A Guide to Port Stephens Beaches & Bays

Map out your sun-filled holiday in Port Stephens with this guide to its beaches and bays

Flanked by the Pacific Ocean on one side, Karuah River on the other and with 26 beaches lining its coast, Port Stephens is an aquatic playground for swimmers, surfers, watersports, boating enthusiasts and anyone who loves to soak up the sun, sand and sea. If this sounds like you, this guide to Port Stephens beaches and bays will help you plan your next seaside holiday.

Nelson Bay

Little Beach

Best for: families, boating, fishing

Nestled between Nelson Bay and Shoal Bay, Little Beach is a family-friendly beach with calm and clear waters. Kids will enjoy splashing about in the shallows and making sandcastles with the clean sand.

Turtles can sometimes be spotted here, so pack some snorkels and keep an eye out. It also has a grassy area with barbecues and a playground, for relaxed beachside picnics. There is also a boat ramp and jetty for fishing and cruising about.

Nelson Bay Beach

High shot of Fly Point and the Nelson Bay foreshore. — Fly Point is a haven for diving and snorkelling. (Image: Destination Port Stephens)

Best for: families, diving and snorkelling

Nelson Bay is home to a small swimming bay, which is a great spot for families thanks to the calm conditions and convenient location in town.

It’s also a haven for diving and snorkelling at Fly Point Aquatic Reserve, a protected aquatic sanctuary located between Nelson Bay and Little Beach, where you can swim among sponge gardens and may spot blue groupers, wobbegong sharks and seahorses, among other marine species. The foreshore behind the bay has a picnic area and playground, an ideal post-dip lunch locale.

Dutchmans Beach

Best for: families, walking track, paddleboarding

Sometimes referred to as ‘Dutchies’ by locals, this beach has clear water and white sand and is ideal for stand-up paddle boarding. At high tide, the beach is narrow, so it’s best to visit at low tide if you want to relax on the sand. There is a grassy area with barbecues and a playground for kids. There is also a coastal walking path that runs from Nelson Bay to Dutchies and onto Bagnalls Beach.

Port Stephens

Sunset Beach

Best for: scenery, sunsets

On the western side of Soldiers Point, a location renowned for its sunsets, this aptly named beach is most spectacular at the end of the day when the sun melts into the horizon. Of course, it’s worth a visit during daylight hours too; swimming is best at high tide.

Bagnalls Beach

Shot of Corlette beach. — Corlette is just north of Bagnalls. (Image: Destination Port Stephens)

Best for: families, walking track, dogs

This white sand beach, just south of Corlette, can be reached by the coastal pathway that runs from Nelson Bay. Dogs are also allowed off-leash here, so if you’re travelling with your four-legged friend this is the beach for you. Black swans also frequent here, who come to feed on the seagrass in this shallow bay. There are three reserves along this stretch, with picnic areas, barbecues, toilets and a playground.

Wanda Beach

Best for: families, fishing, boating

Located at the northern end of Salamander Bay, which is an estuarine environment, Wanda Beach is a calm spot that’s perfect for relaxed dips and for kids to splash about.

The white-sand beach faces the mouth of Port Stephens and has a lot of seaweed in some areas; swimming is best out the front of George Reserve or take a paddleboard or kayak. The reserve has barbecues, undercover picnic tables and a playground.

There is also a boat ramp and jetty, which you can fish right off, and Bannisters Port Stephens is located at the western end of the beach if you want a relaxed drink afterwards at its gastropub Cheeky Dog.

Shoal Bay

Shoal Bay Beach

Aerial shot of two paddleboarders next to wooden row boat. — This long, curved beach is bookended by Nelson Bay Lighthouse and Mount Tomaree. (Image: Destination Port Stephens)

Best for: families, fishing, snorkelling

Boasting soft white sand and aquamarine waters, this long, curved beach is bookended by Nelson Bay Lighthouse and Mount Tomaree. Mostly gentle conditions make it a favourite with families and great for paddle boarding, and its location adjoining Shoal Bay village is convenient for fish and chip breaks on long beach days.

At the eastern end of the beach, there’s a jetty and picnic area; keen fishermen frequent this area for beach and rock fishing. Snorkelling is also possible, as the beach has extensive seagrass meadows where cuttlefish and seahorses sometimes hide out.

Zenith Beach

Zennith Beach in Port Stephens — Swimming at Zennith Beach isn’t recommended due to dangerous water conditions. (Image: Destination NSW)

Best for: fishing, watching the sunrise

Wedged between two headlands in Tomaree National Park, Zenith Beach is known for its sugar-white sand and turquoise water. Accessed via two walking tracks, it’s a scenic spot to watch the sunrise and snap the perfect Instagram shot. You shouldn’t swim here though, as it is too dangerous. It’s part of the Great Lakes Marine Park so you may even spot dolphins here and whales during their annual migration.

