Where is Port Stephens?

Discover the wonderful beaches, resident wild dolphins, and smooth sand dunes of the Port Stephens region!

Port Stephens is a large natural harbour which spans 24 kilometres from the Karuah River towards the Pacific Ocean. The appeal for Port Stephens is the scenery, with pristine beaches, jaw-dropping sand dunes, and sunshine for days. With all unspoilt nature spots, comes the wildlife! With marine life swarming the seas, and mammals roaming the dunes. Its guaranteed that you won’t forget your trip away to Port Stephens anytime soon. But how do you even get there?

It’s location

Nestled within the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Port Stephens is only a few hours north of Sydney. Guaranteeing you a unique adventure away from the city life, discovering the land of bays, white sandy beaches, and plenty of bushlands and unique wildlife.

How to get there

• Car

  For the independent traveller out there, taking your own route towards the unspoilt land is always their first choice. This is defiantly possible, with the drive only taking two-and-a-half hours to reach Port Stephens. However, take note of parking, as not all locations are free and have limited time.

• Air

  Waste no time trekking from the city and bet everyone by flying! Set off from Melbourne, Canberra, Brisbane, Sydney, or the Gold Coast and head to Newcastle Airport for the quickest journey on offer.

• Train

  If you enjoy sitting back and relaxing on a scenic train, hop on the train link towards Newcastle from all over the New South Wales. Despite it being an easy breezy way to travel, it takes quite a while to reach your destination, averaging around 5 hours via train! But if you don’t mind sitting back and relaxing with a book on this cheaper travel alternative, this might work best for you!

• Tour

  Not much of a planner? Simply book a tour and get picked up and dropped off from your hotel. Travelling by coach while your professional tour guide tells you all about Port Stephens along the way.

Where to go?

There is a surplus of beaches to choose from, in fact, 26 of them! Each one is different in its own right, offering various charms and activities including surfing, fishing, and even beach driving. Wildlife also ranges with each spot, with dolphins and whales swarming some shores, while bushland beaches stocked with koalas or flying foxes.

• Nelson Bay

  A spot that has everything a visitor could dream of, with pristine waters, an abundance of marine wildlife and outstanding activities included, Nelson Bay is perfect for the whole family. Swim out to the ocean with the dolphins, tuck into a seafood platter alongside the wharf, or simply sunbake the day away while marvelling at the picturesque scenery.

• Anna Bay dunes

  Sandboard down the epic sand dunes of anna bay. The largest moving sand dunes in the Southern Hemisphere, we bet even the bravest among you will have your heart racing before you slide down this epic area.

Related article: What animals you want to spot in the Blue Mountains?

Cameron Ward

Managing Director at Sightseeing Tours Australia

Cameron Ward turned his travel passion into a thriving Australian tourism business. Before he co-founded his own business, Sightseeing Tours Australia, he was enjoying being a Melbourne tour guide. Even now, Cameron delights in helping visitors from all around the world get the most out of their incredible Australian trip. You’ll see Cameron leading tours or writing about his favourite Australian places where he shares his local insights.