The Best Ways to Experience the Stockton Sand Dunes

Surf, bike or journey camel-back through Port Stephens’ otherworldly natural phenomenon — the Stockton sand dunes.

Like something out of a Hollywood film set, the Stockton Bight sand dunes stretch 32 kilometres between Birubi Beach and Stockton in Port Stephens. A mountainous valley of powder as far as the eye can see, they’re the largest coastal sand dunes in the Southern Hemisphere.

The staggering natural wonder (more commonly referred to as the Stock sand dunes, no Bight) sits within the 4,200-hectare Worimi Conservation Lands, a joint expanse managed by both the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and local Traditional Owners. What does that mean for visitors? Your exploration options won’t harm the dunes, plus they’re surprisingly immense, spanning speedy drives, gentle animal-backed trails, Aboriginal cultural tours and more.

As one of the best things to see and do in Port Stephens, let’s dive into every way to navigate the Stockton sand dunes.

Exploring the dunes

The Stockton sand dunes are constantly evolving as wind, sea levels and other natural factors shift slopes and stability at any given time. Dating as far back as the Pleistocene era, the moon-like landscape is best explored now while tour operations (and access) prosper.

1. 4WD and Beach Driving

an aerial view of 4WD on the beach, Stockton Sand Dunes

Drive to the beach on a 4WD. (Image: Destination NSW)

One of the most popular ways to explore the Stockton sand dunes is via a set of appropriate wheels. Beach and dune driving in a 4WD is a cinch given the wider Worimi Conservation Lands allows 4WD access to more than 22 kilometres of Stockton beachfront and 350 hectares of dunes.

One of the largest coastal dune-driving hot spots in NSW, entry is found via Lavis Lane in the south or Gan Gan Road in the north. There’s also a 4WD-only entrance at Fern Bay’s Fern Bay Seaside Village.

Don’t leave home without securing your permit as all vehicles entering the Worimi Conservation Lands must display one after registering with the Port Stephens Visitor Information Centre (60 Victoria Pde, Nelson Bay). A three-day beach permit costs $33 and an annual permit costs $88. Visit the Worimi Conservation Lands website for further information.

Don’t have a 4WD but keen to get amongst it? That’s no issue. Go adventuring with Sand Dune Safaris, who offer popular Toyota LandCruiser charters.

2. Sandboarding Adventures

a couple enjoying sandboarding at Stockton SandDunes

Slide down the coastal dunes. (Image: Destination NSW)

Try your luck at stand-up sandboarding with the team at Sand Dune Safaris again. These guys really are pros as they’ve been touring the Stockton sand dunes for more than 20 years.

Your sandboarding escapade starts by combing the dunes in a custom-built 4WD to reach a private sandboarding area in the heart of Stockton Bight. There, you’re invited to trial a range of hand-crafted sandboards, including some built for stand-up styling.

Keen snowboarders can also opt for a board with bindings, while couples can tackle the sand slopes in tandem. Tours depart on weekends at 9am during summer and 9:30am in winter.

3. Quad Biking Experiences

Quad biking experience on the Stockton Sand Dunes

Experience the thrilling slopes of Stockton sand dunes. (Image: Destination NSW)

Desperate to fly? You can’t go wrong with Quad Bike King, a Stockton sand dunes tour company that knows its way around all the highlights. Secure your spot on their one-hour-and-45-minute ‘Safari Tour’ which encourages visitors to open the throttle in search of dusty horizons. The team know it’s an unforgettable experience, which is why they make time for a photo opportunity down at the beachfront.

Beginners can go a little slower on the ‘Scenic Safari Tour’ which runs for the same amount of time but recruits multiple guides to ensure you’re stickybeaking the sights safely.

Unique Experiences

While racing along the Stockton sand dunes is an adrenaline junkie’s dream, there are also several ways to explore with a steady heart rate. From trotting along on the back of a new four-legged friend to seeing things from an entirely unique perspective, slower-paced touring experiences provide beautiful holiday moments.

1. Camel and Horse Riding

Take a scenic camel ride through Port Stephens’ otherworldly natural phenomenon. (Image: Destination NSW)

Hug the Hunter coast’s curves on a tour with Oakfield Ranch Camel Rides. You won’t see as much as the quad bikers or 4WDers but you’ll still marvel in the dunes’ beauty over from Birubi Beach at the northern end of the stretch. The camel caravan route winds from bush to beach along a river of sand that passes through great swathes of country home to the Worimi Nation, the traditional owners of the land.

