9pm, Taree and Forster–Tuncurry.
On around the coast
Festivals, shows and nights out from Forster–Tuncurry to Harrington and Wingham. Tap one for details from the organisers.
- Mon 11 DecCarols in the Park, Hallidays PointWylie Breckenridge Park, Black Head
- Sun 17 Dec, 2pmManning Valley Concert Band: A Christmas CelebrationSt John's Anglican Church, Taree
- Mon 18 DecTuncurry Carols by CandlelightHarry Elliot Oval, Tuncurry
- Sun 31 Dec, from 6pmNew Year's Eve on the RiverStage & fireworksQueen Elizabeth Park, Taree
- Sun 31 Dec, 9pmNew Year's Eve fireworksWallis Lake, Forster–Tuncurry
- Mon 1 JanJohn Gollan Day fireworks and marketsHarrington waterfront
- Tue 2 JanHarrington CupBushland Drive racecourse, Taree
- Sat 6 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 Hallidays Point, Diamond Beach and Black Head, each with a map link. After your visit, rate it on R8rly for the next guest.
Coffee & breakfast
- The Point Bakery Café Café · Hallidays Point MapRate
- Bronte Belo Diamond Beach Café · Diamond Beach MapRate
- Wallabi Point Coastal Cafe Café · Wallabi Point MapRate
Lunch, dinner & a cold one
- Hallidays Point Tavern Restaurant · Black Head · pub MapRate
- Lupo's Pizza Pasta Restaurant · Diamond Beach MapRate
- BELO CANTINA Restaurant · Diamond Beach · takeaway MapRate
- Bunker Bar Events & Venues · Tallwoods Village · bar MapRate
Get outside
- Saltwater Point Lookout Activity · Saltwater · outdoors MapRate
- The Big Buzz Fun Park Accommodation · Rainbow Flat MapRate
- Tallwoods Country Club Accommodation · Tallwoods Village MapRate
Places to stay
- BIG4 Happy Hallidays Holiday Park Accommodation · Hallidays Point · holiday park MapRate
- Serenity Diamond Beach Accommodation · Diamond Beach MapRate
- Seashells Beachfront Resort Accommodation · Diamond Beach 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
Share your story
Got a photo, a memory or a local tip for the next edition? Send it in.
stories@ocuper.comSomething to read on the deck
Aussie Coastline Coloring Book
Beaches, headlands and shorelines to colour, from Imagine by Dionisius.
Have a lookCozy Country Cottage
Architectural colouring pages of country cottages, verandas and gardens.
See the pagesNever miss an edition
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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