North Haven is a picturesque village situated on the North Haven river on the road from Laurieton to Port Macquarie. It is about a kilometre from the river mouth and beach. Turn off the M1 at Kew and visit the Visitor Centre for a Driver Reviver coffee – during holiday season. It is a very chatty place with great lime marmalade jam. From here it is 15 minutes to North Haven.
There are two motels and a caravan park at North Haven, so accommodation choices are limited. The two motels are of typical 60’s/ 70’s exterior design. Our choice of motel (“Woongarra”) was comfortable with a spacious room. The interior had recently been renovated with new carpets, furnishings and a totally remodelled modern bathroom – with a barn door style ensuite door! The kitchenette was new. The room had a comfortable queen bed, a separate breakfast table for two and a working desk.
There is a lovely walkway that skirts the river from the village to the breakwater, through parklands where you may see the occasional kangaroo at dusk. The beach has a well-equipped surf club and café, with a row of sentinel Norfolk Pines facing the golden beach which stretches away to the northern bluff.
Reflections Caravan Park is well situated 100 metres from the beach.
Breakwater Café
We arrived at North Haven on Sunday afternoon – lunch time! The Breakwater Café at the surf club has a stunning position, with plentiful tables and chairs under cover.
There are a range of good quality lunch choices, including chicken with pesto, burger with fresh Spanish onion/ cheese and lettuce, BLT and many others. The food is fresh and well made. I opted for the burger, which was excellent. The BLT on sourdough came as two sandwiches. Washed down with a Bundaberg ginger beer.
The North Haven Bistro | Club North Haven | Bistro, Bowling & Entertainment
It was a very short walk from our accommodation to Club North Haven. This is a seriously impressive bowls club. Clearly, North Haven is in a marginal electorate.
The club is very modern with numerous bars and entertainment areas. The bowling greens are of artificial turf. There are open air greens and at least two are under an architectural curved canopy.
We had a refreshing beer and a gin and tonic in a small bar area where we were entertained by young Brody Ireland, a very talented young guitarist. Anyone who can nail a Steely Dan lead solo on an acoustic guitar deserves my admiration. Brody plays on a Sunday. There are other bands on Thursday to Saturday, I believe.
The Bistro is a generous size and offers a good selection of Aussie based meals. Steak night is Thursday ($19 for members). Sunday was Roast Day. Lucky us. A full roast pork meal, roast potatoes the size of cricket balls, pumpkin cauliflower and white sauce, Gravy, and crackling! This was a great meal washed down with a palatable Angove’s shiraz. You could choose from beef, lamb, chicken, or pork – or have a mixture.
The cost – wait for it – $15.50 ($13.50 for members). I am seriously thinking of becoming a member.
Regrettably, there really was no room for desert.
After our meal, we walked across the road to the walkway and strolled along the river to the end of the breakwater, watching fish jump from the river and pelicans search for a meal. It was a gorgeous evening with the sun setting over the mountains to the west as we walked back to our digs.
Sandbar Café
Breakfast
There are a few choices for breakfast, all within walking distance. 3 cafes are in the village and there is the surf club, which is useful if you are staying at Reflections caravan park – it is barely a few minutes to the surf club from the caravan park.
We had breakfast at Sandbar. Poached eggs on sourdough, with a large side of bacon, raisin toast and 2 coffees ($32). Another walk – this time west along the river past the natural swimming pool, finished off our visit.
Club North Haven | Bistro, Bowling & Entertainment
Address: 1 Woodford Rd, North Haven, NSW, 2443
Phone: (02) 6559 9150
Website: https://www.clubnorthhaven.com.au/dining-bars/
