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Old Bar is a beachside village near Taree in New South Wales, Australia.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By car

Old Bar is located on the Midnorth Coast of NSW Australia, approximately 4 hours drive north of Sydney. Take the turnoff to Old Bar from the Pacific Highway just south of Taree. It takes about 10 min to reach Old Bar from the highway.

[edit] Get around

[edit] Erosion

Old Bar Beach is slowly being swallowed up by the sea after recent storms. One house has gone from a 27m backyard, enough for a game of backyard footy, to just a 4m strip of dead grass with black irrigation pipes coming out of the cliff. Three houses have been demolished. One house was said to have Pesticides in it, without it being demolished it would have fallen into the ocean causing many problems with the local animal life.

Old Bar has responded to Erosion by establishing an Old Bar Beach Sand Replenishment Group. The committee members have initiated a correspondence with state, federal and local governments and researched possible solutions to the erosion issue. A local surveyor, Mark Searles, joined Bob Cooper, Geofabrics Australasia representative, and Tim Minty, Geological engineer, in speaking on a range of solutions-such as the construction of groynes and seawalls.

 One owner, who was forced to demolish his house, has taken his story to parliamentary inquiry into the impact of climate change on coastal communities.

[edit][add listing] Do

BEACH ATTRACTIONS 
Nearby camping 
Fishing 
Lookouts 
Patrolled during summer months 
Picnic areas 
Nearby playgorunds 
Surfing 
Swimming 
Nearby walking tracks 
Watersports 
Whales/dolphin watching

[edit] Old Bar Beach

Old Bar beach is the closest beach area to Taree, just 16kms. 
Generally, an uncrowded beach and out of holiday periods you can have parts of the beach all to yourself. 
A Holiday Park adjoins the beach. 
During the January summer holiday period there's a sand modelling competition which has become a traditional and popular family fun activity. 
There's an ideal walking distance between Old Bar Beach and Wallabi Point (2.5km). 
A unique aspect of this beach is that it's located alongside a heritage-listed airstrip so that flying enthusiasts can fly into the airstrip and then go to the beach. 
There is a surf lifesaving club at the beach.

[edit][add listing] Eat

Bi-lo A Bi-lo was opened in Old Bar in 2006. It has opened job opportunities for many people, especially young adults, because it is within walking distance of everything.

 There was a concern for traffic congestion, parking issues and questions over the appropriateness of the development given its size on relation to its village location. The Council’s planning committee approved the development on a vote of five to four.

Bi-lo has since been a success and more convenient to Old Bar’s residents. Instead of driving in Taree to do the weekly shopping or stressing over not having enough ingredients for dinner, you can walk to Bi-lo and not have to drive all the way into Taree for some flour.

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[edit][add listing] Sleep

• Namaste Beach House, 31 David Street, ph 6557 4224. Laid back friendly accommodation in a sprawling beach house. Pool room, verandahs, kitchen, yoga room, lounge area. Close to the beach, 5 min walk to shops. Double/twin $65, single $40, dorm $30 (weekly rates also available).

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