North Coast

The North Coast region sits in the north-east of NSW and arguably provides the state’s most enviable work-life balance across a mixture of urban, coastal and rural lifestyles.

Authentic regional communities and some of Australia’s most stunning beaches make up the distinctive landscapes of the North Coast. The region’s network of cosmopolitan cities and centres is linked by the Pacific Highway to Sydney and Brisbane, with easy access to coastal, hinterland and rural communities.

The North Coast spans the Tweed in the north to Port Macquarie in the south, with two distinct sub regions: the Northern Rivers which includes Tweed, Byron, Ballina, Lismore, Kyogle, Casino and Grafton, and the Mid-North Coast which includes Coffs Harbour, Bellingen, Kempsey and Port Macquarie.

The region’s coastal and agricultural endowments are the reason tourism, agribusiness, manufacturing and tech have become key industries; the North Coast has long been known as an exporter of high-quality foods and beverages.

The Richmond Valley Regional Job Precinct offers planning support to help streamline approvals across industries including food processing, renewables, biodegradable packaging and recycling.

The North Coast also has a strong manufacturing base across defence and marine applications, and emerging creative and digital businesses have capitalised on the region's education and ICT investments.

One of the fastest-growing populations in NSW, the North Coast is well served by leading education facilities including Southern Cross University, the University of Newcastle, Charles Sturt University and the University of New South Wales, which has a Rural Clinical School in Port Macquarie.

Home to some of Australia’s most famous visitor destinations, national parks and pristine beaches, the tourism industry continues to grow here. Easy connections to Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne by air, rail and road entice about 13 million visitors a year, creating significant employment and growth opportunities.