Looking for a stunning day trip from Sydney? Visit Nelson Bay! This small, laid-back coastal town, located just inside the mouth of the large natural harbor of Port Stephens, is home to postcard perfect white sand beaches, turquoise bays, breathtaking coastal viewpoints and Sahara-like sand dunes. Oh, and friendly local dolphins.
We visited it several times, but each time we left with another list of places to see and things to do for “next time”. So we keep on visiting. This post is all about the best things to do in Nelson Bay, along with the best places to visit near Nelson Bay.
Where is Nelson Bay?
Nelson Bay is about 2 hours drive north of Sydney. It’s great to visit on a day trip or weekend trip from “the City”, but it’s also a wonderful first stop on the drive from Sydney to Brisbane.
A lot of the coast here is protected by the Tomaree National Park and the Worimi Conservation Lands. The scenery swept us off our feet – and it still does, each time we return. The Tomaree Head summit walk offers one of the best ocean vistas we’ve ever seen, the beaches are out of a fairy tale, and suddenly you’ll be transported to the Sahara.
The natural harbor of Port Stephens has several towns, but Nelson Bay is the largest, and it makes for a perfect base to explore the area. So let’s see the best places to visit in Nelson Bay and beyond.
Best place to stay in Nelson Bay:
- luxury: Anchorage Port Stephens, Port Stephens (beachfront location, heated swimming pool)
- mid-range: Hotel Nelson, Nelson Bay (with heated swimming pool)
- budget: Port Stephens Motel, Nelson Bay
Best things to do in Nelson Bay
Here are the best Nelson Bay activities, pick any or every one of them for your next visit:
Find magical beaches: Zenith Beach, Wreck Beach, Fingal Beach
When listing the best Nelson Bay attractions, I can’t help starting with the beaches. I know, I know, I easily declare many New South Wales beaches “the best in Australia”, but to my defense, they’re truly stunning. And the beaches of Port Stephens stand out even from such a stunning crowd: they have white sand, turquoise water and lush green hills towering above them.
Zenith Beach
Zenith Beach is one that we visited the very first time we’ve been to Australia. We had 3 weeks on the east coast, and we spent a few hours on this magical beach as we left Sydney. Now that we moved to Sydney, visiting Zenith Beach is still one of our favorite things to do around Nelson Bay.
It’s postcard perfect. All the blue and green surrounding you, the calming sound of the waves, the soft sand under your feet – this beach is a real treat to your senses. It’s protected enough to have a swim. It never gets crowded. Parking can be challenging, but the beach is such a large stretch of sand that people spread out easily.
And then there are the views. It’s a beach you have to see for yourself, because my clumsy words can’t properly describe how special it is.
| Beach info |
|---|
| parking : Mount Tomaree car park (or along the road if the car park is full) |
| toilets: no |
| drinking water: no |
Wreck Beach
The next bay in the line after Zenith Beach is Wreck Beach. Before you think that one beach – and a very beautiful one – will surely be enough, let me tell you that exploring the secluded beaches is among the best things to do near Nelson Bay.
If you park at the Mount Tomaree car park towards the end of the peninsula, the Shoal Bay East Track takes you to Wreck Beach, Box Beach and Fingal Bay. (Zenith Beach is just a few steps away from the parking lot.) They are all wonderful beaches, connected by a pleasant walking track among curvy eucalyptus trees. Pack your swimsuit for this hike in the summer, and surely take a picnic blanket and some snacks in the colder months.
Wreck Beach has a similar setting to Zenith Beach, and I won’t ever try to decide which one is more fabulous. But since Wreck Beach requires some walking, it’s unlikely that you’ll find many people there.
You can walk to Wreck Beach on the Shoal Bay East Track from the Mount Tomaree car park, it’s about 1.5 km. It’s not a hard trail, but has some steeper sections, roots and rocks, so you can’t push a stroller or pull a beach cart to Wreck Beach. The same applies to the shorter access route: a fire trail from the end of Verona Road in Shoal Bay.
| Beach info |
|---|
| parking: Mount Tomaree car park (1.5 km walk) or Verona Road (500 m walk) |
| toilets: no |
| drinking water: no |
Fingal Beach
Fingal Bay is the best for families, as it offers a long paved walkway along the beach (great for bikes and scooters), toilets, picnic tables, a cafe, a restaurant and a large playground.
