Historical Walking Tour of Port Macquarie — Self-Guided App
A self-guided historical walking tour of Port Macquarie, taking in Hastings Historical Society Museum, Old Port Macquarie Courthouse and Overseers' Cottages Remains across 9 stops.
Open this tour in the app →The route
1Hastings Historical Society Museum
Built by William Stokes between 1835 and 1840 as a retail store, this Old Colonial Georgian building of hand-made bricks, some bearing convict marks, is one of the few surviving early commercial buildings in Port Macquarie. Used as a store into the twentieth century, it became the Hastings Historical Society's museum in 1959.
2Old Port Macquarie Courthouse
Designed by Colonial Architect James Barnet and built in 1869 by local firm Butler and Bourne, this Victorian Georgian courthouse is among Port Macquarie's last surviving 19th-century government buildings. Restored in 1993 after the Justice Department left in 1986, it now houses a justice museum and joined the NSW State Heritage Register in 1999.
3Overseers' Cottages Remains, Port Macquarie
Built by convict labour in the 1820s, these cottages housed officials of Port Macquarie's penal settlement, including the Deputy Superintendent of Convicts. A 2006 excavation uncovered brick walls, cobble floors and a barrel drain, now displayed within the Glasshouse arts centre. Added to the NSW State Heritage Register in 2010.
4St Thomas' Anglican Church, Port Macquarie
Built between 1824 and 1827 by convict labour under military supervision, St Thomas' ranks among Australia's earliest churches. Its Flemish-bond convict-made bricks carry tally marks and etched frogs near the entry, with cedar joinery inside beneath a terracotta-tile roof. It was added to the NSW State Heritage Register in 2002.
5Port Macquarie Second Burying Ground
Used from 1824 to 1886, this cemetery holds roughly 1,400 burials, many of them convicts from Port Macquarie's penal era. The first interment was infant Elizabeth Murphy in November 1824. Now a nature park with about 92 surviving monuments, it was listed on the NSW State Heritage Register in 2005.
6Port Macquarie Government House Site
Convict labour raised this Government House between 1824 and 1826 as the commandant's residence for Port Macquarie's penal settlement. Later home to police magistrates and clerks, it was demolished in 1886. Excavations in 2001 uncovered roughly 90% of its footings, earning a State Heritage Register listing.
7Port Macquarie First Burying Ground
Port Macquarie's earliest cemetery served the penal settlement from 1822 to 1824, receiving 28 convict burials, beginning with James McMahon in July 1822. Now a public park on Clarence Street with four surviving monuments, this rare convict-era burying ground was added to the NSW State Heritage Register in 2005.
8Oxley Oval
Oxley Oval is a grassed cricket ground owned by Port Macquarie-Hastings Council. Its standout moment came on 2 January 1979, when it staged a World Series Cricket fixture between the WSC West Indian XI and WSC World XI — Wayne Daniel claimed four wickets and Viv Richards struck 83 as the West Indies triumphed.
9Port Macquarie Historic Cemetery
Port Macquarie's second burying ground on Gordon Street served the convict-era settlement from 1824 until burials ceased in 1886, holding roughly 1,400 interments. Added to the NSW State Heritage Register in 2005, its weathered headstones offer a rare physical record of early colonial life on the mid-north coast.
Map
Practical info
While you’re in New South Wales
FAQ
How long is the Port Macquarie walking tour?
About 109 minutes over roughly 4.6 km at a relaxed pace.
Can I do the tour offline?
Yes — load the tour in the Sitesy app beforehand and it’s cached for offline use.
Is the Port Macquarie walking tour accessible?
The route mainly follows town-centre footpaths; check the app for any steps or uneven ground near individual stops.