Camel rides, Port Macquarie: Lighthouse Beach camel tour cost & times

You can do a Lighthouse Beach camel tour in Port Macquarie – but only if you pay cash. Port Macquarie Camel Safaris offers the beach camel rides every morning except Saturdays.

Camels aren’t native to Australia, but they’ve sure made themselves at home since being introduced to the continent. There are so many wild, disease-free camels in the outback that Australian camels are exported to Saudi Arabia.

There are several places in Australia where you can ride a camel. Famous examples include Cable Beach in Broome, Western Australia, the camel rides at Uluru and the Alice Springs camel tours in the Northern Territory’s Red Centre.

But for travellers in New South Wales, there’s another option. Port Macquarie is a 393km drive north up the New South Wales coast from Sydney, and it’s one of the most sizable north coast beach towns.

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Lighthouse Beach camel tours

It is also home to Lighthouse Beach, one of the best wildlife beaches in Australia, which has long been home to camel rides along the sands. These Port Macquarie camel tours aim to educate visitors about the history of camels in Australia, and there’s a good chance of seeing whales and dolphins in the water on the way.

You can’t advance book your Lighthouse Beach camel tour in Port Macquarie. You can’t even pay for it by card – Port Macquarie Camel Safaris has no EFTPOS facilities. The Port Macquarie Camel Safaris tours are cash-only.

When do Port Macquarie camel rides depart?

The Lighthouse Beach camel tour departs regularly between 9.30am and 1pm every day except Saturday. The Port Macquarie camel rides are 30 minutes long, usually, although this goes down to 20 minutes during the New South Wales school holidays.

Lighthouse Beach camel rides cost

The price for these Lighthouse Beach camel rides, irrespective of duration is $40 for adults. For children between the ages of five and 17 years old, it’s $25, while three to four year olds pay $15. The three to four year olds must ride with a paying adult.

The tours are run by Port Macquarie Camel Safaris and depart from Lighthouse Beach along Matthew Flinders Drive. You’ll find the camels lined up a kilometre south of the Tacking Point Surf Club. Aim to go between July and October for a better chance of dry weather in Port Macquarie.

Other attractions nearby include the Bago Maze in Wauchope.