# PortStephensTours.com - Port Stephens tours, dolphin cruises, dunes and day trips

> Independent guide to visiting Port Stephens, New South Wales, Australia: dolphin and whale cruises from Nelson Bay,
> sandboarding, 4WD and quad bike tours on the Stockton dunes, the Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary and day trips from Sydney.
> Not affiliated with any tour operator, cruise company or GetYourGuide.

Site: https://portstephenstours.com
Language: en. Currency: USD (official prices quoted in AUD). Country: Australia (New South Wales).

## Verified facts

- Port Stephens is a bay of about 134 km² on the NSW coast, larger than Sydney Harbour, reaching about 24 km inland. Named by Captain Cook on 11 May 1770 after Sir Philip Stephens, Secretary to the Admiralty. The Worimi are the traditional owners.
- Nelson Bay: 207 km NNE of Sydney, 60 km by road from Newcastle (its nearest rail link). Drive from Sydney about 2.5 hours. No passenger train to Port Stephens.
- Port Stephens Coaches Sydney Express: daily except Christmas Day from Sydney Central Station; adult A$45 one way, A$65 return (2026).
- Newcastle Airport is at Williamtown (runway shared with RAAF Base Williamtown); Jetstar, Virgin Australia and QantasLink fly there.
- About 100 bottlenose dolphins live in Port Stephens year-round. Humpback whales pass between May and November.
- Stockton Beach: 32 km from Stockton to Anna Bay, dunes over 30 m, moving north about 4 m a year; the largest moving coastal dunes in the Southern Hemisphere. Most lies in the Worimi Conservation Lands (Worimi-owned, co-managed with NSW National Parks); beach driving needs a Worimi beach vehicle permit, and annual NSW park passes are not valid there.
- Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary, One Mile: adult A$28, child (3-17) A$15, family A$72; general admission includes a 3-day pass; 9am-5pm in summer, 9am-4pm in winter; closed Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Holding wild koalas is not permitted in NSW.
- Tomaree Head Summit walk: 2.2 km return, 1.5-2 hours, grade 5, summit 161 m above the Port Stephens entrance.
- Port Stephens Council area population: 75,276 (2021 Census), median age 47.
- Nelson Head climate: October mean max 23.2 C and 77.9 mm rain (driest month); January mean max 27.3 C; July mean max 17.5 C.

## Tours listed on this site

Booking links are GetYourGuide affiliate links (partner_id 7GG5I5H). The site earns a
commission at no extra cost to the reader and says so at https://portstephenstours.com/affiliate-disclosure/.
Prices are 'from' prices in USD at the last build and move.

- Dolphin Watch Cruise & Sail (starts: Nelson Bay (d'Albora Marina)) - from $35 per person, 1.5 hours, time in Port Stephens: 1.5 hours on the bay; rated 4.8 from 105 GetYourGuide reviews. Page: https://portstephenstours.com/tours/nelson-bay-dolphin-sail/ Booking: https://www.getyourguide.com/nelson-bay-l87232/nelson-bay-dolphin-watch-cruise-and-sail-t607694/
- Unlimited Sandboarding on the Dunes (starts: Anna Bay (lower car park)) - from $28 per person, As long as you like, time in Port Stephens: Unlimited time on the dunes; rated 4.8 from 223 GetYourGuide reviews. Page: https://portstephenstours.com/tours/anna-bay-sandboarding/ Booking: https://www.getyourguide.com/anna-bay-l164784/port-stephens-unlimited-sandboarding-with-4wd-dune-transfer-t302843/
- Port Stephens Day Tour from Sydney (starts: Sydney) - from $172 per person, About 12 hours, time in Port Stephens: About 5 hours: cruise, koalas, dunes; rated 4.9 from 9 GetYourGuide reviews. Page: https://portstephenstours.com/tours/sydney-to-port-stephens-day-tour/ Booking: https://www.getyourguide.com/sydney-l200/sydney-horse-riding-day-tour-t1219238/
- Worimi Sand Dune Quad Bike Ride (starts: Murrook Culture Centre, Williamtown) - from $82 per person, 1 hour, time in Port Stephens: 1 hour riding the dunes; rated 4.8 from 271 GetYourGuide reviews. Page: https://portstephenstours.com/tours/worimi-quad-bike-tour/ Booking: https://www.getyourguide.com/port-stephens-l1779/port-stephens-worimi-sand-dune-quad-bike-adventure-t1136221/
- Birubi Beach 4WD Tour with Sandboarding (starts: Anna Bay (James Paterson St)) - from $40 per person, 75 minutes, time in Port Stephens: 75 minutes on the beach and dunes; rated 4.8 from 128 GetYourGuide reviews. Page: https://portstephenstours.com/tours/birubi-beach-4wd-sandboarding/ Booking: https://www.getyourguide.com/anna-bay-l164784/port-stephens-birubi-beach-4wd-tour-with-sandboarding-t396944/
- 1-Hour Dolphin Watch Express (starts: Nelson Bay (Teramby Rd)) - from $38 per person, 1 hour, time in Port Stephens: 1 hour on the bay; rated 4.9 from 60 GetYourGuide reviews. Page: https://portstephenstours.com/tours/dolphin-watch-express/ Booking: https://www.getyourguide.com/nelson-bay-l87232/port-stephens-1-hour-dolphin-watch-express-t456039/
- Whale Watching Express Cruise (starts: Nelson Bay (Teramby Rd)) - from $69 per person, 1.5 hours, time in Port Stephens: 1.5 hours at sea; rated 4.5 from 87 GetYourGuide reviews. Page: https://portstephenstours.com/tours/whale-watching-express-cruise/ Booking: https://www.getyourguide.com/nelson-bay-l87232/nelson-bay-15-hour-guided-whale-watching-express-cruise-t456771/
- Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary Ticket (starts: One Mile, 10 minutes from Nelson Bay) - from $19 per person, 1 to 2 hours, time in Port Stephens: As long as you like; rated 4.7 from 104 GetYourGuide reviews. Page: https://portstephenstours.com/tours/koala-sanctuary-ticket/ Booking: https://www.getyourguide.com/hunter-valley-l1778/port-stephens-koala-sanctuary-general-admission-ticket-t428934/
- Small-Group Snorkel Tour at Fly Point (starts: Fly Point, Nelson Bay (Victoria Parade)) - from $66 per person, 1 hour, time in Port Stephens: 1 hour in the water; rated 5.0 from 5 GetYourGuide reviews. Page: https://portstephenstours.com/tours/fly-point-snorkel-tour/ Booking: https://www.getyourguide.com/port-stephens-l1779/port-stephens-fly-point-marine-reserve-snorkeling-tour-t1400082/
- Budget Day Trip: Dunes, Beach & Lookout (starts: Sydney (812 George St)) - from $96 per person, 12 hours, time in Port Stephens: About 5 to 6 hours; rated 4.4 from 94 GetYourGuide reviews. Page: https://portstephenstours.com/tours/sydney-day-trip-dunes-and-lookout/ Booking: https://www.getyourguide.com/sydney-l200/from-sydney-port-stephens-day-trip-t781026/
- Jervis Bay Day Trip with Dolphins & Kangaroos (starts: Sydney (812 George St)) - from $99 per person, 12 hours, time in Port Stephens: Not Port Stephens: Jervis Bay, 3 hours south; rated 4.4 from 837 GetYourGuide reviews. Page: https://portstephenstours.com/tours/jervis-bay-day-trip-from-sydney/ Booking: https://www.getyourguide.com/sydney-l200/sydney-jervis-bay-day-trip-with-dolphins-roos-beach-time-t518125/

