Are you planning your road trip along the East Coast of Australia? During your research, you have stumbled across Port Stephens, and you are wondering whether it is worth your time? Don't worry; I know exactly how you feel and will help you make a decision.
So is Port Stephens worth a visit? Absolutely yes! Many people miss to stop on this gorgeous peninsula, and I am here to make sure you won't. Experience a picture-perfect natural harbor with many pristine beach coves, hiking options, and dolphin spotting.
In this article, you will learn about the top 6 outdoor activities to do in Port Stephens, as well as how much time you should spend there and where to set up camp for the night.
This article covers days 12 of our 18-day road trip itinerary along the southern East Coast of Australia. Click on the yellow 'Show Entire Route' tab, to view our in-depth guides to each stop for an even greater insight for your own road trip through Australia.
Where is Port Stephens located?
Before we jump straight into what to do, let's first take a moment to see where Port Stephens is located. In fact, Port Stephens is not a place or a city; it rather describes the peninsula north of Newcastle. It is about 2.5 hours by car from Sydney.
Top 6 outdoor activities in Port Stephens
The vast natural harbor of Port Stephens invites for many activities in and around the water. But also on land, you won't get bored. Since here at RTE, we love the outdoors and being active, we will focus on six active outdoor activities.
Sand-boarding in the Stockton Sand Dunes
One of the most famous activities and something you should not miss out on is sand-boarding on the largest moving dunes in the Southern Hemisphere. Yup, that's right. Right next to the beach, you will find a massive sand array as part of the Worimi Conservation Lands. The Stockton Sand Dunes are 32 km (20 miles) long with dunes up to 30-40 meters (98-130 ft).
This is literally a huge playground for kids and adults alike. Favorite activities are sand-boarding, quad-biking, and 4WD action.
To join an activity or access the dunes via car, head all the way to the north tip of the dunes to the town of Anna Bay. There, you will find the upper and lower parking lot. The different tour operators are located right next to the lower parking lot.
There is no need to pre-book anything. The operators all have their sales booth at the parking lot and then take you out to the dunes with their purpose-built 4WD trucks. There is no real big difference between the different providers as prices range between AU$27-28 per person.
If you care about being able to stand on your board, then you should choose to go with Sand Dune Safaris, as they are the only ones allowing you to stand on the board. For all others, you can only slide down the dune while sitting on your board to prevent injuries. Either way, sitting or standing, it is a lot of fun! And the views alone are worth heading out to the dunes.
While at the Stockton Dunes and the Birubi Beach, you will also see camel tours. We really had to rub our eyes, when spotting them, as we had no clue about camels living in Australia. Now, we are no fans of commercial camel tours, but the sight of them on the beach made us smile.
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Take an evening stroll on One Mile Beach
There are more than ten beach coves around Port Stephens, one of the biggest and favorites in the area is the One Mile Beach. Now don't think that just because it is a favorite, its not worth going, or that it is crowded. This thinking does not hold up in Australia. On the contrary, you will most often be the only soul at a beach or have company from no more than ten other people. The only two 'crowded' beaches in Australia are Bondi Beach in Sydney and the beach in Byron Bay.
So ideally, you camp close to the One Mile Beach. More on the campgrounds below, and use the evening for a relaxing stroll along the beach. Maybe you have a beach game with you, like a frisbee or beach ball paddles. This is the perfect place to have some fun.
Do the Tomaree Head Summit Walk
The Tomaree Head Summit Walk is an absolute must-do! If you only have the chance to do one thing from this list, it must be this one!
The Tomaree Head is located at the northern tip of the Port Stephens peninsula and marks the southern entrance to the natural harbor. The Tomaree Head is a vegetated hill of 161 meters (528 ft) above sea-level with a fully developed steep walking trail.
Head all the way to the end of the Shoal Bay Road until you hit the boom gate for the restricted area. There are plenty of parking spaces to the side of the road, where you will also find the start of the walk.
It is a steep one kilometer (0.6 miles) walk, which will take you about 45-minutes through the deep forest until you are greeted with majestic views of Port Stephens, its coastline, and the surrounding glittering water, ranging from bright turquoise to deep dark blue.
