Free music on the river
Spring on the Manning means three free Friday-night concerts on the RiverStage, whales heading south past the headlands, and the surf clubs raising their flags for the season.
- 03Music on the RiverStage
- 04What's on
- 05Market Crawl · Spring markets
- 06Eat, drink, stay and play
- 07My Spring Socials · Spring Seaside Bingo & #HashQuest
- 08Sky & sea notes
- 09Puzzles & colouring
- 10Coast safe · Surf clubs & bush fire season
- 11Mid North Coast Stories & Playlist
- 12From our shelf
- 13Get the next edition
- 14For hosts & local businesses
Music on the RiverStage
Rotary Club of Taree on Manning hosts a free three-night concert series on the RiverStage at Queen Elizabeth Park. Bring a picnic rug, grab dinner from the riverside cafés, and settle in as the sun drops behind the river.
- Goodfellas Band, Circus Mule and friends.
- Darren Jack Band and Sweet 'n Swampy.
- Wendy Matthews, with Grace + Hugh.
On around the coast
Festivals, shows and nights out from Forster–Tuncurry to Harrington and Wingham. Tap one for details from the organisers.
- Fri 29 OctRiverStage free concert: Goodfellas BandQueen Elizabeth Park, Taree
- Fri 5 NovRiverStage free concert: Darren Jack BandQueen Elizabeth Park, Taree
- Fri 19 NovRiverStage free concert: Wendy MatthewsQueen Elizabeth Park, Taree
Times and programs come from the organisers and can change. Check the event page before you head out.
Spring 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
- Flame Tree Community MarketsTaree · Third Sunday of March, May, July and September, 9am – 1pm
- 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
After dark, Orion climbs out of the east late in the season, and the Pleiades (the Seven Sisters) rise in the north-east in November evenings. Away from town lights at Saltwater or Crowdy Head the Milky Way still arcs high after sunset.
Open the Chronometer on The Undivided SkyOn the water
Humpback whales head south past the headlands with their calves, and resident dolphins work the surf at Old Bar and the Wallis Lake entrance.
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.
Surf clubs & bush fire season
Volunteer surf patrols start on the coast's beaches from the spring school holidays. Swim between the red and yellow flags.
Spring is bush fire season
Check fires near you before a drive or a bushwalk, and follow any total fire ban.
NSW RFS Fires Near MeIn 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
The Undivided Sky
A cartography of deep time and sky-knowledge, with an interactive Chronometer.
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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.
Spring 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.
#ManningValley#BarringtonCoast#OldBarBeach#HarringtonNSW#CrowdyHeadsNSW#ForsterTuncurry#WallisLake#CapeHawke#HallidaysPointNSW#DiamondBeachNSW#SpringOnTheCoast#Ocuper