Guide · Port Stephens ·
Port Stephens day trip: dolphin cruises and sand dunes
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A Port Stephens day trip from Sydney can fit two big sights: a dolphin cruise and the giant sand dunes at Stockton Bight. It is a long day, because the drive north takes about 2.5 hours each way. Start early, book the dune tour first and keep the cruise for the afternoon.
This guide explains what each activity involves, what you need to book, and how to fit them together without rushing.
Sources for this section: Visit NSW, Port Stephens; Destination Port Stephens, The Dunes and Dolphin, Whale and Water Cruises.
Getting there from Sydney
Visit NSW says Port Stephens is an easy 2.5 hours north of Sydney by road. Newcastle Airport is the nearest airport, about 30 minutes by car from Nelson Bay. Visit NSW also recommends a car for exploring the area's beaches and villages.
That means about five hours of driving in a day. If you want a calmer pace, stay one night. If you only have a day, leave Sydney early and plan to start the drive back by late afternoon.
Sources for this section: Visit NSW, Port Stephens.
The Stockton Bight sand dunes
The dunes are the main reason to go early. Destination Port Stephens says the Stockton Bight sand dunes in the Worimi Conservation Lands cover 4,200 hectares. About 1,800 of those are forest. The dunes run for 32 km and are described as the longest moving sand dunes in the southern hemisphere. Some reach over 30 metres high, with slopes of up to 60 degrees.
The lands are in the country of the Worimi Aboriginal Nation. Destination Port Stephens notes that the area is both a place for adventure and a place of ancient heritage, so treat it with care.
Sandboarding is the easiest way to enjoy the dunes if you have no 4WD. Destination Port Stephens lists guided 4WD and sandboarding tours that leave daily from James Patterson Street in Anna Bay. It also says sandboarding is an exciting activity all year.
Sources for this section: Destination Port Stephens, The Dunes and 4WD Sand Dune Tours and Sandboarding.
Booking a sandboarding tour
NSW National Parks lists a guided sandboarding and sand surfing tour by Sand Dune Safaris. The tour takes you into the dunes in a 4WD. You can sit, stand or ride tandem on boards with or without bindings. NSW National Parks rates the grade as easy and suitable for all ages and experience levels, with a basic level of fitness needed.
- Bookings: required. Contact the operator for dates, times and prices, as NSW National Parks does not list a fixed price.
- Food and drink: bring your own. There is a shady picnic area in the dunes.
- Licence: the operator holds a Parks Eco Pass as a licensed commercial tour operator.
- Other options: Destination Port Stephens lists several other 4WD tour companies, including Port Stephens 4WD Tours and 4WD Tours R Us.
Sources for this section: NSW National Parks, Worimi guided sandboarding and sand surfing adventures; Destination Port Stephens, 4WD Sand Dune Tours and Sandboarding.
If you drive your own 4WD
A guided tour needs no permit from you. A self-drive trip does. Destination Port Stephens says every vehicle entering the Worimi Conservation Lands must be registered and display a valid beach vehicle permit, and you need a four-wheel drive. Fines apply to vehicles without permits.
NSW National Parks adds that annual NSW Park Passes are not valid for entry, so buy the permit before you arrive. Destination Port Stephens lists sellers at the BP service stations in Anna Bay and Salt Ash and at Pearl Energy in Williamtown. The lands are always open but can close for poor weather or fire danger, so check the NSW National Parks alerts on the day.
Sources for this section: Destination Port Stephens, 4WD Beach Permit Information; NSW National Parks, Worimi guided sandboarding and sand surfing adventures.
The dolphin cruise
Destination Port Stephens says more than 140 bottlenose dolphins call Port Stephens home, and cruises run daily. Operators it lists include Moonshadow-TQC Cruises and Blue Water Sailing, plus Dolphin Swim Australia for a wild dolphin swim.
Cruise lengths and prices differ by operator, and we have not set them out here. Check each operator's own page for departure times, and book a late morning or afternoon sailing so it follows your dune tour. If you travel between May and November, the same source says humpback whales pass on their yearly migration. You can see them on a whale watching cruise or from the headlands of Tomaree National Park.
Sources for this section: Destination Port Stephens, Dolphin, Whale and Water Cruises.
A sample plan for the day
| Time | Plan |
|---|---|
| Early morning | Leave Sydney and drive about 2.5 hours |
| Late morning | Guided dune and sandboarding tour from Anna Bay |
| Afternoon | Dolphin cruise on Port Stephens, booked for after the tour |
| Late afternoon | Start the drive back to Sydney |
Book both activities before you leave and confirm the times with each operator. Tour lengths vary, so leave a gap between them. Weather can close the dunes or change a cruise, so ask each operator about their change policy.
Sources for this section: Visit NSW, Port Stephens; Destination Port Stephens, The Dunes and Dolphin, Whale and Water Cruises; NSW National Parks, Worimi guided sandboarding and sand surfing adventures.
Sources
- Visit NSW, Port Stephens: visitnsw.com
- Destination Port Stephens, The Dunes: portstephens.org.au
- Destination Port Stephens, 4WD Sand Dune Tours and Sandboarding: portstephens.org.au
- Destination Port Stephens, 4WD Beach Permit Information: portstephens.org.au
- Destination Port Stephens, Dolphin, Whale and Water Cruises: portstephens.org.au
- NSW National Parks, Worimi guided sandboarding and sand surfing adventures: nationalparks.nsw.gov.au