Port Macquarie

Sister cities

• Handa

History

Port Macquarie sits within Birpai (Biripi, Bripi, Biripai, Birrbay) country, and the Birpai people are recognised as the traditional custodians of the land on which Port Macquarie is located. Port Macquarie was long known to the Birpai people as Guruk. The Birpai Local Aboriginal Land Council provides positive support, information and responsible governance for the Aboriginal community, while also cultivating strong links with the broader community. Before British colonisation, large clans of Birpai people resided in and around Port Macquarie, particularly at places such as King's Creek, Blackman's Point, Camden Haven and Rolland's Plains. They lived in large domed huts which provided protection against the region's heavy rains and were capable of accommodating up to ten people. Oxley noted that "the natives in the vicinity of the port appeared very numerous...were all handsome, well-made men, stout in their persons, and showing evident signs of good living...were evidently acquainted with the use of firearms...their dread of its appearance", and that "the port abounds with fish, the sharks were larger and more numerous than I have ever before observed...the forest hills and rising grounds abounded with large kangaroos and the marshes afford shelter and support to innumerable wildfowl. Independent of the Hastings River, the area is generally well watered, there is a fine spring at the very entrance to the Port." * Captain Francis Allman, April 1821 – April 1824 * Captain John Rolland, April 1824 – November 1824 * Lieutenant George Carmac, November 1824 – December 1824 * Captain Henry Gillman, January 1825 – February 1826 * Captain Samuel Wright, February 1826 – November 1826 * Captain Archibald Clunes Innes, November 1826 – April 1827 * Lieutenant Thomas Owen, April…

Most-observed species

• Rainbow Lorikeet

  Trichoglossus haematodus (Linnaeus, 1771) · Aves
  6,403
• Australian Magpie

  Gymnorhina tibicen (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  4,700
• koala

  Phascolarctos cinereus (Goldfuss, 1817) · Mammalia
  4,658
• Laughing Kookaburra

  Dacelo novaeguineae (Hermann, 1783) · Aves
  4,154
• Lewin's Honeyeater

  Meliphaga lewinii (Swainson, 1837) · Aves
  4,099
• Noisy Miner

  Manorina melanocephala (Latham, 1801) · Aves
  3,855
• Little Wattlebird

  Anthochaera chrysoptera (Latham, 1801) · Aves
  3,793
• Magpie-lark

  Grallina cyanoleuca (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  3,686