The people of Port Macquarie might well feel satisfied with all that has transpired over the past twelve months to mark the town’s one hundred and fiftieth year.

In itself, a sesqui-centenary is notable enough in Australia, and this - along with celebrations to mark the occasion - plus the advancement Port Macquarie has made, lifted 1968 to a notable year.

With private enterprise spending almost four million dollars on new buildings in 1968 Port Macquarie gains were made not only in homes and substantial holiday accommodation but also in the commercial centre. Indeed, no other year in the town’s history has known such development in the business centre. 

New shops - new businesses - opened in Sunset Parade, in William Street, the Ritz Arcade, The Plaza and other development in the Kooloonbung reclamation, and such major redevelopments in the main street as John Kings and the Rural Co-op. Jones’ Foodland Store moved into Horton Street, and the old Monterey Cafe was redeveloped.

Porter’s Servicenter (or the Central Garage) moved to make way for the Jim Boardman Centre and that led to the fine development Porters established on the corner of Murray and Clarence Streets, while nearby there was another major change when Port Macquarie acquired a very fine civic building.

A second building was added to the museum; the convict-built church tower was restored and will stand for another 150 years; a new post office is being built.

Outstanding in holiday accommodation is the development at the Royal Hotel, the buildings on the Kooloonbung reclamation, Westerweller’s flats in Burrawan Street, and Willmott’s flats in Lord Street.

The Panorama Guest House developed handsomely. Sporting clubs have expanded - the golf links officially opened 18 holes in February, West Port Bowling Club added a third green and built another lounge, but top place in the sporting field must go to the Race Club and its Trust for the new race track and sporting centre.

Full justice was done throughout the year— from the surf carnival in January to the lopping off of the beards late in October.

The first Governor-General of Australia to come was here officially as a guest; the townspeople co-operated in a splendid manner to relive the Colonial days. John Oxley’s 1818 journey was retraced from Wellington to Port Macquarie.

Reviewed in this light, 1968 was a tremendous year: Fantasy Glades opened, and a convention (the first in Australia) for “little people” followed; a town plan was gazetted and a town crest adopted; the Christmas Bell plain was saved and Mrs. York’s headland garden dedicated; a record price ($860.00 per foot) was paid for Horton Street land; the Sesqui-centenary Bridge linking East and West Port Macquarie opened.

Matron Jobson was awarded the town’s first M.B.E., the firemen won a State championship.

Around us there were disastrous floods in the early part of the year, devastating fires at its close, yet our town escaped the havoc of both.

The Port Macquarie News says farewell to 1968, content in the knowledge that we have played our part in recording the printed word to hand-down to future generations.