There are quite a few things to do in Port Stephens. From camel rides in the dunes to spotting Koalas in their natural habitat. It’s also a magnificent place to visit. We were completely blown away by the natural beauty of the area.
2.5 hours from Sydney (unless you try on a Friday night) Port Stephens is a really close option for a mini break from Sydney.
This is more a list of all the things that you can do. I am yet to put together the post on what we did on our long weekend in the area, there were some great things we did and then some not so great things. I will allude to these in the post though so you don’t go visit completely blind.
In this post, I’ll set out a brief explanation of the region before setting out the lists of what to do in Port Stephens in each of those suburbs and where to eat.
What to do in Port Stephens
Understanding the different areas in Port Stephens
There are 10 different areas in the Port Stephens region, not all of these are along the water though.
At the one end, in the South and closer to Sydney is the area near the Newcastle airport made up of Medowie in the West and Williamtown in the East. While you probably won’t want to stay here, Williamtown is home to an awesome aviation museum – Fighter World.
At the other end, the North tip of Port Stephens is Nelson Bay, Shoal Bay and Fingal Bay. This is where we stayed and most likely would stay in the future.
Most of the suburbs are close to each other and even if you are travelling between two suburbs on the opposite side from one another it’s along motorways or highways so it doesn’t even take as long as it would to travel between neighbouring suburbs in Sydney.
I’ll list each of the neighbourhoods, set out our FAVOURITE activities in Port Stephens and then explain what attractions are in each area before rounding off with where to eat in Port Stephens.
The 10 Neighbourhoods of Port Stephens
- Anna Bay
- Corlette and Salamander Bay
- Fingal Bay
- Nelson Bay (where we stayed)
- One Mile and Boat Harbour
- Salt Ash and Bobs Farm
- Shoal Bay
- Soldiers Point
- Tilligerry Peninsula
- Williamtown and Medowie
Our favourite things to do in Port Stephens
Driving in the Dunes
The most memorable thing we did was take our 4X4 out onto the Dunes. If you don’t have a 4X4 you can still go out either in a 4X4 or on a quad bike or a camel.
Top Tip: If you’re going out in the dunes on your own you need to change your tyre pressure. If you don’t do this you will get stuck!!
Spending time sliding down dunes and running around on an isolated bit of beach with my family has given me memories I will remember for the rest of my life.
Fighter World
I loved visiting Fighter World and was really taken aback by the quality and quantity of this aviation museum, especially given that it’s not in a major city.
The planes have been lovingly restored and you even get the opportunity to get inside one or two. You can read our FULL REVIEW OF FIGHTER WORLD HERE.
Top Tip: I would advise visiting Fighter World on your way out of Port Stephens as your activity on the way home because it’s at the exit / entry point to the great Port Stephens area.
The Lighthouse Lookout
This has to be the most beautiful and accessible lookout in the entire region. Standing there, I could not believe that this was in NSW, it looked like an idyll island.
Little Beach
Despite it being cool and the early part of Spring my kids were still desperate to swim. This was a great family beach where there were no waves or rips.
We also got there early one morning and watched the biggest group of Pelicans I’ve ever seen eating. They were swarming all over the parking lot and guzzling down their food like crazed animals.
What to do in Port Stephens By Area
Anna Bay
Anna Bay is the entry point to the Stockton Bight Sand Dunes, in the Worimi Conservation Lands.
These dunes are the largest moving coastal dunes in the southern hemisphere.
32 kilometres of sandscape reaching heights of 40 metres in places and slopes of 60 degrees. It’s really impressive.
As I said above, there are a number of ways to experience the dunes:
- Sand Dune Safaris;
- Port Stephens 4WD Tours;
- by camel with Oakfield Ranch Camel Rides;
- horse riding with Sahara Trails Horse Riding;
- Quad biking tours with Sand Dune Adventures or Quad Bike King;
- 4WD Tours and Sandboarding with 4WD Tours R Us; or
- 4WD Tag-Along & Passenger Tours.
Anna Bay is also home to David Grahams Golf Complex, the local golf driving range and mini golf course.
Corlette and Salamander Bay
Corlette
Corlette is home to Anchorage Port Stephens.
Anchorage Port Stephens has two restaurants and a day spa.
Salamander Bay
This is where you’ll find that OAKS Pacific Blue resort with the massive swimming pool.
Salamander Bay Square is a the local mall with Woolworths, Coles, Kmart, Aldi as well as a range of specialty stores and a food court.a
Walks and Rides
There is a headland walk. If you follow the water from Corlette beach to the Anchorage. Keep a lookout for the local koalas along the way.