It’s protected from the open ocean by Fingal Island, mainly the northern beach area where you also find a sandy spit that gives access to the island at low tide. Crossing the spit is not recommended, but this part of the bay is the best for families to enjoy the sheltered waters. The southern end of Fingal Beach is more exposed.
You can park directly behind the beach, along Marine Drive.
| Beach info |
|---|
| parking: behind the beach |
| toilets: yes |
| drinking water: yes |
Enjoy the view from the Tomaree Head summit walk
The Tomaree Head summit walk is among the most popular Nelson Bay tourist attractions – and rightly so. The view from the summit is among the best coastal vistas we’ve ever seen. Not only in Australia, but anywhere, ever.
The trail is easy to find and complete, we did it with a 3.5 year-old without any problems. There are lots of stairs, but you’re climbing a hill, after all, don’t expect a flat walkway. It’s short though, only 1.1 km one-way.
The view up the top is unbelievable! The viewing platform that is facing south offers a perfect bird eye view of four turquoise sandy bays and the green hills between them, the bay of Port Stephens, Fingal Island and the Fingal Spit.
There’s another viewpoint that’s facing north. It has a good view of the Yacaaba Head and Boondelbah island. It can’t compete with the southern view, but it’s worth walking around the summit, peeking out in every direction.
the north-facing viewing platform
You find a picnic bench up the top (but not with views), then you can head back. There’s a World War II memorial which requires a short detour and adds about 800 meters to the hike. It’s interesting, and you can read about the history of the sight, but don’t go there for more views (there’s none, trees completely block the views).
| Tomaree Head summit walk |
|---|
| Trailhead: Mount Tomaree lower parking area |
| Length: 1.1 km one-way |
| Difficulty: medium (there are a few stairways and steeper uphill sections) |
| See the trail map here. |
Hike to Stephens Peak
Though none of the coastal views in the area can beat the Tomaree Head summit view, that doesn’t mean others are not worth the effort. Stephens Peak is our next favorite.
Unlike Tomaree Head, the trail to Stephens Peak is barely known and mostly used by locals. You start the Shoal Bay East Track at Zenith Beach, but watch for an unofficial (and unnamed) trail heading up to the Stephens Peak summit before you reach the crossing for Wreck Beach. It’s not marked on most trail maps, but it’s an obvious, well-beaten track, and it’s the only one, so you can’t go wrong.
This ascent to the peak is short, but steep. No rock scrambling is required, it’s not technical, only steep uphill – just take it slow if you’re out of breath. Sooner than you’d expect, you’re already up at the top.
There’s no viewing platform, but you find several clearings that offer relatively unobstructed views of the area. You can look down onto Wreck Beach, see Fingal Spit and Fingal Island, look back to the bay of Port Stephens and see Tomaree Head in front of you. It’s not a 360 degrees panorama from one point, but you can piece that together from several different viewpoints. We were quite impressed.
looking down on Wreck Beach from Stephens Peak
| Port Stephens peak hike |
|---|
| Trailhead: Mount Tomaree car park (the same as you use for Zenith Beach) |
| Length: ~2 km return |
| Difficulty: medium (the ascent to the summit is steep) |
Kayak or canoe in Nelson Bay
Kayaking and canoeing are among the best Nelson Bay water activities. The bay is beautiful and protected, and you can launch your kayak from any of the beaches. Then you can explore the amazing shoreline, Little Nelson Bay, Shoal Bay or Salamander Bay.
You can rent SUPs and kayaks from Escape Eco Adventures in Nelson Bay or Port Stephens Paddlesports in Shoal Bay.
