Old Bar is a coastal town in New South Wales, Australia in Mid-Coast Council. It lies around east of Taree on the Mid North Coast, and around north of Sydney. Old Bar is on the southern side of the mouth of the Manning River. The Manning is the only double delta river in the southern hemisphere and the only other multiple-entrance river in the world other than the Nile in Egypt. Before exiting to the ocean, the Manning River carves out several islands, including Dumaresq, Oxley, Jones, Mamboo, Cabbage Tree and Mitchells Islands. The population of the urban centre was measured at 3,650 people in the, and that of the suburb proper which includes some surrounding rural area at 4,272 people. It grew rapidly during a boom in housing in 1988. Old Bar has a number of businesses and restaurants. It is a tourist town, renowned for great surfing, fishing by river, beach or rocks and various watersports. The Taree Old Bar Surf Life Saving Club was established in 1928 and proudly patrols the beach each year. Located at the End of Old Bar Road at the main beach, the club boasts the best views in town with its classic Vic Rushby bar open every Sunday through Summer. A perfect place for members and visitors to relax by the sea. Old Bar has a small community market the fourth Sunday of each month, from 8.30 a.m. to noon. Each September, there is a garage sale day that attracts people from far and wide with dozens of houses putting stuff out to sell. The October Long weekend is the Old Bar Beach Festival, including many events and a World record Kombi Gathering event held every year. Old Bar Tavern is the first stop for visitors to the Old Bar and Wallabi Point area, located between Old Bar and Wallabi Point. It has a Chinese restaurant. Club Old Bar is the hub of the community. The Old Bar Caravan Park has camping, van sites and modern cabins for hire. Old Bar is a common place for light aircraft to land. Old Bar Heritage Airstrip is an Authorised Landing Area and is frequented by General Aviation, along with Recreational Aviation, enthusiasts on most weekends and holidays. In November 2019, a bushfire that started at Hillville, south of Taree, jumped the Pacific Highway into the path of Old Bar and Wallabi Point. The day before, the NSW Rural Fire Service told residents in these areas to get out or defend. One home was confirmed lost on Old Bar Road.
Heritage listings
Old Bar has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
