Nambucca Heads, NSW 2448

I lived in Nambucca Heads for 4 years and have only sold to move closer to family. Nambucca is the most beautiful place I have ever lived in. The people of Nambucca are welcoming, sincere and friendly. In the 4 yrs I lived there I can only say that each day was as pleasant and easy as the next. The beaches and river are a picture of paradise, there are fantastic cafes (and all the staff are both kind and friendly), nice little restaurants and clubs, and great walks.

I am writing this for balance after spotting crazy bad review below, whilst looking for property data. Lets get a few things straight. Are there people here who take drugs and people who are unemployed?. Yep. But we moved here from a supposedly more up market and "trendy" town and the drugs and night time problems there were far worse. We find the people here generally unpretentious and polite. I am also a muso and have played in local pubs in NH and Macksville, and have also returned home from gigs dozens of times through the centre of town at midnight - 2am..Never had a problem. Local crowds were funny, fun loving and appreciative . We bough a funky Aussie weather board 600m from the beach and river at a great price, and like many others here we are quietly renovating while we enjoy the coastal lifestyle. The beaches here are brilliant and not even crowded during holiday seasons. In the last 18 months the council has been renovating the fore shores and parks etc, and our street even got a new surface, We are a little short on trendy restaurants, but there is a good Thai, and a great Chinese in the leagues club, and a few great cafes ( a couple on the riverside) and a tavern which overlooks the river at the heads. There are probably 5 places where you can buy good coffee and we have the best fishmonger on the coast. Woolies has improved since we got here and the range of product is great , and same in the bottle shop. NH is NOT a hipster hell hole. Thank God. Musos and local business folk have been very welcoming, and we have found new friends here. A few friends also came from our previous town and joined us here, and love it. Yes, it is quiet here at night, but we are not really pub people anyway. There are kangaroos in the reserves, lots of bushland, even the surf club is being reno'd. The council is also building a bike track between NH and Macksville, which will be great as we go there for coffee/snacks/shopping sometimes. There is a great appliance store, and everything we need in town for daily stuff. If we do need a wider choice ( say new clothes for a special occasion) then Coffs is 40 mins sway down the freeway. Its a great place, just dont expect hyper trendy...just yet.

Have lived here for 31 years. Lovely coastal town, lovely people & if you love water - plenty of it!
Depends on your interests & lifestyle whether it suits. It’s a quiet town - no real nightlife - just clubs & pubs. Great for beach goers, families & retirees.
High unemployment & not a lot for young people.

Shopping- local Woolies & IGA for groceries & a few specialty shops in town & at the plaza but you have to travel to Coffs Harbour (30 mins north) for Big W, Target, Bunnings etc.

Schools - 2 state primary schools & 1 state high school. The Christian school is a private school that goes kindy to year 12, but has fees.

Medical services- large hospital & specialists at Coffs or Port Macquarie- small hospitals at Macksville & Bellingen. A few medical practices around but often hard to get into as a new patient.

Beaches- There are plenty of beaches - even a dedicated “dog & horse beach” where dogs can run off lead & it is often fairly quiet. Horses run early morning- but it is also a 4 wheel drive beach - watch for cars - but most drivers are careful.
The river is great for paddling, canoeing etc. (no waterskiing that I’m aware of)
Parks & cafes, restaurants
A few great cafes overlooking the river & restaurants & great parks for kids. Bellwood Park has great facilities, undercover tables & toilets- for bbqs, kids to play & safe swimming with a pontoon.

Great place to raise kids but when they need to go to Uni - they often leave home for the city, although there is a TAFE & Uni at Coffs now.
Coffs Harbour (30 mins north) & Port Macquarie (1hr 15mins south) are both easier to access with a new motorway now opened!
A larges service centre is at Nambucca intersection now with Maccas & KFC.

The most welcoming community, a lovely quiet town with all the amenities and great medical facilities and schools available. Absolutely stunning pristine beaches, so if you like the outdoors and walking, swimming, boating, fishing, water skiing, no traffice, peace and friendly people- its paradise.

I moved here from Sydney and have been living in this town for 3 years now. There are some stunning views in Nambucca Heads. The town is very quiet and most people are generally quite friendly. It is lovey to be able to walk along the beach which are more often than not deserted, and to feel the sea breeze through the town which is great in summer. If you are moving here to work however; you are going to be sorely disappointed. There is 8.5% unemployment which I have been told is the highest in the nation. Most people have to wait at least 4-5 years before they can even get a potential job offer - there is a lot of nepotism in this area so if you have specific skills you will only be considered for a job if you are close friends with the person hiring you. If you are on Centrelink and wish to move here from any other part of Australia you will be penalised and will have to serve a waiting period. If you are looking to set up a business here, you will have a struggle on your hands. I have seen many businesses start in this area and fail dismally within at least 6 months of opening. A Woolworths opened in this town a few years ago and squashed out a lot of the independent butchers, florists, and grocers so your only choice of shopping is to go to Woolworths. There is not much to do in the town unless you are a surfie type and spend all your time at the beach. Shopping is extremely limited and you have to go to Coffs Harbour to do any shopping which quickly chews up your petrol and your time - and it gets old very quickly. On the subject of petrol, for some reason it is more expensive here than it is in Sydney and public transport is very limited. Due to the lack of things to do and lack of employment there is a high rate of drug use in this area and there has been a few armed robberies and drug busts. If you wish to study there is a university in Coffs Harbour which isn't too bad and the cost of rent is extremely affordable. I would say the main issues in this area are definitely unemployment and the Pacific Highway which is very dangerous and there has been at least 7 deaths in the years that I have lived here which is a big number for such a small town. The roads in this area are terrible. The council is at least 40 million dollars behind in roadworks due to the high incidence of flooding which in turn breaks up the road leading to potholes- so make sure you get your car serviced regularly. There are a few hopsitals round here - Macksville is the closest. These hospitals struggle to stay open and have to rely on the community to keep them open or to get medical equipment which is testament to the community spirit in Nambucca Heads. House prices are quite low so it is a good area to buy but terrible to sell. Most people I know have had their property on the market for 3 years and no interest. All in all, Nambucca is a nice place, excellent for those who wish to retire.

Nambucca Heads is a great coastal town with great recreational activities such as golfing, fishing, swimming, boating, and alot of great sporting venues. The township is just 30mins drive south of Coffs Harbour so work isnt too far away. Dont just retire here bring the whole family.

nice place i have recently moved and am finding this place quiet nice the beaches are nice and the food is average

this is a nice place

A wonderful place for seachangers. The locals are unusually friendly for such a small place. The streets are quiet and the beaches are beautiful and pristine. We were amazed that while most people know Coffs Harbour (30 mins away), not many have stayed at Nambucca Heads. A nice place to bring up a family, you can go fishing in the quiet waterways, bike riding along the walkways, crabbing, snorkelling, etc. We fell in love with it on our honeymoon, and have now lived here for 2 years. Being able to go for a quiet walk on the beach every night after work was a bit of a clincher!

Nambucca heads is on the mid north coast of NSW and has a laid back beachside atmosphere and attracts tourist all year round. Nambucca has beautiful clean beaches that are great for surfing and swimming with main beach being patrolled between October and Easter. There are some good walks along the foreshore and lookouts offering amazing views of the area. See the mosaic sculptures, model railway and painted poles. Nambucca Heads Golf Course in situated on Stuart Island and is completely surrounded by water. Yarriabini national park is nearby and is a pleasant way to spend the day exploring. Holiday accommodation is plentiful but is pays to book early for the peak seasons during summer. The town offers good amenities and shopping facilities.