Coffs Harbour (pop. 51,069) is a port city on the coast of New South Wales, Australia. It lies in the Mid North Coast region of the state. The city, which is known for its beaches and national parks, ranks as a major tourist destination.
Coffs Harbour’s natural attractions include many marine and nature reserves. A nature reserve on Muttonbird Island, just off the coast, is an important sea bird habitat. Muttonbird Island is also a significant Aboriginal cultural site. In 1942, the island was connected to mainland Coffs Harbour by a breakwater (protective wall).
Many Coffs Harbour residents work in the construction, education, health care, retail, and tourism industries. Local farmers grow blueberries—one of the region’s main exports—as well as avocados and kiwi fruit. The region is also noted for growing bananas. The first banana plantation in Coffs Harbour was established in 1891. The Big Banana, a giant banana structure and theme park, is a well-known tourist attraction.
The Gumbaynggirr Aboriginal people are the traditional inhabitants of the land where Coffs Harbour stands. European explorers, including James Cook and Matthew Flinders, sighted islands in the Coffs Harbor region in the late 1700’s. European settlers first arrived in the coastal area in the early 1800’s, and they began harvesting timber.
In 1847, the British shipbuilder John Korff landed on Muttonbird Island to shelter from a storm. After Korff noted the location’s potential as a shipping harbor, more settlers began arriving. The community that developed originally was called Korff’s Harbour or Brelsford Village. Its early industries included shipping and timber production. The completion of a jetty (pier) in 1892 provided a place to load and unload ships. The settlement officially became the town of Coff’s Harbour in 1897.
During the early 1900’s, Coff’s Harbour became one of the busiest ports in the Mid North Coast region. But its shipping industry began to decline in the 1910’s, due partly to the development of other modes of transportation in the area. Coffs Harbour was officially declared a city in 1987. The historic jetty became a recreational area in the late 1900’s.