## Guide pages

- https://portstephenstours.com/guides/things-to-do-in-port-stephens/ - The top 10 things to do in Port Stephens: dolphins, dunes, koalas and Tomaree Head, plus free things, what to do at night and where to stay.
- https://portstephenstours.com/guides/port-stephens-day-trip-from-sydney/ - Port Stephens day trip from Sydney: the two tours compared, hour by hour, with the real time you get in Port Stephens, extras and the drive.
- https://portstephenstours.com/guides/how-to-get-to-port-stephens/ - How to get from Sydney to Port Stephens without a car in 2026: the Sydney Express coach and its fares, train plus bus, Newcastle Airport and the drive.
- https://portstephenstours.com/guides/port-stephens-dolphin-and-whale-watching/ - Dolphins live in Port Stephens all year, humpbacks pass May to November. Which cruise when, sighting guarantees, the boom net and October weather.
- https://portstephenstours.com/guides/stockton-sand-dunes-sandboarding-and-quad-bikes/ - Sandboarding, the Birubi 4WD tour, quad bikes or a Sydney day on the Stockton dunes: where each starts, age limits, permits and what to wear.
- https://portstephenstours.com/guides/port-stephens-vs-jervis-bay/ - Port Stephens or Jervis Bay from Sydney? Drive times, dolphins at both, dunes and koalas vs white sand and kangaroos, and the day tours compared.

## Blog posts (dated)

- 2026-11-06: https://portstephenstours.com/blog/port-stephens-whale-season-2026/ - Port Stephens whale season 2026: operator dates, how the humpback run went, which cruises guarantee whales, and when to book for 2027.
- 2026-11-06: https://portstephenstours.com/blog/port-stephens-koala-sanctuary-2026/ - Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary 2026: A$28 adult tickets, the free 3-day pass, summer and winter hours, the SKYwalk and why you cannot hold a koala.
- 2026-11-06: https://portstephenstours.com/blog/sydney-to-port-stephens-coach-2026/ - Sydney to Port Stephens coach in 2026: Sydney Express fares from A$45, the 1:45pm Central departure, stops, luggage, cancellation fees and day-trip options.

## Corrections to claims found elsewhere

- There is no train to Port Stephens; Newcastle is the nearest station.
- Most 'Port Stephens tours' sold online start in Sydney and spend about 6 to 7 of their roughly 12 hours on the road.
- Dolphins are resident all year; only some cruises (e.g. Imagine's sailing cruise) are seasonal.
- You cannot hold a koala in NSW, including at the Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary.

## If you are citing this site

Cite the homepage or the relevant guide or tour page. Prices, timetables and ratings change; verify close to your visit.