The best time to explore this area is at dusk, when the sea resembles a piece of glittering tin foil. See large birds of prey wheeling in circles above while you bounce along with your guides.

Budding equestrians who love wide, open spaces will take stock in the vast emptiness while travelling horseback. Friendly guides from Sahara Trails Horse Riding will lead you along the shoreline towards the base of the Stockton sand dunes. Book a tour at dawn when the dunes are lit up in the early light and the beach is a paradise of crashing waves and salty air. You’ll meander along the beach as it tapers north, taking your trusty steed into the surf for a swim.

2. Aboriginal cultural tours

a guide briefing visitors before the quad bike tour, Sand Dune Adventures

You’ll navigate the slopes with a local Aboriginal guide. (Image: Destination NSW)

The Worimi people welcome visitors to the Stockton sand dunes and there are many visible signs that demonstrate a connection to the Worimi Nation, which consisted of up to 18 clans. The Worimi were hunter-gatherers, as evidence around the dunes confirm—but there’s so much more history to soak up.

Self-navigation is one option, so long as you follow the rules applied to land. “Leave footprints and take only memories," says Worimi Aboriginal Land Council CEO, Andrew Smith. There’s also the crew at Sand Dune Adventures, who run a 1.5-hour ‘Aboriginal Cultural, Sand Boarding and Quad Bike Tour’ with a local Aboriginal guide. Pop on your high-vis vest and helmet and listen up, as knowledge of the landscape flows while you ride the ridged sand mountains. Your guide will point out middens, where Aboriginal people feasted on fish and shellfish, hammer stones used as tools and teach you about bush food such as ninang (oysters) and makurr (fish).

It’s worth noting that The Worimi Local Aboriginal Land Council also work with other local tour operators to ensure the land maintains its world-renowned pristine, untouched quality. Check out their website for affiliated tour companies.

3. A detour to Tin City

a fishing shack in the Tin City on Stockton Beach

The Tin City is the last legal squatter settlement in Australia. (Image: Destination NSW)

It’s technically located on Stockton Beach but a visit to the Stockton sand dunes is a great excuse to push your adventure towards Tin City. Jump on board Sand Dune Safaris’ ‘Tin City Safari’ which leads you right to a series of iron-roofed shacks steeped in history.

Dating back to the early 1900s when the ocean did its worst and wrecked a ship offshore, Tin City began to accommodate the shipwreck’s survivors and, during the Great Depression of the 1930s, expanded its ramshackle reach to include more than 36 huts.

There are 11 still standing, representing the last legal squatter settlement in Australia. Fascinating stuff worth putting some time into while you’re in this extraordinary neck of the woods.

Need somewhere to stay? Discover the best accommodation in Port Stephens

Aussies might think they know what Port Stephens is all about – but it’s time to take another look.

You might’ve driven through this NSW coast town. Maybe even stopped for fish and chips or a quick dip. But spend a long weekend in the new Port Stephens, and you’ll seriously regret not doing it sooner. We’re talking treks across beaches, reef dives and up-close time with rescued koalas.

All in all? It only takes a day before you see Port Stephens in a whole new light, and not much longer until it’s locked in as your favourite family destination.

1. Stockton Sand Dunes

Port Stephens incredible Stockton Sand Dunes are the largest moving sand mass in the Southern Hemisphere. They shift like an endless magic trick across the Worimi Conservation Lands, a 4200-hectare coastal co-managed by the Traditional Owners.

Tear over them in a 4WD. Rev through valleys soft as melting ice cream on a quad. Carve down 30-metre slopes on a sandboard. However you choose to cross them, you’re guaranteed a seriously wild ride.

Four rugged 4WDs kick up trails of golden dust as they charge across the sweeping desert landscape.

Chase thrills across shifting sands. (Image: Destination NSW)

2. Scale Tomaree Head Summit Walk

A short climb through bushland opens up to the coastal drama of Tomaree Head. Spot Zenith, Wreck and Box Beaches. See the Fingal Island lighthouse and offshore rookeries where Australia’s rarest seabird, the Gould’s petrel, nests.

