7 beautiful things to do in Port Stephens
by ling and jace
‘Port Stephens’ is located within the Country of the Worimi nation. We acknowledge and pay our respects to the Traditional Owners.
home / back to australia
Sunrise at Fingal Bay
For most of 2020, our time inside was a long dream of the sea. So as New South Wales opened up again, we slowly travelled along its spectacular coastline.
Port Stephens is one place that we couldn’t wait to get back to.
We stayed in a house by the water in Anna Bay and spent sunny days finding the most beautiful things to do in Port Stephens. Everything on this to do list is within a close distance, so even a short two or three-day trip can be filled with incredibly diverse coastal landscapes.
Whale watching in Port Stephens
Sunset in the Worimi Conservation Land
Accommodation in Port Stephens
There are so many beaches in Port Stephens that make for beautiful stays. Our favourites are Anna Bay and Fingal Bay, and they have tons of accommodation options close to the water. We’ve also previously stayed in Newcastle, which is around 30 minutes’ drive away but generally cheaper.
1. Wake up for sunrise at Zenith Beach
It was still dark when we left the car by the side of the road and hazily made our way down to the water.
Zenith beach is one of our favourites in the area, set at the base of Tomaree Head. This is one of the most beautiful and peaceful places to start the day. The beach has been almost empty every time we’ve visited, so it always feels like we have the view to ourselves.
We like to arrive here as early as possible to catch the sunrise over the rocks—the sun breaks the horizon over the sea on Zenith Beach, sending spectacular colours across the sky.
MAP HERE
There is a small carpark (Google maps linked) nearby with a short path leading to the sand. Parking spaces can fill up quickly during the day, especially on weekends and public holidays, as this is also parking for the start of the popular Tomaree Head coastal walk.
Sunrise over Zenith Beach
2. Hike the Tomaree Head trail
While you’re parked at Zenith Beach, there are short hiking trails nearby in Tomaree National Park. The easiest and most beautiful view of the coast can be found from the top of Tomaree Head.
The start of the Tomaree Head trail is a few hundred metres from the Zenith Beach carpark, around 3 minutes’ walk. Alternatively, there is also a small carpark at the entrance of the trail, and parking along Shoal Bay Road, opposite Shoal Bay and leading up to the trail.
MAP HERE
The hike is an easy 2km return, but it’s quite steep and full of stairs, so it’ll take a bit longer to go up than it does coming down. The views from the top are iconic of Port Stephens, with vibrant water wrapping around so many coves and bays. We’d recommend hiking up in the late morning or early afternoon, when the water is the most striking colour under the sun.
View from peak of Tomaree Head
3. Get lost in Stockton sand dunes
No matter how many times we visit the sand dunes of the Worimi Conservation Land, there are always new views across the slopes. This is one of the main places that we recommend to anyone visiting NSW. The sand dunes are the largest moving dunes in the Southern Hemisphere, and a highlight on any list of things to do in Port Stephens.
For the best tours to Stockton Sand Dunes, we’d recommend:
Sand boarding and 4WD sand dune tour: if you’ve made your own way to Port Stephens, this is one of the most flexible and affordable tours to the sand dunes. It runs a shuttle bus every 15 minutes, so you can stay on the dunes for as long as you like.
Quad biking sand dune tour: the sand dunes are one of the best places for quad biking, with wide open spaces to drive through. We’ve included this tour as it is best for small groups, with guides close by. It runs along the ocean (via Birubi beach) and takes you far into the sand dunes)
Guided 4WD tour: this tour is a convenient option if you have a 4WD. It includes the national park permits needed to enter the dunes by 4WD and leads to some of the best areas in the sand dunes.
Full day tour from Sydney to the sand dunes: this is the perfect option for a one-day trip from Sydney to Port Stephens, and includes whale watching, a 4WD tour across the sand dunes, and sand boarding down the highest dune.
The sand dunes stretch for over 32kms, and it took us quite a few trips to find the most scenic areas. We’ve put up a complete guide to visiting Stockton sand dunes here, which includes everything you need to know about getting to the best access points.
Large sand dunes in Worimi Conservation Land
4. Whale watching in Port stephens
If you’re there at the right time, whale watching is a must in Port Stephens. Every year, whales migrate north up the east coast to give birth in warmer waters, before returning to their feeding grounds in Antarctica. We’ve never seen as many whales as we have from here.
The best time to spot whales from Port Stephens is between mid-May to mid-November. We were there in the middle of June, and easily spotted pods of 6-8 whales travelling up the coast from land. If you want to get a better view, you can get a bit closer on whale watching cruises in Port Stephens which start in mid-May.
Full day tour from Sydney to the sand dunes: this is one-day trip from Sydney to Port Stephens includes whale watching before going to the sand dunes.
If you don’t want to take a cruise, we’d also recommend spotting whales from Birubi Beach. If you follow the headland around Birubi Point, there is a good vantage point to see them in the distance.
MAP HERE
Another option is to watch the whales from a drone, like we did one year. Just keep in mind that you need to stay at least 100m away from the whales to keep them safe, and make sure to check all NSW drone laws for areas where flying is and isn’t permitted around Port Stephens.
Whale watching from Port Stephens
5. Swim with wild dolphins in Port Stephens
There is a really unique opportunity in Port Stephens to swim with wild dolphins, which we haven’t come across anywhere else in NSW. The Port Stephens-Great Lakes Marine Park is filled with sea life and a diverse range of habitats.
This experience includes transport to some of the best areas for encountering pods of dolphins in the wild. This tour makes the experience extremely comfortable and convenient, and helpfully includes gear rental for snorkelling as well (the wetsuit, mask, snorkel and safety harness). It’s also possible to join the tour but not swim, so this is the perfect option for groups that want to see dolphins either above or below the water.
6. Walk to Birubi point headland
After watching whales during the afternoon at Birubi Point, we’d recommend following a short trail along the coast. It’s beautiful at sunset, and if you want to try your luck, there’s plenty of spots for rock fishing.
MAP HERE
We had mapped out a few short coastal walks like this near Anna Bay. Halfway through this one, huge winds came across the ocean and we had to head back in heavy rain. We waited inside for a few hours until the storm passed—when it did, the most vibrant sunset started to light up the coast.
This was the view as we ran back along the cliffs and up into it all.
Sunset from Birubi Point Headland
7. Cross Fingal Bay
Fingal Bay is no secret, which makes it all the more surprising that we always find it completely empty.
Like Zenith beach, the sun rises over the sea line, so the colours in the morning are absolutely beautiful. A 20 minute walk down the beach leads you to the Fingal Bay Spit, a small peninsula which you can walk across to get to Fingal Island and Port Stephens Lighthouse at low tide.
MAP HERE
The best place to park when you visit is the free car park in front of the Fingal Beach Surf Life Saving Club. There’s a short access path to the beach, and if you stay around after sunrise long enough, you can grab breakfast and coffee at Longboat Cafe, which has always been great.
Sunrise over Fingal Bay
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