Macquarie County is one of New South Wales’ 141 cadastral divisions, used for land titles rather than local government. It lies on the mid-north coast between the Apsley River in the north and the Manning River in the south, and takes in Port Macquarie and its surrounding coastal and inland districts.
Key Facts
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| State | New South Wales |
| Region | Mid-north coast NSW |
| Named after | Governor Lachlan Macquarie (1762–1824) |
| Principal towns | Port Macquarie, Taree, Wingham, Kempsey, Harrington |
| Local government areas today | Port Macquarie-Hastings Council, MidCoast Council, Kempsey Shire, small part in Walcha Shire |
Parishes in Macquarie County
- Albert
- Arakoon
- Ballengarra
- Barnard
- Bellangry
- Beranghi
- Bobin
- Bulga
- Burrawan
- Cairncross
- Camden Haven
- Cogo
- Comboyne
- Cowangara
- Cundle
- Dawson
- Debenham
- Ellenborough
- Forbes
- Graeme
- Harrington
- Innes
- Jasper
- Johns River
- Kempsey
- Kerewong
- Khatambuhl
- Killawarra
- Kinchela
- Kindee
- Kippara
- Knorrit
- Kokomerican
- Koree
- Lansdowne
- Lewis
- Lincoln
- Lorne
- Mackay
- Marlee
- Marsh
- Moorabark
- Morton
- Myall
- Oxley
- Palmerston
- Pappinbarra
- Port Macquarie
- Prospect
- Queens Lake
- Ralfe
- Redbank
- Rowley
- Stewart
- Taree
- Tinebank
- Torrens
- Vernon
- Walibree
- Wingham
- Wyoming
- Yarratt
Towns and Localities Today
Port Macquarie is the largest centre in Macquarie County, its urban area recording 50,193 people at the 2021 census. Taree, on the Manning River, had 16,715 people the same year. Kempsey, Wingham and Harrington are the other principal towns.
| Town | LGA | Population 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| Port Macquarie | Port Macquarie-Hastings | 50,193 (urban area) |
| Taree | MidCoast | 16,715 |
Geography
Macquarie County stretches along the coast between the Apsley River to the north and the Manning River to the south, bounded by the Pacific Ocean on the east. It borders Vernon and Dudley counties to the north and Gloucester County to the west.
History
Macquarie was proclaimed under the standard colonial cadastral survey of New South Wales and named for Lachlan Macquarie, governor of the colony from 1810 to 1821, whose administration founded Port Macquarie as a penal settlement in 1821.
FAQ
Is Macquarie County still used?
Cadastral counties like Macquarie remain in land titles and property descriptions but have no government function today. Local services are administered by Port Macquarie-Hastings Council, MidCoast Council and Kempsey Shire.
What towns are in Macquarie County?
Port Macquarie, Taree, Wingham, Kempsey and Harrington are the county’s main towns.
What rivers bound Macquarie County?
The Apsley River forms the northern edge and the Manning River the southern edge.