AdamS3

This is not a bad suburb to raise a family. In fact it is also not an overly bad place to live. The things you need to consider though is that if you expect your children to live here as adults, you are really holding them back from achieving their true potential and having a chance to experience the world. What I mean is, that if this suburb were closer to a major city, it would be the perfect place to live. It has nice beaches, parks, good restaurants, big brand name universities with a limited range of courses on offer and that's about it. The employment is limited to the hospital which is modern, new and innovative by the way. Out side of the hospital, employment is limited to what ever is on offer. Yes you can get a job in the industrial area, retail or in a profession in town, but as the job market is limited, actually getting one of those jobs would be very difficult.
New people to this town rarely stay longer than five years, It is a difficult place to break into socially. I know people who have been living here 30 years and still feel socially isolated. The vast majority of the people I work with...their social group is limited to the people they work with.
Port Macquarie is very sports orientated, if you are into sports, this would be the place for you, if you are into academic things such as museums, art galleries or culture in general, these things do exist up here but are very limited.
Port Macquarie has been said to have the highest ratio of medical specialists per capita than anywhere else in the country, this together with the hospital provides world class healthcare.
The nearest major towns are Coffs Harbour two and a half hours to the north and New Castle about three hours to the south. apart from that, there are just country towns that lack major urban centres. If that is what you are looking for. There are some very happy people who live here, they believe it is an amazing place. But they are the people who's families and extended families are here so they have an established network.
If the best thing about a town is it's restaurants, then you know that that town does not have much else going for it. What I mean is if the most exciting thing to do in a place is eat, that is all you will be doing. Port Macquarie has some amazing restaurants with some of the best food around.
Most of the people I know who have adult children, their adult children have left this area to move to the cities.

I have been living here for almost six years now. I moved here when I was 23years old, 29 now. This has been a tough city to break into socially. I moved here from the Blue Mountains. I love the people I work with but my job would be the only thing keeping me here. That being said it is now time for me to go home.

I seriously think if you do consider moving up here, you really need to come here with an escape plan, even if that means keeping your house and renting here. If you go here thinking the move is permanent than this can really be a suffocating place to live. As soon as I planned on leaving I have become the happiest I have been in years.

The road is rough in places but is an enjoyable drive that leads to nice beaches a lot of nice campgrounds and retreats, feels remote even though it is close to town, and has a real sense of adventure, but traveling north from P'mac NEVER ATTEMPT THIS ROAD IN A NORMAL CAR OR CROSSOVER YOU WILL NOT MAKE IT!!!!! it does seem easy at first but has sand traps and you will need to be towed out!.