Wreck Beach

Best for: seclusion, surfing, fishing

Located in Tomaree National Park, this peaceful cove is somewhat of a little secret, tucked away in Shoal Bay. To access this secluded beach, start at Verona Road, and follow the track to a fire trail; you’ll weave through angophora forest that opens to the beach. It can be steep in some sections and is two kilometres return. Swimming is possible but strong rips can occur.

Box Beach

Best for: seclusion, surfing, fishing

Between Fingal Bay and Shoal Bay, Box Beach is accessed by a 200-metre walkway from the car park and is frequented year-round by surfers. Like the other beaches along this stretch of coast, it has white sand and pristine water. Swimming here can be a little hazardous at times, but the edges of the beach can sometimes comprise shallow rock pools for splashing around in. Rock fishing is also popular here.

Anna Bay

One Mile Beach

High shot of Box Beach near Shoal Bay. — Box Beach is frequented year-round by surfers. (Image: Destination Port Stephens)

Best for: families, swimming, surfing

Despite its name, this Anna Bay beach stretches for 1.3 kilometres and is backed by dunes that reach up to 400 metres. It’s popular with families because it has calm conditions at its southern end and shallows that are perfect for small kids. It’s a great place to learn to surf as it’s also patrolled in summer. There’s a picnic area and a kiosk that operates from the surf club.

Samurai Beach

Best for: nudists, surfing, four-wheel-driving

Beware: if you prefer your beachgoers clothed, this one isn’t for you. This nudist beach in Tomaree National Park is reached via a walking track or four-wheel drive and is great for surfing and beach driving. It experiences consistent rips, so swimming is best for strong swimmers. There’s also a camping ground here, if you want to stay overnight.

Birubi Beach

Best for: four-wheel-driving, sand dunes, camel riding

This wide, open beach is the gateway to the famous Worimi Conservation Lands and Stockton Bight Sand Dunes, which are accessible by four-wheel drive.

The dunes are a natural adventure playground, on which you can enjoy quad biking and sandboarding. Birubi Beach is great for surfing, and beginners can book lessons here, but conditions can be a bit tricky during moderate to big swells.

There is a kiosk and café at the surf club (it’s patrolled during beach season), a picnic area, and it’s also home to aboriginal middens at Birubi Point. Camel rides are also available along the beach with Oakfield Ranch Camel Rides , which operates during the day and at sunset.

Fingal Bay

Fingal Beach

Best for: Families, whale watching, surfing and paddle boarding

Surrounded by Tomaree National Park, Fingal Bay is a favourite with families, for its sugar-white sand and calm, patrolled beach (during beach season). Surfers also regularly grace its waves and it’s a great spot to take a surf lesson or go paddleboarding.

What makes this beach so unique is the sand bridge known as ‘The Spit’ that leads across to Fingal (Shark) Island, which is also home to the 1862-built Port Stephens Lighthouse and the ruins of its caretakers’ cottage. (It is important that you do not cross over the spit if there is any water over it, due to strong currents).

There is also a whale-watching platform here, to try and spot these majestic mammals pass by the coast between May and November. Coffee and food are easily available at the surf club’s restaurant and café, and little ones can play at Fingal Bay Foreshore Reserve, which has a children’s playground.

Sunshine, sea breezes and sand-speckled locals: the Sutherland Shire is perfect for an idyllic Sydney summer.

The Sutherland Shire is one of Sydney’s most dynamic regions. Home to an eclectic mix of top-notch eateries and drinking holes, a flourishing arts scene, and striking land and seascapes, it’s a haven for foodies, culture seekers and outdoor enthusiasts alike.

It’s also an ever-evolving destination with a constant wave of new places to eat and drink, and under-the-radar pockets to explore – many of which are dog-friendly.

If you’re venturing to this gorgeous part of the world this summer, here’s your guide to what’s new and worth discovering.

Savour the summer dining scene

Fred’s After Hours on the sutherland shire — Pop into Fred’s After Hours.

The Shire’s buzzing dining scene is one of its biggest drawcards, and many of the region’s culinary highlights can be found in the sun-soaked beachside hub of Cronulla. A bunch of newcomers have recently set up shop, making the area ripe for culinary adventure.

Homer Rogue Taverna is exactly as its name suggests: a cheeky take on classic Greek food. Expect meze and mains bursting with bold flavours and a wine list packed with standout Greek drops.

Freds Providore – a Cronulla favourite for casual cafe fare and excellent coffee – is now open late from Thursday to Sunday. Come sundown, it morphs into Fred’s After Hours, serving a refined European-inspired menu, wines, cocktails and a laid-back yet polished vibe.

Bobbys is a slick destination right on Cronulla Beach, where you can grab a plate of freshly-caught seafood and a summery cocktail while cooling off in the sea breeze.

