A nature lover’s guide to Port Stephens
Incredible for dolphin-watching, PORT STEPHENS is also a TOP spot to watch for whales, surf down giant sand dunes and learn more about WORIMI country.
WITH BEACHES, nature, wildlife and sunshine in ample supply, Port Stephens on the NSW North Coast is a destination worth putting a pin in. While the area possesses a laid-back halcyon days feel, it also has a resolutely modern and sustainable outlook for the future, one that involves nurturing and protecting the natural wonders and enviable lifestyle that make it so incredible.
MAKE FRIENDS WITH DOLPHINS
The residents of Port Stephens have a reputation for being genuine and welcoming, and the 130 or so Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins that call the waters of NELSON BAY home are no exception. There are a number of eco-certified, locally owned cruise companies that will help you get as (responsibly) close as possible to the dolphins such as MOONSHADOW-TQC CRUISES (moonshadow-tqc.com.au) in Nelson Bay.
Meanwhile, DOLPHIN SWIM AUSTRALIA (dolphinswimaustralia.com.au) offers the only permitted wild dolphin swim in the state.
WHALE WATCHING ON LAND AND WATER
The coastal waters off Port Stephens form part of a ‘humpback highway’ that sees both humpback and southern right whales migrating to warmer waters between May and November to give birth. Join a cruise with CRUISES, located in Nelson Bay IMAGINE
(imaginecruises.com.au) to witness the spectacle or take up position at headland outlooks in PARK. TOMAREE NATIONAL
SLEEP WITH KOALAS
is an PORT STEPHENS KOALA SANCTUARY irresistible opportunity to get up close to our cutest marsupials, and assist in their survival in the process. The eight-hectare bushland setting includes the NEWCASTLE AIRPORT
SKYWALK, a circuitous elevated walkway that looks into the enclosures of rescued koalas that, due to their injuries or illness, are unable to be returned to the wild. You can spend the night in one of the four-star glamping tents before waking early for a guided tour during the morning feeding routine when the koalas are at their most active – and cute!
SURF SOME DUNES
The 4200-hectare WORIMI CONSERVATION
LANDS, managed by the local Worimi Traditional Owners in partnership with NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service, are home to the largest moving sand dunes in the southern hemisphere. You can explore the rugged coastal beauty here on a beach driving tour, stopping at CITY, a collection of TIN huts that were originally home to shipwreck survivors, and finishing up with a spot of sand surfing down the steep slopes of the dunes.
RELAX IN A RAINFOREST
Sitting lightly on 1.2 hectares of melaleuca rainforest, WANDERERS RETREAT
(wanderersretreat.com) takes its idyllic position seriously. Accommodation includes a beach house, treehouses snuggled into the greenery, and eco cottages built to ensure minimal impact on their surroundings.
Start planning your Port Stephens visit at portstephens.org.au