Port Macquarie holidays offer plenty of opportunity for rest and relaxation in the peaceful NSW mid-north coast surroundings, but if you're looking for something a bit more active then there are plenty of major attractions to check out as well. Here we look at 7 of the biggest and best major attractions that Port Macquarie and its surrounding towns have to offer.

Billabong Koala Breeding Centre & Wildlife Park

If you ever wanted to pat a koala but haven't had the chance then this is the place to visit! However, it's not just about the koalas here, with a range of Australian and exotic animals and birds available for viewing. There's a house of reptiles with some of the world's most venomous snakes, the opportunity to feed kangaroos and monkeys, and a whole lot more.

Timbertown

Located amidst over 80 acres of natural forest, Timbertown is a heritage park that has been re-created to give visitors a first hand look into the struggles and achievements of the region's pioneers. Head into Timbertown and you'll still see horse and carriages roaming the dirt roads, timber being sawn and bullocks hauling heavy loads. You'll also find the animal nursery, Timbertown Heritage Railway, steam sawmill, colonial furniture store and much more.

Sea Acres Rainforest Centre

With one of the largest and most diverse rainforests on the NSW coast, Port Macquarie is a place of natural beauty, and the Sea Acres Rainforest Centre showcases that. There is a 1.3km elevated boardwalk allowing you to explore the rainforest comfortably, and it's accessible to wheelchairs and prams as well. There are guided tours with local volunteers who really know the area if you want to get a little bit of information while you walk.

The Koala Hospital

Port Macquarie is famous as a location where you can get up close and cuddle a koala, but if you want to go a bit deeper you can visit the world's first hospital created for the care and preservation of koalas -- the aptly-named Koala Hospital. Koalas are admitted to the hospital, treated, tagged and microchipped and then released back out into the wild with the help of volunteers. Visitors can "adopt" one of these koalas (note: you don’t actually get to keep it!), with the funds going towards the rescue and treatment of more koalas in the area.

Fun Parks

Port Macquarie has two popular fun parks -- Ton of Fun and Big Buzz. Ton of Fun Fun Park is located at North Tuncurry and has paddle boats, aqua bikes, canoes, waterslides, go-karts, quad bikes and more. Big Buzz Fun Park is located at Rainbow Flat and includes a Toboggan Run, trampolines, BMX and mountain bikes, splash pool, short golf course and more. You can't go wrong with either of these places!

National Motorcycle Museum

Originally located in Canberra, National Motorcycle Museum owners Brian and Margaret Kelleher moved to the NSW mid-north coast in 2000 and built a massive complex to keep over 700 motorcycles and a vast range of motorcycle memorabilia. Now located at Nabiac about an hour and 15 minutes south of Port Macquarie, it's a little bit of a trek from your Port Macquarie hotel, but definitely worth a visit.