History buffs can’t miss the WWII gun emplacements. And if you’re hiking between May and November, bring binoculars. Travelling whales might just be breaching below.

Friends enjoying a scenic walk along the Tomaree Head Summit Walk in Tomaree National Park, Port Stephens.

Climb Tomaree Head for jaw-dropping coastal views. (Image: Destination NSW)

3. Watch out for whales

You’ve seen the spouts of migrating humpbacks and southern right whales from shore. Set sail from Nelson Bay to see them up close. Cruise straight into the action, with tail-slaps, barrel rolls and all.

And they’ve got competition from the local show-offs. Port Stephens bottlenose dolphins leap and play. Some tours even spot pudgy fur seals, spending lazy days soaking up the sun on Cabbage Tree Island.

Watch for ocean tails. (Image: Destination NSW)

4. Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary

Pop into the Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary to learn about the rescued koalas who climb, nap, snack and heal in this natural patch of bushland. Wander the immersive Sanctuary Story Walk to discover more about their habits, then head to the SKYwalk – a treetop platform constructed for spotting these eucalyptus-loving locals. Peek into the hospital’s viewing window, where sick or injured koalas may be resting in their recovery enclosures.

Not enough time around these adorable marsupials? Stay overnight in silk-lined glamping tents.

Koala sleeping in a tree at Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary, One Mile

See koalas in their natural habitat. (Image: Destination NSW)

5. Diving Port Stephens

Port Stephens has some of NSW’s best dive spots. At Fly Point, float through sponge gardens and coral castles thick with nudibranchs (AKA sea slugs). Halifax Park has blue gropers and crimson-banded wrasse, while Shoal Bay’s seagrass meadows hide pipefish, cuttlefish and octopus.

Accessible only by boat, Broughton Island is home to a vast array of marine (and bird) life. Snorkel with blue devilfish and stingrays at sites like The Looking Glass and North Rock. More experienced divers can head out with one of the many PADI-certified operators.

At nearby Cabbage Tree Island, expect to see shaggy-faced wobbegongs cruising along.

A couple suited up and ready to dive into adventure.

Suit up and dive into Port Stephens’ vibrant marine life. (Image: Destination NSW)

6. Irukandji Shark and Ray Encounters

Not quite ready to dive in? Irukandji Shark and Ray Encounters is the perfect way to spot local marine life without getting too deep. But there’s no obnoxious glass tank tapping here. Instead, this interactive aquarium allows guests to wade into natural-style lagoons that mimic the real thing.

Gently pat Port Jackson and bamboo sharks, hand-feed rays, and feel their sandpapery skin with your fingertips. It is all under expert guidance. If you want to go deeper, pop on a wetsuit and swim alongside tawny nurse sharks, white-tipped reef sharks and zebra sharks in the lagoon.

Family enjoying an animal feeding experience at Irukandji Shark and Ray Encounters, Anna Bay.

Meet the ocean’s friendliest faces at Irukandji. (Image: Destination NSW)

7. Fish the estuaries

Fishing fanatics will fall for Port Stephens hook, line and sinker. Here, one of the largest estuary systems in the whole state sees tidal rivers and mangrove ecosystems. Waterfronts are thick with oysters, and residential fish that might include anything from bream, whiting and flathead, to blue swimmer crabs, kingfish and longtail tuna.

If you prefer to choose your own adventure and fish offshore, you can hire a boat from one of the marinas and set your own course.

three men fishing on a boat in port stephens

Join a tour or chart your own fishing trip. (Image: Destination NSW)

8. Taste new Port Stephens flavours

With plenty of activity to fill your days, refuelling on delectable cuisine becomes equally important. And Port Stephens answers the call.

Pop into Holbert’s Oyster Farm for fresh-farmed Port Stephens rock oysters and Pacific oysters, Australian king and tiger prawns, as well as a variety of tasty sauces to try them with.

Take a group to Atmos for an authentic Greek experience over large shared dishes and Greek-inspired cocktails. Or feast on sea-to-plate, modern Australian dishes at the pet-friendly Restaurant 2317.

Slurp your way through the region’s best oysters. (Image: Destination NSW)

Start planning your Port Stephens getaway at portstephens.org.au.

A thrill seeker’s guide to exploring the Stockton sand dunes