Port Stephens For Budget Travellers
Port Stephens is situated in New South Wales, and is definitely worth a visit. At only 33km north of Newcastle, or a further 148km north of Sydney, it is a perfect getaway from city life. Made up of various small towns, a national park, and resting on a stunning sun-kissed coastline, this region is a true gem that is not to be missed. Whether in search of a relaxed, beautiful beach scene, or a more adventurous, activity-filled trip, Port Stephens is the one.
The main spots to check out include:
- One Mile: One Mile Beach
- Tomaree National Park: Tomaree Head Summit walk + Zenith Beach
- Shoal Bay
- Anna Bay: Birubi Beach
- Salamander Bay: Salamander Bay Square
- Nelson Bay: Gan Gan Lookout + Beach
Port Stephens turned out to be one of my favourite little trips. I kind of just stumbled across it on the map of Australia, looking for somewhere to go from Sydney, and figured why not check this place out?
If travel makes you learn one thing, it’s this: you always end up where you are supposed to, when you are supposed to. With a lack of plans and ample time for a little adventure, I somehow ended up in Port Stephens for a few nights (somewhere I did not even know existed three days prior), and I feel like it was exactly where I needed to be. Part of me did not want to leave Sydney for the desire to stick to city life after living in tiny Lake Tekapo, NZ, for months. However, it felt so good to get back to nature, I am so glad my travels took me here. It was such a random, chilled out few days, which turned out to be exactly what I needed at the time.
When to visit?
Worth a visit all year round. Winter provides a more tranquil setting, slightly cooler temperatures and is the best time for whale watching. Summer, on the other hand holds comfortably hot temperatures, and a much busier atmosphere.
I visited in September, a pretty ideal time. Without the crowds and with temperatures warm enough to lounge on the beaches, and comfortable enough to enjoy activities such as hiking, I’d say spring is a great time to visit. It was really was quiet on my trip, it would also be nice to spend time in this area when there is more of a buzz, but sometimes it’s nice to experience a place when it doesn’t feel like tourist central. So, peak season, or off-peak, it’s a gem of a spot for a 2/3 day, or more, visit.
How to get to Port Stephens?
From Sydney:
- Drive: At a mere 2.5 hours from Sydney by car there is really no reason to not visit.
- Public transport: Train from Sydney Central to Newcastle Interchange, then take the bus to Port Stephens from Newcastle.
- This was the journey I made, and it was ridiculously cheap. I can’t recall the exact amount but I am sure it was something around $7 in total, for about five hours of travel. New South Wales travel, with an OPAL card, is CHEAP.
I stopped off in Newcastle for a couple of nights on my return to Sydney. It is even more worth heading as far up as Port Stephens if you have time for a stop-over there too!
Alternatively, fly into Newcastle from out of state then drive/take the bus from there.
Where to stay?
Samurai Beach Bungalows Port Stephens (YHA)
How long to stay for: I stayed for three nights which was perfect, but I wouldn’t have minded staying longer!
Samurai Beach Bungalows is a lovely hostel located in Anna Bay perfect for budget travellers. Nestled in nature, not too far from One Mile Beach, and with a handy bus stop on the street outside for the car-free travellers like myself, makes this the perfect place to stay. To sum it up, it is a peaceful, welcoming, nature-set hostel – my favourite!
My initial notes on this hostel: I am currently staying in Port Stephens YHA, it is quite remote, and almost feels like camping. The kitchen is outside, the toilets and showers are just separate cubicles, joined on, outside, and the rooms are cabins. It is also apparently not the place to be right now – I am in a five bed room with the whole room to myself, crazy. I love it though, it reminds me a little of the YHA on Magnetic Island, not like the big open, not so friendly city YHAs.
As noted, I was travelling off season, therefore was welcomed to the utmost tranquil hostel. The five bed dorm to myself for the first couple of nights was strange, but so nice – I hadn’t slept in a room by myself in SO long! There were genuinely about one or two families staying at the hostel, plus myself and one other solo traveller. Moreover, the wi-fi was pretty poor unless near the reception area (although maybe it has improved since), and the phone signal was just as bad. However, this made the experience even better. Perhaps that’s a downside for some, but I loved getting to disconnect and feel more attached to nature, sometimes exactly what you need.
There is also a little pool, a dog who likes to lounge by reception, chickens running around, a TV/games room, and very welcoming staff. The chickens meant free eggs, and I was even offered more bread than I could eat in my short stay on my arrival, always a plus for a backpacker!
What to do in Port Stephens?
Simply put: Drive/take the bus/walk and explore the coastline with its numerous peaceful bays. For a backpacker (without a car), getting around by bus is easy. They are relatively frequent, and with an OPAL card, cheap, too.
What to really to do though? Relax at the gorgeous beaches, or partake in one, or some, of the various activities on offer throughout the Port Stephens region. From surfing, hiking, dolphin spotting to taking a camel ride, there is a great variety to suit everyone’s desires. Therefore, the trip can become as energetic and adventurous as you should wish to make it. I stuck to the more simple ways, just exploring and taking it all in. Even this was more than enough to keep me occupied and please me for my short visit there.
