Australia-Part III: Coffs Harbour

Next stop for my Australian tour was Coffs Harbour, a coastal city on the Mid North Coast of New South Whales. We were there for two events, the Australian Ladies Classic Bonville and the New South Whales Open. Two events meant two weeks in Coffs Harbour, and some extra time to explore all the natural beauty of the coast. Let's start though with our usual tourney recaps.

Australian Ladies Classic Bonville Recap  

Bonville was a really fun week (aside from the torrential downpour causing a four hour rain delay during the final round). The course was in fantastic shape and well designed, and set with a beautiful jungle backdrop. 

 I started the week off pretty steady, shooting 1-over after two rounds. In round three, I shot 70 to move into the top 10, and put myself in a great position going into the find round. I ended up closing with a final round 76, as I didn't capitalize on my birdie opportunities and made a costly double on the back nine. I definitely could have saved some shots around the greens, but I was still relatively pleased with the number of birdie looks I had. View full results here. 

18th at Bonville 

My host mom from 13th Beach made the trek out to Bonville, and she was on the bag for me again, which made the week even more fun!  It was so great to spend the first week at the Vic Open with her, but I felt even more lucky to spend two more weeks on the course with her. Thanks so much for sticking with me Faye! I am so grateful for the opportunity to build friendships like this while traveling. 

New South Whales Open Recap 

Week 2 in Coffs Harbour was the New South Whales Open at Coffs Habour Country Club. The last co-sancationed ALPG and LET event of the trip. I was super excited to get out there and finish strong, but I struggled a bit off the tee. This left me in bad places for approach shots into the green and I ended up missing the cut. It was frustrating to go from hitting it great one week to inconsistent in the next, but that's golf! And I need to continue getting better at grinding out a good score in those circumstances. Learning to minimize those small mistakes and capitalize on good shots will make a big difference down the road, and I am excited to go home and practice and improve in those areas. 

9th at Coffs Harbour 

Sights 

Sealy Lookout

From the Sky Forest Pier located at the Sealy Lookout you can see views of the entire Coffs Coast. The expansive vista view allows you to see the coastline, the city center, its foreshore and marina, and up to 100 km to the South! The lookout is easily accessible and just a short drive up the hill. It is definitely a must see when in Coffs Harbour! 

Coffs Coast 

The Coffs Harbour jetty (pictured on the left) is a notable and highly frequented spot by locals and tourists. We were told that jetty jumping, or in other words jumping off the pier, is a must do! So one day after the round, a big group of us gathered the courage to head off to the beach to take the plunge off the pier and into the water.  The water was actually warm, about 23 degrees Celsius, compared to the chilly Pacific! The beaches of Australia are amazing, and going to different beaches every week is something I'll never get tried of! 

Jetty Jump Crew! 

Kayak and paddle board afternoon! 

Cafe Feature: Supply Coffee Co

Coffs Harbour is a bit of a quieter town, so there were not as many restaurants and cafes, but I still managed to find this gem! Supply Cofffee Co is right in the heart of town, and its a beautiful space with delicious coffee, tasty goodies, and fantastic vibes. There was a variety of seating including: community tables, bar seating, couches, and dining tables, which all worked together to create welcoming environment for families, couples, and solo laptop workers. I loved the open concept and the large amount of light that came in through the big windows. There was also an abundance of plants to bring the cement floors and industrial space to life.

Dorrigo National Park 

Though Coffs Harbour is known as a beach-side city, it is also surrounded by lush green rolling hills, rivers, mountains and national parks. One afternoon, we made the hour-drive through the funky little town of Bellingen, up windy Waterfall Way road, to finally arrive  at the rolling hills of the Dorrigo Plateau in Dorrigo National Park. We saw stunning canopy views, heard the native birds sing, and felt the mist of the waterfalls on our skin. Dorrigo is a big park with lots of different  things to see, but our journey began at the Skywalk lookout and ended atWonga Walk, that is home to Tristania and Crystal Falls. 

Crystal Falls: 

There is something special and whimsical about all waterfalls, but this one along the Wonga Walk was especially awesome because you could walk underneath it! 

Tristania Falls

After Coffs Harbour I was planning to head up north to play a couple more Aussie Pro-Ams, but due to a wrist injury I was forced to withdraw. However, I still got to spend a few days up North in the Gold Coast with my friend Jayson! Jayson and I met on tour last year in Arkansas and have been friends ever since. He lives in the Gold Coast, and if you follow my blog you know how much I love to see a city from a local. It was awesome to get to see and eat at his favorite spots, and cuddle with his puppies before I headed to Sydney for my last days in Australia! 

Lots of Love, 

Dre 

Up Next--> Sydney