Reconnect with your inner-self on a healthy getaway in Port Macquarie, a hot-spot for yoga festivals, farm-gates, glamping tents and nourishing bush-walks.

New experiences include the Ekam Yoga Festival, the Tucker Table cooking school and a new Farming Chef for Sundays at Near River Produce. Stay in new hinterland accommodation at Casa Comboyne, the studio at The Byabarra, or glamp with Flourish Tents.

Port Macquarie is renowned for its healthy lifestyle with 17 beaches, pristine rivers and great nature experiences in coastal rainforests and National Parks. The top ways to nourish your soul in 2017:

Events

Monthly Sundays at Near River Produce – a new Farming Chef will be cooking up a feast from the paddock at monthly events at this pristine hinterland farm. Join in farming activities and pick your lunch from field grown vegetables and pork. 10am-2pm with lunch. May 7 & 14, June 4 & 18, and July 2 &16 www.nearriverproduce.com 

Fermenting Workshop, 13 May – learn about gut health and the incredibly tasty health benefits of kimchi, pickles, whey and labne with Sammi Zajko from Fermenting Australia. The four-hour workshop is held at Studio 6. see here

The Ekam Yoga Festival, 2-3 September – find some inner peace with yoga, music and a health and living expo at Port Macquarie's largest yoga celebration. Held over two days at the Francis Retreat, the program features 20 teachers with specialised classes, talks, meditations, accommodation and meals. www.ekamyogafestival.org.au

Farm Gate Trail, 10-12 June – learn how food is grown and visit around 10 farms which produce nuts, oysters, beef, pork and eggs. Meet the farmers on special tours as they discuss biodiversity, regeneration and free-range.

Do

Join a local yoga, fun run or meditation class - The Yoga Shala runs regular Ashtanga classes and day retreats www.theyogashala.com.au; the Port Macquarie Parkrun is a free 5km run every Saturday at 7am www.parkrun.com.au/portmacquarie; and The Hollow Store offers meditation classes, yoga, a resident naturopath and therapeutic herbal teas www.thehollowstore.com.au

The Tucker Table – a cooking school run by a local dietician with four-hour classes on eating healthily with topics such as bush-tucker food, seafood and BBQs. www.thetuckertable.com

The Lost Plot – the best community garden in the region, opened by Costa Georgiadis in 2014, visitors can join in regular events such as Mulch and Munch and talks on Sharing Space with Koalas. Herbs, fruits and vegetables are enjoyed on tasty pizzas from the wood-fired oven. www.thelostplot.org

Shop sustainably – holiday retail therapy is essential and at the Outlier store in Wauchope they re-use and reimagine furniture, taxidermy, tribal artefacts and homewares www.outlier.com.au

Walks in nature – the stunning 9km Coastal Walk is one of the best in Australia; enjoy the 3km boardwalk at Sea Acres Rainforest Centre; or head inland to Boorgana Nature Reserve's Rawson Falls Walk, or the Rocks Ferry Walk at Wauchope where Jacaranda and fig trees line the boardwalk along the Hastings River.

Eat

Healthy cafes – watch the sun-rise with a quinoa breakfast bowl at Salty Crew Kiosk, relax for a lake-side lunch with fair-trade coffee at Abundance Lifestyle and Garden, enjoy seasonal local lamb and vegetables at Drury Lane Eatery for dinner, or head to The Veggie Kitchen in North Haven for delicious gluten free, vegan, paleo and vegie dishes.

Markets – with over 80 producers and farmers in the region, the best place to meet them are at the Grown and Gathered markets in Pappinbarra, the Real Food Local Produce Markets held every Tuesday in the CBD, and the monthly Hastings Farmers Markets.

Stay

Flourish Tents - for a unique glamping experience by the coast or in the hinterland, Flourish will pitch and style a bell-style tent for you. Luxury linen, bedding, lanterns and breakfast hampers can all be provided. Prices start from $390 for two nights. More info

Immersed in nature - top picks include Diamond Waters Treehouse Retreat, Telegraph Retreat, The Studio at The Byabarra, Comboyne Hideaway and Casa Comboyne

Port Macquarie is a 4-hour drive North of Sydney or a flight from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane with connections to the rest of Australia. Find out more information go on-line at www.portmacquarieinfo.com.au

Contact:
For more information and hosted media visits to Port Macquarie:
Gabrielle Brewer, Lifestyle & Tourism Public Relations
M: 0419 986 528 or 02 9029 8333
E: gabrielle@gabriellebrewer.com