The 1892 timber jetty still anchors this harbour beach, its weathered pylons home to schools of bream and the occasional wobbegong shark visible in the clear shallows below. You can walk the full 315 metres out to the breakwater wall, where local fishermen set up camp chairs and bait buckets at first light. Behind you, the beach arcs gently northward, backed by Norfolk pines and the low-rise Jetty Strip precinct.
“The only harbour beach in Coffs where you can snorkel beneath a working 1890s jetty while pelicans fish overhead.”
Credit: FlickrSunrise - Palm Cove
The harbour location means minimal swell—toddlers splash in ankle-deep water while their parents spread towels on coarse golden sand. Mornings bring the pelican feeding show at 9 a.m., when dozens of the ungainly birds jostle for fish scraps at the marina's edge. By noon, the smell of frying fish drifts from the boardwalk cafés, mingling with sunscreen and seaweed.
Unlike the open-ocean beaches north and south of town, Jetty Beach feels sheltered, almost lake-like. The breakwater keeps the southeastern swells at bay, and even in winter you'll find swimmers doing their morning laps parallel to the jetty. The water temperature hovers around 19°C in July, climbing to 24°C by February. Pack a mask—the jetty pylons create an impromptu snorkel trail where leatherjackets and luderick dart between encrusted posts.
