New South Wales
Port Stephens
2 Days
Roughly a three-hour drive north of Sydney, Port Stephens is a great, easy weekend option for anyone visiting Sydney. Known for its
whale-watching cruises, wild sand dunes and dive sites, Nelson Bay is the main town in the region and a real favourite of mine.
Overview
01
02
Nelson Bay & Shoal Bay
Stockton Bight Sand Dunes
Travel Route
01
Nelson Bay & Shoal Bay
Morning
You can certainly do this trip even if you only have a weekend to spare. We drove after work on Friday evening arriving late at our accommodation, Hotel Nelson, which is also home to a popular breakfast stop; The Little Nel.
The next day after a morning coffee, we headed out in search of Tomaree Head. Starting from Nelson Bay we walked to neighbouring Shoal Bay (approx. 40 mins); a slightly smaller version of Port Nelson but with plenty of accommodation options. I would probably choose to stay here on my next trip.
Through the main street and we started the steep accent to the Tomaree Summit which took us about an hour in total (approx. 2km). The path is excellent and in places comprises a metal staircase, but it can get very busy. On reaching the summit you’ll get panoramic views of Yacaaba Head, Cabbage Tree, and Broughton Islands (north platform), and Fingal Island, various beaches down to Fingal Spit and Port Stephen Lighthouse (south platform).
Afternoon
Arriving back at the base, we decided to take the Shoal Bay East Trail which provides access to Wreck and Box beaches, both unspoilt beaches with steep tracks but worth the effort. Shortly after the trail turns into inland bush walking, before joining to Marine Drive to Fingal Bay.
Fingal was definitely somewhere we were happy to spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing on the beach and grabbing a bite at the Longboat café. For a more substantial lunch try the Saltwater restaurant next door.
Tomaree Head
Shoal Bay
Evening
Sunset cocktails and dinner at the Little Beach Boathouse rounded off our day. An excellent location but be sure to book at busy times of the year.
Accommodation: Hotel Nelson.
02
Stockton Bight Sand Dunes
Morning
Driving back along the peninsular we headed to Worimi Regional Park and the Stockton Bight Sand Dunes. With a four-wheel drive being the only way to access and explore the beach, we went for the next best option and booked a 1.5-hour Safari Tour with Quad Bike King.
Known for the largest moving sand dunes in the Southern Hemisphere, stretching 32km, it was an incredible experience to explore the coastline.
Afternoon
On our way back towards Nelson Bay, we popped into Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary. It was great to see the area's rehabilitation efforts and meet my new favourite Koala ‘Blinky’. The staff were lovely and knowledgeable, happy to answer all our questions. They also had several glamping tents on the grounds should you be looking for an overnight stay.
If you have a spare half hour another option would be to take the turnoff up Gan Gan Hill to the lookout giving fabulous views of the bay below. There is also the option of taking the ferry from Nelson Bay to Tea Garden. An hour each way, it proves a relaxing and interesting journey up the Myall River.
Evening
Our final evening was spent at Soldiers Point, a 15-minute drive from Nelson Bay.
We drove to the Port Stephens – Great Lakes Marine Park (Soldiers Point Boat Ramp) viewpoint, before drinks at the Cheeky Dog and dinner at Rick Steins Bannisters.
Stockton Sand Dunes