My Trip
I only touched the surface of Port Stephens, activity-wise. I more just had a little explore and reset my travel batteries while here! Of course, I checked out the main spots, and was not disappointed. I would definitely go back again!
Here is how I spent my 3 night trip, looking at what the different spots offered. Quick note: days 1 and 2 do not have much to report on, day 3 was the good one! Anyway, my 4 day trip went a little like this:
Day 1
My first day, I arrived in the afternoon, settled into my accommodation, and quickly befriended the one other solo traveller there. We headed down to One Mile Beach before the sunset (of course I had to go straight to the closest beach!).
– One Mile Beach
One of Port Stephens’ surf beaches, home to the Surf Club, makes this a great sport to try out surfing to spice up a beach trip here. Sand dunes edge this gorgeous beach, adding to its remote, natural feel.
How to get there: Around a 30 minute walk from the hostel, you can always bus it if you don’t wish to walk. You encounter the sand dunes edging the beach soon after setting off, however they make it difficult to access it. So infuriating when you are super keen to just be on the beach! I am pretty sure we tried to climb them eventually… Anyway, head to Ingenia Holidays as the access road down to the surf club comes into view just past there.
Note: One Mile Beach is separated from Samurai Nudist Beach by Samurai Point – there are two differing beaches around!
Day 2
Early morning was beautiful and I went for a run in the sun to One Mile Beach to start my day (one of my favourite things about travelling solo – having time to run in new places in the morning with no rush to be anywhere or stick to anyone else’s time-scale). Anyway, by the time I showered and had breakfast it became very overcast, the rain preparing to fall. And once it did, it did not want to stop. A very wet day soon ensued.
My first full day resultantly turned into a very random bus hopping instead of beach hopping day. I joined forces once again with the other solo traveller, and we undertook this not very (travel-wise) exciting day together. It is always nice to have some unexpected company, especially on a rainy day with no plans!
We jumped on the bus and planned to get off at Nelson Bay, but as would be the spontaneous theme of the trip, decided to go to the last destination, Fingal Bay.
– Fingal Bay
On arriving at Fingal Bay, we took a quick look at the beach, the strong breeze blowing sand on our cold bodies, deciding the glance at the beach was enough. Normally, this would be a gorgeous spot definitely worth checking out, however the weather overshadowed it on this occasion.
While the rain began to fall we decided the best option was to find a café. A coffee/hot chocolate stop it was before embarking on another bus ride, spontaneously heading to Anna Bay, deciding we were in search of a supermarket. Here we realised there was only an IGA (expensive), so had a look in the surf shop then caught yet another bus, this time back to Salamander Bay Square.
– Salamander Bay Square
Home to the most essential, affordable shops, including major supermarkets and fast-food restaurants. In other words, this is the most backpacker friendly stop for food and essentials. An aquatic centre and gym are also nearby.
I had a very exciting time at Salamander Bay Square – a supermarket trip for dinner supplies, topping up of the OPAL card, wander around K-Mart, and sheltered from the rain in McDonalds while waiting on the bus to head back to the hostel. To make this random day even better, we were only charged for one bus journey because we spent such a short period of time at each destination. Not complaining, but bet we could not have done that if we tried. I told you, bus travel is cheap with an OPAL card!
A curry for dinner was another highlight of this day (sometimes it’s the simple things), it was super great to finally have a meal full of veggies for the first time in a while – always on the move problems! This was followed by an attempt to work the DVD player for the second night in a row with no luck, causing for a couple hours of not so great Australian TV.
Despite the rain and lack of real productivity/achieving much travel-wise of the day, I still had a pretty good day (just makes for a boring read). Lets face it though, beach towns in general are not the best places on rainy days, there wasn’t too much that could have been achieved!
Day 3
My third day was the exploring day. The sun shone and the ocean sparkled, just the way it should be! Port Stephens in its true beauty.
Another active start to the day, this time with a little hike in Tomaree National Park – Tomaree Head Summit walk.
– Tomaree National Park
Tomaree National Park is not to be missed! To get the legs moving and see some gorgeous views, hit up Tomaree Head Summit walk. A short uphill path, with a good few stairs, opens up to the best views over Port Stephens. This is the spot you get the iconic Port Stephens view over Fingal Spit, and Shoal Bay, so that alone is enough to know you have to take the short climb to witness such.
One of my favourite things to do when travelling is walking and being rewarded with views, therefore I loved this. Plus, the fact that this hike only takes up such a small part of the day is great when on a short visit too.
– Zenith Beach
There is only one thing to do post walk: beach chill. The beaches in Tomaree National Park itself – Zenith Beach, Wreck Beach and Box Beach are definitely worth checking out. I only made it to Zenith Beach, but wish I had made it to the others too.
The view onto Zenith Beach during the Summit walk was enough to tempt my travel mate and I to rush our way back down to sea level so we could spend the next while enjoying this beautiful, somewhat secluded, surf beach. Having it practically all to ourselves made it even better. This is an unpatrolled surf beach however, so be careful if choosing to swim here.
