Just 2.5 hours north of Sydney, Port Stephens is where a resident pod of bottlenose dolphins meets the Southern Hemisphere's biggest coastal sand dunes and 26 beaches of blue water. Here's how to see the best of it — and the easiest ways to get there.
Port Stephens is a vast, sheltered bay — more than twice the size of Sydney Harbour — wrapped in national park, headlands and an almost continuous run of beaches. Nelson Bay is the main town, where the marina, dolphin cruises and most of the dining sit. Across the bay, the Stockton Bight sand dunes roll for 32 kilometres, and behind the beaches Tomaree National Park rises into rocky headlands made for walking.
It's one of the easiest and most rewarding short breaks from Sydney: close enough for a day trip, varied enough for a long weekend. A Cooee Tours day tour packages the highlights — the dolphin cruise and the dunes — into a single, hassle-free day, or we can build Port Stephens into a longer New South Wales itinerary.
The dolphins: a resident pod lives in the bay all year — sightings are near guaranteed
The dunes: the Southern Hemisphere's largest moving coastal dunes, for sandboarding and 4WD
The beaches: 26 of them, from calm family bays to surf breaks
The walks: Tomaree Head Summit for one of the best coastal views in NSW
Port Stephens is around 2.5 hours' drive north of Sydney.
Port Stephens sits roughly halfway down the coast between Brisbane and Sydney, which makes it a natural stop on a longer New South Wales touring trip rather than a day trip from South East Queensland.
For a quick hit: a guided day tour from Sydney covering the dolphins and the dunes
For a relaxed break: two to three nights at Nelson Bay or Shoal Bay with time for the beaches and walks
For wildlife: visit between May and November to add whale watching to the dolphin cruise
Where: Nelson Bay marina
The signature Port Stephens experience. A resident pod of around 150 bottlenose dolphins lives in the bay, so sightings are near guaranteed on a cruise across the calm water.
Where: Anna Bay / Birubi
Sandboard, 4WD or ride a camel across 32km of towering dunes — the largest moving coastal dunes in the Southern Hemisphere, on the Worimi Conservation Lands.
Where: Shoal Bay
A short but steep climb to a 161m summit with sweeping views over the bay, the islands and out to sea. One of the best coastal lookouts in NSW.
When: May–November
Humpbacks pass close to the headlands on their annual migration. Many cruises switch from dolphins to whales in season, or combine both.
Where: Nelson Bay
A short drive up for a 360-degree panorama of the bay, the dunes and the coastline — superb at sunrise or sunset.
Where: Tilligerry Peninsula
One of the better spots in the region to see wild koalas, with boardwalks and habitat reserves around Tanilba and Lemon Tree Passage.
The Stockton dunes sit within the Worimi Conservation Lands. Self-drive 4WD access requires a permit, and conditions change with the tides and weather. Guided dune tours include access and the right vehicle — the simplest way to experience the dunes safely and responsibly.
See our full range on the Port Stephens tours page. All day tours include Sydney pick-up and drop-off.
The classic day out: a dolphin-watching cruise on the bay plus sandboarding and 4WD on the Stockton dunes, with Sydney transfers included.
In migration season, swap or combine the dolphin cruise for whale watching as humpbacks pass the headlands. A wildlife highlight from Sydney.
Tailor the day for your group — add Tomaree Head, the lookouts and a beach lunch, or combine Port Stephens with the Hunter Valley over two days.
Port Stephens has around 26 beaches, ranging from sheltered, child-friendly bays to surf breaks and long ocean stretches.
The most popular bay beach — calm, clear water at the foot of Tomaree Head, with cafes and a relaxed holiday feel.
A beautiful curve of white sand and turquoise water, good for swimming and a favourite for photos.
A sweeping bay with the famous sand spit that links to Fingal Island at low tide (check tides and conditions before crossing).
Quieter surf beaches on the Tomaree side, backed by national park — great for a wander and a swim with fewer crowds.
Where the Stockton dunes meet the sea at Anna Bay — the launch point for dune adventures and a long ocean beach.
A small, sheltered bay near Nelson Bay, calm and shallow — popular with families and easy to reach.
Swim between the red-and-yellow flags at patrolled beaches in summer, check conditions before entering the water, and be tide-aware at spots like Fingal Spit where crossings can become cut off.
Dolphins: resident year-round — any time of year
Whales: roughly May to November, peaking around June–July and September–October
Port Stephens is the Country of the Worimi people, who have cared for this coast, its waters and its dunes for tens of thousands of years. The Stockton Bight sand dunes form part of the Worimi Conservation Lands, returned to and co-managed by the Worimi people, and hold deep cultural significance — including ancient middens within the dunes.
Cooee Tours acknowledges the Worimi people as the Traditional Custodians of the Port Stephens region, and pays respect to their Elders past and present. We are committed to travelling on Country with care and respect, and to supporting Aboriginal-guided experiences where available.
Port Stephens is approximately 2.5 hours' drive north of Sydney (around 200km), via the M1 Pacific Motorway. Nelson Bay is the main town and hub for dolphin cruises and tours. Most full-day tours from Sydney depart in the morning and return in the evening.
Yes. Port Stephens has a resident population of around 150 bottlenose dolphins that live in the bay all year, so dolphin-watching cruises run year-round with very high sighting rates. Whales pass on migration seasonally between roughly May and November.
The Stockton Bight sand dunes are the largest moving coastal sand dunes in the Southern Hemisphere, stretching around 32km. They sit within the Worimi Conservation Lands and are a popular spot for sandboarding, 4WD tours, quad biking and camel rides. Self-drive access requires a permit, which guided tours include.
Humpback whales migrate past Port Stephens between roughly May and November, with peak sightings around June to July (heading north) and September to October (heading south with calves). Dolphin cruises run all year regardless of season.
A car helps for exploring independently, but a guided day tour from Sydney is the easiest option — it covers the transport, the dolphin cruise and dune access in one day with no driving or permits to organise. Within Port Stephens, attractions around Nelson Bay and Shoal Bay are close together.
Very much so. Calm bay beaches, dolphin cruises, sandboarding on the dunes and easy walks like Tomaree Head make it one of the most family-friendly destinations in New South Wales. Many beaches are patrolled in summer.
A full day from Sydney covers the highlights — a dolphin cruise and the sand dunes. Two to three days lets you add Tomaree National Park walks, more beaches, whale watching in season and the villages around the bay at a relaxed pace.
Beyond the beaches, you can take a dolphin or whale cruise, sandboard or 4WD the Stockton dunes, climb Tomaree Head for panoramic views, visit Gan Gan Lookout, spot koalas at Tilligerry, and explore the marina and markets at Nelson Bay.
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