You can't miss the 10m (33-ft.) reinforced-concrete banana alongside the highway at the Big Banana Theme Park (tel. 02/6652 4355; www.bigbanana.com), 3km (2 miles) north of town. The adjoining park offers ice-skating and other attractions. It's open daily from 9am to 4:30pm (3pm in winter). Admission to the Big Banana is free. I had my doubts about this place before I visited, but I ended up charmed -- even if it was simply by the wackiness of the place.
The Coffs Harbour Zoo (tel. 02/6656 1330), 10 minutes north of town on the Pacific Highway, has plenty of koalas, as well as wombats, kangaroos, dingoes, Tasmanian devils, water birds, and aviaries. The award-winning native gardens are full of wild birds expecting a feed. The zoo is open daily from 8:30am to 4pm. Admission is A$15 (US$14/£6.75) for adults, A$7.50 (US$6.75/£3.50) for children, and A$35 (US$31/£16) for families.
A free natural attraction is Mutton Bird Island, which you can get to from the Coffs Harbour jetty. A steep path leads up the side of the island, but views from the top are worth it. Between September and April, the island is home to thousands of shearwaters (mutton birds), which make their nests in burrows in the ground.
If you prefer fish, try diving with gray nurse sharks, manta rays, and moray eels with Island Snorkel and Dive (tel. 02/6654 2860) or Dive Quest (tel. 02/6654 1930). The Pamela Star (tel. 02/6658 4379) offers good-value deep-sea-fishing trips.
For a taste of gold fever, head to George's Gold Mine, 40km (25 miles) west of Coffs Harbour on Bushman's Range Road (tel. 02/6654 5355 or 02/6654 5273). You get to go into an old-time gold mine, see the "stamper battery" crushing the ore, and pan for gold yourself. The mine is open Wednesday through Sunday (daily during school and public holidays) from 10:30am to 4pm. Admission is A$10 (US$9/£4.50) for adults, A$5 (US$4.50/£2.25) for children, and A$28 (US$22/£11) for families.
Kiwi Down Under Farm (tel. 02/6653 4449) is a fascinating organic farm growing kiwi fruit and macadamia nuts, among other things. No nasty sprays are used here. Free 30- to 45-minute guided tours of the property leave at 2, 3, and 4pm on weekends and school holidays. The tea shop on the premises serves amazing scones and jam and excellent vegetarian lunches. The farm is 14km (8 1/2 miles) south of Coffs Harbour; turn off at Gleniffer Road, just south of Bonville, and follow signs for 4km (2 1/2 miles).