– Shoal Bay
Tomaree Head Summit walk, as well as the beaches just mentioned, are actually situated in Shoal Bay, but next up it was time to head out of the National Park to Shoal Bay itself.
So, following enjoying Zenith Beach, a walk along Shoal Bay, situated just on the opposite side of the headland, was a must. With much calmer waters, and being a docking port, it is quite a contrast to the more ferocious Zenith Beach. Shoal Bay is therefore a better swimming spot, perfect for families, and is host to various accommodations (no hostel for the budget backpacker however!).
– Anna Bay
From Shoal Bay we caught the bus to Anna Bay, home to Birubi Beach. This is one which really stands out from some of the other smaller beaches. The vast expanse of sand, it actually stretches 24km down the coast, is where you can access the spectacular Stockton sand dunes. The best views are immediately on offer just by the car park – at the restaurant, CREST, and Birubi Point Surf Life Saving Club.
Note: The bus stops along the main road (Gan Gan Road), near the IGA, so you just need to head down James Paterson Street to very soon come face-to-face with Birubi Beach.
My trip to Birubi Beach was pretty brief, in the sense that I didn’t do any of the activities on offer or even actually lay down on the beach. It was more of a ‘stop and take it all in’ (for a reasonable amount of time to be fair). I could have simply stared out at the beach for hours on end, it is in part worlds away from the beaches of the bays and even the smaller surf beaches in the area.
You can sand-board, go on a camel ride, quad bike, surf, and more. Had I had more time, and looked into it, I probably would have opted to do a fun activity of such. I didn’t know anything about Birubi Beach before we hopped on a bus there (or about any of the spots!). Maybe next time, I just appreciated the gorgeous scenery for what it was, and at the time even that was enough for me!
The day ended with grabbing a beer at a local bar and another chilled hostel night.
Day 4
On my final day, I departed in the late afternoon, so was sure to take advantage of the time I had left.
I spent this day alone, so had to actually do my own research and not just bus hop randomly! As soon as I found out about a lookout spot in Nelson Bay, I decided this had to be on my itinerary.
– Nelson Bay
- Gan Gan Lookout
Gan Gan Lookout, Nelson Bay, is a great spot which is not only accessible on foot, but also by car. This makes it a prime lookout option if travelling by car and you’re short on time, or aren’t up for the Tomaree Head climb. I, however, used my walking legs, taking a bus to Nelson Bay then climbing the route to the top. As it is a drive-able road, it really is just a normal, relatively steep and twisty, uphill road – not quite a lovely nature filled hike! So, the walk itself isn’t so temping, but for a stunning view over the coast of Port Stephens, it is worth it.
In comparison with Tomaree Head Summit however, just as the walk itself isn’t so enticing, the view from Tomaree Head does also trump that of Gan Gan Lookout. Don’t let that put you off though, it is still gorgeous! Frankly, any spot that offers views over Port Stephens deserves to be check out – alternative view points are always good to see even more of the area.
The view provided is a rather vast one, the beautiful turquoise waters, white-sand beaches, Tomaree National Park, the towns all along the coast on offer. Moreover, at the forefront of the view from Gan Gan lookout exists much greenery, in which thrive many Gymea Lilies. It is quite special to see these beautiful flowers lining the lookout as they are native to certain coastal areas in New South Wales. The spot holds signs offering information on such, in addition to other points of interest you can see in the distance.
- Centre and beach
Next, on descending from Gan Gan Lookout I continued to walk to what you would describe at the ‘centre’ of Nelson Bay, aka the bay area itself. It is quite a busy spot, unsurprisingly as it is the largest town in Port Stephens.
Note: It would be a good idea to check out Nelson Bay at the start of your trip as the Port Stephens Visitor Centre is located here. Get more tips and book some activities should you wish! I really should have thought to do this at the time, not come across it on my last hours in the area!
Nelson Bay feels like a lovely little holiday spot, I can imagine being quite happy to just chill around this area itself – waking up in accommodation here each day, wandering around some of the little shops, stopping in at the cafés, plodding to the beach. Just enough to keep you happy, occupied and relaxed – depends what vibe you are going for! There are certainly exciting activities on offer here too, including dolphin cruises, swimming with dolphins, whale watching.
Spending my last few hours here made me want to leave even less than I already did. I had a wander around and relaxed on the calm beach in the glorious sunshine. In peak season this would definitely be a hot spot!
Note: For the backpackers looking for some cheap food/drink snacks to take to the beach, there is a Woolworths supermarket in Nelson Bay, so no need for a trip to Salamander Bay Square for such!
That rounded up my trip. A brief visit back to the hostel to collect my belongings and a bus to Newcastle followed!
So, is Port Stephens really worth a visit?
Absolutely! I was so reluctant to leave Port Stephens in the end. I felt so refreshed after my trip here. Isn’t that how it is though? The no plans, no expectations trips always turn out to be the best ones!
Looking back I see probably, definitely, should have done more research and taken advantage of more that was on offer. All this means is I am even more determined to find my way back here some day!