Visit the Stockton Sand Dunes in Worimi Conservation Lands
One of the most fun things to do in Nelson Bay is taking a trip to the mini-Sahara, called Worimi Conservation Lands. Okay, it actually has several names: Stockton Sand Dunes, Port Stephens Sand Dunes, Anna Bay Sand Dunes and the Worimi Conservation Lands. They are all slightly different name variations for the same place.
Of course, Sahara is an exaggeration, but it does feel like experiencing a tiny piece of the Sahara Desert. These sand dunes are the largest in the Southern Hemisphere, they stretch for 32 kilometers – the entire length of Birubi Beach -, and some can be 30-40 meters high.
There are countless ways to experience them: hiking, horseback riding, camel ride, 4WD tour, quad tour or sandboarding.
How to access the Stockton Sand Dunes?
Drive to Birubi Point Surf Life Saving Club, and leave your car in one of the free car parks, or further back along James Paterson Street where you find overflow parking spots.
You can access the sand dunes by simply walking there. Really, just take the stairs down to Birubi Beach, then head towards the dunes behind the beach. It takes about 20-30 minutes to reach the largest dunes from the parking lot. The northern area of the sand dunes is the best for walking around. It’s quiet, usually only a handful of people spread out on the large dunes. There’s no trail – do I need to add this? But this is not the Sahara, so you won’t get lost. Wherever you are, you can see the beach and also the forest and the town behind the dunes.
The southern area of the sand dunes is used by the tours, so traffic is quite frequent. You’ll notice the orange buoys as you approach the commercial area. It’s safest to turn back from there.
Sandboarding on the Port Stephens Sand Dunes
our son found his own way to “sandboard” on the dunes 🙂
Cruise over the sand dunes in a 4WD vehicle, then slide down with the custom-designed sandboards. You’ll get a few instructions on how to use them for maximum safety and speed, then off you go.
This tour includes unlimited sandboarding, so you can play as long as you like. 4WD buses leave every half an hour, just hop on one of them when you’re finished.
Take a quad bike tour
How about conquering the dunes by a quad? This 1-hour quad bike ride takes you through grasslands, then on the steep, shifting sand dunes. It can be suitable for both beginner and experienced drivers, but the minimum age to participate is 16.
The tour leaves from Williamtown which is behind the southern end of Birubi Beach.
Watch the sunset over the sand dunes
The best time of the day to visit Worimi Conservation Lands? Late afternoon and sunset. Watching the sun setting behind the dunes is beautiful. When we visited them in May, we enjoyed a very colorful sunset (winter sunsets tend to be the best!), then the full moon started rising above the ocean as we walked back on Birubi Beach to the car park. It was almost too perfect to believe our eyes.
Meet the koalas of the Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary
When I say that the Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary is not a tourist attraction, I mean it in the best possible way.
Because the main goal here is not visitor entertainment. This sanctuary was created to take care of sick, injured and orphaned koalas. That’s what they do, and they only keep koalas until they can be released into the wild again.
What does it offer to visitors? The nature trail educates you about koalas and their habitat, and you have the chance to see the koalas under care. Port Stephens is home to one of the last remaining koala populations on the east coast, and your visit supports the rehabilitation and conservation programs of the Koala Sanctuary.
We really liked that it was not crowded at all. (Not even comparable to any of the Sydney zoos or wildlife parks in terms of crowds!) We walked around and talked with the volunteers who shared interesting facts about koalas and also about their daily job with them.
Visiting the Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary is among the most enjoyable educational Nelson Bay activities for families.
Buy your ticket in advance here.
Drive up to Gan Gan Lookout
The view from Gan Gan Lookout is among the best things to see in Nelson Bay. It’s pretty enough, sitting at the height of 160 meters, and so easy to access that it would really be a shame to miss.
It’s not comparable to the Tomaree Head summit view, but you can drive up all the way. The closest viewing platform is right at the parking lot, overlooking the Stockton Sand Dunes, the other one is about a 100 meters walk on a paved path, and it offers a panoramic view of Nelson Bay.
view of the sand dunes from Gan Gan Lookout
Watch whales and dolphins
One of the best things to do in Nelson Bay in winter is whale-watching. No surprise, it’s true for the whole long stretch of the eastern Australian coastline. You find tours in Port Stephens, as well, and the coastal viewpoints offer a chance to catch a glimpse of migrating whales.