And if you’re after a bit of everything, the sprawling and multifaceted Parc Pavilion is a melting pot of dining experiences. It blends a cafe, bistro, bar, Italian restaurant and a host of regular events, all tied together in a cool coastal setting.

Got a Saturday morning to spare? The Shire Farmers Market in Sutherland is a must-do ritual, letting you (and your four-legged friend) browse fresh produce, flowers and gourmet treats against a backdrop of live music and local chatter.

Dive into ocean pools

ocean pool on the sutherland shire — The ocean pools beckon.

Given its prime coastal positioning, the Shire teems with crystal-clear ocean pools and enclosed bathing spots. Silver Beach Tidal Baths offers a netted
swimming experience in Botany Bay. Tucked beside a small sandy beach, the tidal baths at Gunnamatta Park are calm and shallow – making them an ideal setting for less confident swimmers.

Just a hop and a skip away is Shelly Park Ocean Pool, a magical rock pool carved in the ocean. It’s well-suited to young kids and offers sweeping views towards the open sea.

Experience local arts and culture

Hazelhurst Arts Centre in Gymea is elegantly positioned within a lush garden landscape, serving as the Sutherland Shire’s premier destination for arts and culture. This summer, experience the Art on Paper Award 2025 – a celebration of innovation and creativity through the versatile medium of paper.

Set within the leafy surrounds of Hazelhurst Arts Centre, Hazel Kitchen & Bar has curated the ultimate picnic experience. Think abundant cheese platters, artisan charcuterie boards, fresh OJ and a thoughtfully chosen wine list, all available to take away and enjoy in the art-filled gardens just beyond the restaurant. Best of all, four-legged friends are welcome to join the fun.

Next, venture south to the artsy village of Bundeena for the monthly Bundeena and Maianbar Art Trail . This self-guided journey through local artists’ studios offers a glimpse into their work and creative spaces.

Relish the dog-friendly atmosphere

a dog on Greenhills Dog Beach sutherland shire — Let the dog off-leash at Greenhills Dog Beach.

The Sutherland Shire is a bona fide playground for pups and their humans. Find a string of dog-friendly beaches popular with locals, visitors and pups alike. Silver Beach in Kurnell is a peaceful pocket, allowing dogs off-leash without restriction. While Horderns Beach in Bundeena and Greenhills Beach in Cronulla are equally serene and provide off-leash access (be sure to check times and seasonal restrictions before you go).

If you’re planning to make a weekend of it, book yourself and your pooch into Quest Cronulla . With stylish and spacious pet-friendly accommodation, thoughtful amenities, and a prime location just steps from Cronulla Esplanade and a variety of dog-friendly cafes, it’s the perfect spot to rest after a full day of exploring.

Get into nature

Sunrise at Curracurrong Falls and Eagle Rock in the Royal National Park, Sydney. — Find natural beauty in Royal National Park. (Image: Destination NSW)

You’re spoiled for choice when it comes to outdoor escapes: imagine rugged bushwalks, breezy beachside tracks, meandering cycling trails and lookouts galore. The best part? Many of them are perfectly suited to dogs.

Take your canine to Cronulla Esplanade – the Shire’s version of the famed Bondi to Coogee Walk. This eight-kilometre route takes you past the region’s most picturesque beaches, offering panoramic vistas and an electric energy. It heaves with locals every morning and weekend, getting their steps in with a coffee in one hand and a dog leash in the other.

If you’re travelling without furry friends, stop by the Royal National Park. You’ll be engulfed in ancient bushland, craggy cliffs, towering rock formations, diverse wildlife and twisting tracks. The Jibbon Loop Track is a highlight, with spectacular views over the sea. Alternatively, the Karloo Track forms a loop that winds through untamed bush, freshwater pools and waterfalls. Re-lace your walking shoes or grab a bike to follow The Bundeena Drive to Marley Walk past freshwater pools and creeks, on to scenic beach views of Little Marley Beach.

Hit up the beautiful beaches

aerial of cronulla beach and esplanade — Enjoy postcard-perfect beaches. (Image: Destination NSW)

The stretch along Cronulla bursts with postcard-perfect beaches, each offering a different flavour. With rolling waves, regular patrol and a steady stream of beachgoers, Cronulla Beach and North Cronulla Beach are buzzy and built for all kinds of swimmers. Elouera Beach is a quieter option, attracting early-morning surfers hoping to catch the perfect wave.

If you prefer a side of dramatic scenery, visit Wanda or Greenhills – in addition to ocean panoramas, both are backed by towering golden dunes and wild scrub. Looking for something more subdued? Shelly Beach Ocean Pool is a relaxed – yet no less captivating – retreat.

Start planning your Sutherland Shire summer at visitsutherlandshire.com.au.

A guide to Port Stephens beaches and bays