You can also walk to Nelson Bay, again just following the water. There are little parks and reserves dotted along the water’s edge around the bays.
There are also paths and bike lanes which will take you along the water’s edge from Corlette to Salamander.
Toboggan Hill
Toboggan Hill has a toboggan to go down, like the Toboggan Hill in Coff’s Harbour, but it also has putt putt, a tractor train and a giant maze.
Fingal Bay
Fingal Bay is for a beach day! It’s one of the bigger beaches in the area. It is a surf beach but it also patrolled and family friendly.
Picnic and Lookout
Barry Park at the northern headland has a whale watching platform and picnic area.
Fingal Island
You used to be able to walk to Fingal Island, 2kms across the sand spit. It is however impassible at the moment and you can only reach it by boat.
Up on Fingal Island you can see the Port Stephens Lighthouse. The way the Lighthouse is constructed and the Lighthouse Keepers’ quarters make it unique among Australian lighthouses.
Nelson Bay (where we stayed)
This is the main tourist spot in Port Stephens. If like me you schedule in time to visit the local information centre (who doesn’t!?) then this is where you’ll find it. You’ll also find a large grocery store (can’t remember if its Coles or Woolies) and a number of restaurants and cafes.
Beaches
This is where you’ll find Little Beach, our kids favourite place to swim. See more info on Little Beach above.
On and in the Water
Take a Dolphin or Whale-watching cruise with Moonshadown TQC Cruises or Imagine Cruises from the Nelson Bay Marina.
Take a relaxed ferry trip around the bay on the Tea Gardens Ferry Service or Koala Ferries.
Swim with dolphins with Dolphin Swim Australia, NSW’s first and only permitted WILD dolphin swim.
You can go diving with either Let’s Go Adventures – Dive Nelson Bay or Feet First Dive.
Hire a Boat from Boab Boat Hire.
Bikes and bicycles
You can hire:
- a bicycle from Bay Bike Hire or Boomerang Bikes;
- a scooter from Bay Scoot and Wheels; and
Go on a trike tour with Trike Tours – Central Coast the Hunter Valley & Port Stephens.
One Mile and Boat Harbour
One Mile Beach is one of the most popular patrolled surf beaches in Port Stephens. It’s perfect for both families and surfers and is patrolled throughout the summer months
Top Tip: Samurai Beach just north of One Mile is a clothes optional type beach…
Port Stephens Surf School is where you can get Surf Lessons and hire body boards, surfboards and standup paddle boards, flippers and even beach chairs and umbrellas.
Salt Ash and Bobs Farm
Driving through these two areas, you’ll notice all the farms. These two neighbourhoods are filled with working farms.
If you’re looking for fresh produce, you’ll be able to find:
- bush honey and avocados from Bobs Farm Avocado Stall (open from June – November)
- fresh fish from the barramundi farm and hydroponic gardens where you can take a tour or just settle in and savour a delicious lunch in .
Animal Encounters
Feed sharks and stingrays indoors in big pools at Irukandji.
Oakvale Wildlife Park is home to various animals: koalas, crocs, camels and kangaroos as well as baby animals. There are also tractor rides and picnic areas to make a day of it.
Adventure sports
In this area you’ll also find:
- Go Karts at Go Karts Go.
- Paintball at Hellfire Paintball. If you’ve ever wanted to get up close and personal with sharks and stingrays then is a must see.
- Or for more land based animals try
Shoal Bay
This is where the Lighthouse is. You have go to go check it out, it’s not a lighthouse that you can walk up to the top of, it’s the lookout that you want to go for. There is also a small maritime museum housed in the lighthouse.
TOP TIP: Visit the tearooms at the lighthouse for breakfast or lunch. I really wish we had done this!! You really want to spend time up there if you can!
Water Sports
You can hire a kayak or paddle board from Port Stephens PaddleSports and go out on your own or join a guided kayak tour.
Shoal Bay SUP also hires out paddle boards.
Bikes
Shoal Bay Bike Hire lets out bikes on an hourly, daily and weekly basis. Apparently the network of cycle paths claims to be the best in the Hunter Valley Region…
Walks
There is a 40 minute walk up to Tomaree Summit for unforgettable views. We didn’t do this last time because of the kids but if we get the chance to visit sans kids, or when they’re older, we definitely will.
From Shoal Bay you can also take a coastal walk from Zenith Beach to Fingal Bay via Wreck and Box Beach.
Soldiers Point
This is where you head for the best sunsets in Port Stephens.
There is also a smart marina as this is where yachts gather for the annual Sail Port Stephens regatta.
Soldiers point is also home to luxurious Bannisters Port Stephens.