Boat Harbour has a nice whale-watching platform, and Fingal Beach has the Barry Park whale-watching platform at the southern end of the bay.
Dolphins can be spotted any time of the year, and…
Swim with wild dolphins
… you can swim with them! Swimming with wild dolphins is among the very best things to do in Nelson Bay. It’s the first dolphin swim tour of this kind in the world, including a catamaran tour and then jumping in the water with trained swim leaders. You’ll be taken to a pod of dolphins, but they will choose to let you close and swim with you.
Dive from the shore
But dolphins are not the only creatures to meet with. One of the best places for snorkeling and diving in New South Wales is between Nelson Bay and Little Beach: Fly Point. It’s a protected aquatic reserve, kelp forests are just a few meters from the shore. You can see colorful fish, blue groupers, octopus, sea turtles, Wobbegong sharks or seahorses.
Drive on Victoria Parade to Neil Carroll Park. Then take the staircase down, it starts just opposite the amphitheater.
Pet rays and sharks
Irukandji Shark & Ray Encounters at Anna Bay offers a selection of unique experiences. Stand in the shallow water in an artificial lagoon, and feed, pet and learn about rays, zebra sharks, brown-banded bamboo sharks, whitetip reef sharks and nurse sharks. You can choose to put on a wetsuit and get into the pool with the sharks (only wading is allowed, no swimming).
Then you can tour the aquarium.
Take a trip to the Hawks Nest area
If you spend several days in Nelson Bay (or you drive north towards Brisbane), take a trip to the other side of the Port Stephens harbor: the Hawks Nest area.
It’s just across the bay, but it takes about an hour to drive there from Nelson Bay. If you’re on a day trip to Nelson Bay from Sydney, we recommend saving the Hawks Next for your next day trip.
Jimmy’s Beach
It has its own fabulous beach, which is well-protected inside the Port Stephens Bay: Jimmy’s Beach. It’s a long stretch of fine white sand, and the best area for swimming is roughly in the middle. The water near the shore gets very shallow as you head towards Yacaaba Headland, and seaweed is often washed to the shore.
Bennetts Beach
Bennetts Beach, also called Hawks Nest Beach, runs for 14.3 km from Seal Rocks to Yacaaba Head. It’s better suited for romantic walks in the soft sand than swimming, because it’s not protected. But it also means that you can marvel at the large waves (and prepare to have a wind jacket in the colder part of the year).
Yacaaba Headland summit walk
This area also has its own scenic summit walk: the Yacaaba Headland summit walk. Sadly, the magical views are obstructed by trees (if there’s a place in the area which would deserve a viewing tower, I’m voting for this summit!), but it’s still a pretty hike.
You start it on Bennetts Beach, with the headland towering in front of you. But don’t hurry too much, visit the sand dunes behind the beach, they’re quite cool.
first viewpoint
The forest path up to the headland starts at the southern end of the beach, and it’s signposted. The first half of this forest trail is quite easy, with slow and steady elevation gain through the picturesque forest. Then there’s a viewpoint at about halfway. We got very excited, thinking the views will only get better from then, but I’m telling you now: this is the best view on this trail. It’s a good one, slightly obstructed by the trees.
If you carry on, the path gets significantly steeper and narrower, with lots of roots and larger rocks. It takes you to the summit, but there’s no viewing platform or clearing on the summit. You can peak out of the bush, and you’ll catch glimpses of pieces of the beautiful landscape.
summit view
Is it worth hiking to the summit then? It’s not a long or challenging trail altogether, so we didn’t mind hiking it all the way. But if you’re short on time or only want to see the best view, you can turn back after the first viewpoint. You won’t miss anything.
| Yacaaba Headland summit walk |
|---|
| Trailhead: Bennetts Beach (you can park at the end of Beach Road) |
| Length: ~3 km one-way from the nearest parking lot |
| Difficulty: medium |
| See the trail map here. |
