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Port Macquarie () is a town on the mid- North Coast, New South Wales , Australia , located about 450 km north of Sydney , and 510km south of Brisbane . The city is located on the coast at the south bank of the entrance of the Hastings River . The site of Port Macquarie was first visited by Europeans in 1820 when John Oxley reached the Pacific Ocean coast from the interior after his journey to explore inland New South Wales. He named the location after the Governor of New South Wales , Lachlan Macquarie . Later the city was developed, initially as a Penal Settlement . Much of the land used to build the city's shopping centres and other structures in recent years was originally owned by the Catholic Church , who many claim are in large part responsible for the town's growth and development. Port Macquarie is now popular as a retirement location and popular tourist destination. It is known for its extensive pristine beaches and untouched waterways. The city is also known for its Koala population, with many tourists referring to it as the Koala Capital. Port Macquarie is also the home of the world famous Koala Hospital run by the Koala Preservation Society. The Koala Hospital cares for koalas injured through bushfire, dog attacks and collisions with vehicles. In recent times, Port Macquarie has become more commercialised despite protest from residents; in particular the Rydges Hotel (formerly Sheraton by Four Points) built opposite the city Green attracted much opposition. Despite this, Port Macquarie still offers little in the way of night-time entertainment beyond a handful of nightclubs. Most Australia Triathlon and hosted the event for the first time, on the 2nd of April, 2006. The Local Government Area in which Port Macquarie is located is known as ''Port Macquarie-Hastings'' . The name was officially changed in August 2005 following the results of a random community survey. The area was formerly known as ''Hastings''. The council has estimated the population of Port Macquarie and its immediate surrounding area to be approximately 62,000. TRANSPORT LINKS Port Macquarie is linked by daily air services to both Sydney and Brisbane . Road access is via the Pacific Highway , but the highway itself does not go through Port Macquarie. If approaching from the south you exit from an interchange, which provides access to Port Macquarie (via the southern suburbs) and Wauchope. If approaching from the north, you exit from a T-intersection just after entering the floodplain and crossing the Hastings River. Both are well signposted. Rail access to Port Macquarie is via bus transfer from the North Coast Railway Line which stops at Wauchope (19 km inland). ANNUAL EVENTS
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