Fun and Fitness in Taree

There are many ways to stay active in and around Taree… plus they offer the ideal opportunity to make new friends! Here are a are a few suggestions to kick you off!

Every weeknight and weekend across the town you will find locals enjoying a great variety of team sports, including basketball, hockey, touch football, netball, rugby league, rugby union, Australian rules, soccer and cricket.

Why not join up and check out the action at a local comp – hop onto MidCoast (NSW) Community Directory (mycommunitydirectory.com.au) and enter “sport” for a list of clubs just waiting for keen new players.

River Walk

1.5km walking track following the Manning River through the heart of town, starts at River St, great for biking, running or a casual stroll.

Taree Park Run

Every Saturday at 8:00am join the loyal starters for a 5km walk or run loop from Endeavour Place Reserve, Stevenson St, Taree. Registration is required before your first event - register | parkrun Australia

Manning Aquatic Leisure Centre (The Y)

50m outdoor and 25m + leisure indoor heated pools, outdoor kids wading pool, water playground and café. Kids and adult lessons, aqua aerobics and recreational swimming. The centre also has a gym, personal training, extensive program of group fitness classes. 51 Manning River Drive, Taree

Great Lakes Aquatic and Leisure Centre (The Y)

25m + toddler indoor heated pools and kiosk. Kids and adult lessons, aqua aerobics and recreational swimming. The centre also has a gym, personal training, personal training, extensive program of group fitness classes. Lake Street, Foster

Criterium Cycling Circuit

Open access to the public and home of the Manning Valley Cycle Club. Recreation Dr, Taree

Kiwarrak Mountain Bike Park

A 70km network of interconnected forested trails perfect for beginners through to advanced shredders! From cross-country runs, to gravity-fed enduro style trails complete with purpose-built structures such as jumps, bridges, wall-rides, drops and roller coasters. Home of the Manning-Great Lakes Tip Riders – regular, family friendly events with new riders welcome. Alternatively, you can ride to nearby Breakneck Lookout for stunning 360-degree views of the mountains and sea. The Bucketts Way, Tinonee HOME | MANNING GREAT LAKES TIP RIDERS

Taree Tennis Centre

Seven synthetic grass courts and three hard courts available for private hire, coaching and social comps. 81 Commerce St, Taree

Taree Golf Club

First established in May 1915 and considered one of the premier golf courses on the east coast. Spread over 180 acres of parkland, the club also has a restaurant and café. 121 Wingham Rd, Taree

Brimbin Nature Reserve

Only 15min drive from Taree, the 50ha reserve is a tranquil spot for riverside picnicking and a gentle bushwalk. BBQ, picnic table and toilets. Old Port Macquarie Rd, Taree

Manning River Cruises

The Manning River is one of only two double delta river systems in the world and there is no better way of experiencing it that on the water itself!

Hire a BBQ Boat

Kick back in the sun with a sausage sizzle, glorious views and the gentle undulation of the sparkling blue water. Pontoon BBQ boats are perfect for special occasions, fishing or your very own private whale watching cruise… and no boat licence is required! There are a variety of companies in Forster offering vessels for hire to suit all budgets, with paddleboards, kayaks, small cruisers and fishing boats also available, providing many ways to explore these magnificent waterways.

Beaches

Surrounding Taree you will find some of the most beautiful beaches in Australia, below are a list of spots popular with locals and visitors alike:

Black Head Beach – considered one of the best swimming beaches in the region, with ocean baths and shady Norfolk Island Pines, a café, a great bike path, picnic areas and BBQs.

Saltwater Beach and lagoon – gorgeous spot in the Saltwater National Park.

Crowdy Head, North Beach –well protected beach with kiosk.

Beaches patrolled by Surf Life Saving – Bennett’s, Black Head, Boomerang, Crowdy, Diamond (only during the Christmas school holidays), Elizabeth, Forster Main, Old Bar and Forster One Mile. Always remember to swim between the flags.

Every Sunday (year-round) Black Head Surf Life Saving Club has Sunday Sippers from 3pm - 6pm during cooler months and 3pm - 7 pm during Summer. No BYOG but welcome to bring your own food and nibblies. You can chat to the friendly locals and watch the dolphins and whales swim by.

You can also learn to surf! Great Lakes Surf School | Saltwater Surf School

Rockpools

There are wonderful rockpools for exploring and snorkelling, plus ocean baths to splash in all along the coast, top picks include:

Burgess Beach, The Tanks and Pebbly Beach (Forster)
Crystal Pools (Hallidays Point)
Little Gibber (Myall Lakes National Park)
Number One Beach (Seal Rocks)
Tuncurry Rock Pool

Wild swimming

Plunge into a crystal-clear forest watering hole, hear the roar of a thundering waterfall as you swim beneath it, float gently down a tree-lined creek or soak in a secluded beach rockpool… absolute bliss! With our regions rivers starting high in Barrington Tops and making their way towards 190 kilometres of coastline, we have plenty of wonderous wild swimming opportunities on the doorstep – check out some of the best here, including Waitui Falls, Bretti Reserve and the Fairy Pool.

WARNING: Visitors should exercise caution when swimming at the listed locations, never jump or dive into unfamiliar water and check alerts pages for any National Park closures.

Whale watching

Whale watching season is an annual event where whales migrate north to give birth to calves in warmer waters. We start seeing whales along the Barrington Coast as they head north from late April to July. Whales then start returning to the rich southern feeding grounds in the Antarctic during August to early November. The later the season, the greater chance you will see calves. Here are some of the best spots to watch the passing parade:

Cape Hawke Lookout at Forster
Bennetts Head Lookout at Forster
One Mile Beach sand dune at Forster
Booti Hill at Pacific Palms
Sugarloaf Point Lighthouse at Seal Rocks
Yacaaba Headland at Hawks Nest
Tuncurry Beach viewing platform
Black Head viewing platform
Crowdy Head Lighthouse
Diamond Head Loop Track