Port Stephens is a broad, sheltered bay about 50 km north of Newcastle, edged by sandy coves and forested headlands. Its main town, Nelson Bay, is the departure point for dolphin cruises, and the ocean side of the peninsula holds some of the largest coastal sand dunes in Australia.
From the vineyards it is about an hour and a half by car, and it is also one of the most popular long day trips from Sydney. Combined with the Hunter it makes a classic three- or four-day loop: wine first, beach after.
Top things to do: Port Stephens
Cruise with the dolphins
A resident population of bottlenose dolphins lives in the bay all year, and cruises from Nelson Bay find them on most trips. From about May to November, humpback whales pass offshore on their migration and whale-watching boats run as well.
Play on the Stockton Bight dunes
The dunes of the Worimi Conservation Lands stretch for about 32 km behind Stockton Beach. From Anna Bay and Birubi Beach you can go sandboarding, join a 4WD tour or ride a camel along the sand.
Climb Tomaree Head
A steep but short walk from Shoal Bay leads to a 161-metre summit with a sweeping view over the bay’s entrance, the offshore islands and a string of beaches. Allow about an hour and a half return.
Meet a koala
Port Stephens has one of the better-known koala populations in New South Wales, and a koala sanctuary near Anna Bay lets you see rescued animals from an elevated walkway.
How to get there
- From Pokolbin: about 1.5 hours by car via the Hunter Expressway and Raymond Terrace.
- From Sydney: about 2.5 hours by car, or on one of many day tours that include a dolphin cruise and the dunes.
- From Newcastle Airport: around 30–40 minutes by car to Nelson Bay.
Insider tips
- Mornings are usually calmest for cruises; book ahead in school holidays.
- The sand gets extremely hot in summer — wear shoes on the dunes and take water.
- Whale season runs roughly from May to November, peaking in June–July and again in September–October.
Best tours & tickets: Port Stephens
These top-rated experiences are the easiest way to enjoy Port Stephens and the rest of the Hunter Valley:
Day trip from A$199 From Sydney: Port Stephens Dolphin Cruise, Koalas & Sandboarding
Not a wine tour, but the Hunter coast’s big day out: about two and a half hours north of Sydney, with a dolphin cruise, sandboarding on huge coastal dunes and koalas. A good second day trip if you have already done the vineyards.
- A dolphin-watching cruise from Nelson Bay
- Sandboarding on the Stockton Bight dunes
- A visit to a koala sanctuary with an elevated walkway
Cruise from A$50 Nelson Bay: Dolphin Watch Cruise and Sail
Ninety minutes under sail from Nelson Bay, looking for the bottlenose dolphins that live in Port Stephens all year. An easy add-on if you are driving out to the coast from the vineyards.
- A sailing cruise on the clear waters of Port Stephens
- Time with the bay’s resident bottlenose dolphins
- Short and good value
Combo day trip from A$229 From Sydney: Hunter Valley Winery & Lunch, Port Stephens Sand Dunes Tour
Wine country and the coast in a single day from Sydney: a chocolate stop on the way north, wine tasting over lunch in the Hunter, then the dunes at Port Stephens for a camel ride or sandboarding. Busy, but it covers a lot of ground.
- Wine tasting and lunch at a Hunter Valley winery
- A choice of camel ride or sandboarding on the Port Stephens dunes
- A chocolate stop on the Central Coast