Tilligerry Peninsula
Talk a walk through Tilligerry Habitat Reserve looking for koalas. There are 9 hectares of flora and fauna reserve along the sandy foreshore between Tanilba Bay and Mallabula. It’s a 200m flat, level walk where you can even hire a wheelchair.
Lemon Tree Passage on Helen Avenue
You’ll be able to fit in a spot of golf at Tanilba Bay Golf Club, if you’re not visiting with the kids.
Port Stephens Beach Fishing Safaris does everything for you from setting up the beach chairs to baiting your fishing rods.
Williamtown and Medowie
This is where Fighter World is. I would pop in, even if it’s just to let the kids walk around for a little bit and climb in the aircraft.
Grab some fresh fruits and veggies from the Little Tin Shed or visit a Macadamia Plantation on Medowie Road in Medowie.
You can also access the famous Worimi Conservation Stockton Beach Sand Dunes from here.
Another day, another round of golf? Medowie is also home to Pacific Dunes a championship golf course ranked #5 in Australia.
What to do in Port Stephens – eating out
Anna Bay
Crest Cafe, Biubi Beach overlooking the dunes in Anna Bay.
Spectrum Cafe which has a gift shop, gallery and nursery.
Rubi Blue Cafe.
Corlette and Salamander Bay
Sanook Thai Restaurant in Corlette.
The Wild Herring isn’t a place I would be taking the kids. This is the Anchorage’s premium restaurant, it tables a “modern Australian take on the very best in fresh local and regional seafood”.
Bannisters in Salamander has three different eating options, the fine dining, The Terrace Bar and Bannisters Tavern.
Murrays Brewery is famous for its unique craft beers which you can enjoy with wood fired pizza and local music.
Fingal Bay
Bay Breeze Bistro at Fingal Bay Sports Club and it has a playground too apparently. Please let me know if you visit and whether it does in fact have a playground.
Saltwater Restaurant Fingal Bay open Monday to Sunday for lunch and Tuesday to Saturday for dinner.
Cellar Cafe is known for its pastries and is a favourite with locals.
Nelson Bay
For breakfast or brunch I would visit the Little Nel, In House Kitchen or the Inner Light Tea Rooms in the lighthouse.
Nice in Nelson Bay has a small little play area for kiddies and their menus come as little readers.
We had Italian at Nigronis, great pizza and lots of space. Looks fancy but they were perfectly fine with the kids!
And the MOST INCREDIBLE gelato is from Nero’s in Nelson Bay. It’s cash only though so make sure you draw. We went two days in a row it was so good!
In House Kitchen looks so smart, inside a homewares store, that’s my type of place to visit. I love having brunch in a beautifully decorated spot.
Evviva Cafe & Bar, a café serving Breakfast, coffees, Brunch and Lunch, whilst on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights it transforms into a sophisticated wine and tapas bar.
Sandpipers Restaurant is popular choice for smarter dinners out.
Hope Brewhouse Cafe for beers and burgers.
Bay Harbour Cafe for fish and chips.
Bub’s Fish & Chips at Nelson Bay, seafood delivered straight from the trawler to their door daily.
Inner light Tea Rooms at the Nelson Bay Lighthouse for brunch or breakfast. Apparently these have the best scones in Port Stephens, I so badly wanted to eat here but we had eaten just minutes before.
Little Beach Boathouse and Grill is just at the end of Little Beach.
Lunch at Cookaburra Restaurant. I think the kids can hand feed barramundi while you’re here.
West Diggers open 7 days a week in Nelson Bay has a few different options inside. There is Bay Brasserie, Bay Diner, Bay Cafe and a Gelato Bar.
One Mile and Boat Harbour
Swell Kiosk offers fish and chips.
Rockpools Bar & Cafe in Middle Rock Holiday Resort.
Salt Ash and Bobs Farm
Valhalla Restaurant Bar at the front of the beautiful Spruce Estate. Open from Thursday to Sunday.
Barramundi Farm . You can see the fish swimming in summer but not in winter. Apparently the food is great just the general appearance is “shabby-chic”.
Shoal Bay
Shoal Bay Country Club, built in the 1950s is considered an an institution in the area. Pop in for a drink or a meal.
Soldiers Point
The White Sands Bistro at Soldiers Point Bowling Club looks like it has a small playground for the kids.
The Deck Cafe Restaurant open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
For something fancier try The Point Restaurant, an award winning restaurant looking out over the water.
Williamstown and Medowie
Breakfast or lunch in the Macadamia Plantation at Medowie Macadamias.
The Greenhouse Eatery is Port Stephens’ newest dining and events destination located at Huntingdale Place, Medowie