Most of the walk is over a constructed metal pathway, including a lot of steep steps.
Take your time to really absorb that mesmerizing 360ยฐ view. Right on the foot of Tomaree Head, that pristine beach with its turquoise waves is calling for your attention. You are looking at Zenith Beach, where you need to take a dip.
Jump in the waves at Zenith Beach
After heading back down from the Tomaree Summit, it is time to change into your swimsuit and dive into that blissful turquoise ocean at Zenith Beach. Chances are high that you will have the beach to yourself. Maybe a couple of cute surfer boys will join you.
Whenever you access the ocean in Australia be aware that the waves are a lot stronger than in other places of the world. So here are a few tips on how to handle the waves best:
- Always have your eyes on the waves
- Dive through the wave when it is right in front of you
- Never turn your back on the wave to look at the beach
- When you do get hit by a wave and twirl around, follow the bubbles of your breath back up to the surface
- Know your limits
I used to be a competitive swimmer and I am very comfortable in the water. Jen does not have the same sense of control in the water. So I went ahead to literally test the water and the power of the waves. Only after I could control them, Jen joined me. I'm not trying to scare you here, but it is very easy to underestimate the power of the ocean and its waves. You will know what Iย mean, once you are in Australia. ๐
After playing in the waves, jump back into your campervan (those quick-drying towels come in handy here as a layer between you and the car seat) and head down the promenade. You will find some beach showers on the sidewalk after about 5 minutes. (A local surfer boy ๐โ๏ธ gave us that tip
Hike to the lighthouse on Shark Island
This activity is very much dependent on how much time you bring and the tide times while you are visiting. It is probably the most daring activity around Port Stephens, and I am still itching to go back and do it. (Unfortunately, we didn't have enough time).
When looking at the picture below, this hike will take you from the right, Fingal Bay, over the sand spit to the left, Shark Island, and onwards to the Shark Island Lighthouse.
The walk is 2.5 km (1.5 miles) round trip, most of it over soft sand, and you should plan a minimum of 1.5 hours for it. It is super important that you check the tide times and only attempt this hike when you can start before low tide. Do not attempt this hike, when the sand spit is underwater!
For a more detailed description of the walk, take a look at the post from My Favorite Escape.
Dolphin & Whale Watching
This is what Port Stephens is mostly known for. Spectacular dolphin & whale watching. Depending on what time of year you visit, you will get the chance to do one or the other. Dolphin cruises are being offered from November to April, while whale watching is only possible in winter, while the humpback whales migrate along the East Coast, so from May to November.
While whale-watching is possible from many spots along the East Coast of Australia, dolphin spotting and even swimming (yes eco-friendly with wild dolphins) is unique to Port Stephens, as about 140 bottlenose dolphins call the Port Stephens area home.
Since we didn't do a tour ourselves, I can't recommend a provider. Take a look at the official New South Wales page for more in-depth info and tour operators.
How much time should you spend in Port Stephens?
In order to fit in all of the above activities, you should spend two days in Port Stephens. In case you only have one day (like us), drop the Dolphin & Whale Watching, as well as the hike to the lighthouse on Shark Island.
Where to stay in Port Stephens
There are six campgrounds/holiday parks in the Port Stephens area, all located near one of the many beaches. We recommend you to stay at the Middle Rock Holiday Resort, as it offers unpowered campsites in a grassy foresty area close to the pristine One Mile Beach. In all other Holiday Parks, you will stay on a concrete slab very close to other campers and lack the natural environment.
Our experience & verdict
Jen and I absolutely loved Port Stephens. Its vibe, its nature, and its quietness. We spent the afternoon sand-boarding and took that evening stroll along the One Mile Beach. The next morning we hiked up Tomaree Mountain and spontaneously dipped into the ocean at Zenith Beach. That beach and those waves were the most fun on our entire time in Australia!
We would have loved to stay longer; however, on a road trip, you don't always get to do and see everything at every stop in depth. Instead, the journey plays a bigger part of the experience.
To find out, what your next stop after Port Stephens could be, read our '4 Day Road Trip: Campervanning From Sydney to Byron Bay' article.
So I hope you are excited to discover Port Stephens yourself! Should you have any questions, please leave them in the comments below.
