Old Bar is a remote 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.

Geography

Old Bar is on the southern side of the mouth of the Manning River.

Demographics

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.

Airstrip

Old Bar is a common place for light aircraft operations. Old Bar Airfield is an authorised grass airfield used for light aircraft takeoff and landing and is heritage listed.

History

2019 Bushfire

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:

• 0.5km off Old Bar Road: Old Bar Airfield

Shared-use cycleways

Old Bar includes shared-use cycling and pedestrian infrastructure, including the Old Bar Cycleway connecting parts of the township and surrounding areas.

References