Australians know the Hunter Coast & Port Stephens well, but this area of New South Wales does not receive the international publicity it deserves. It may be because it has never been developed as extensively as other holiday regions in NSW or it could be because Australians want to keep this wonderful area to themselves. Regardless of the reason may be, what Port Stephens and the rest of the Hunter Coast lacks in big scale development, it makes up for in big scale hospitality and scenic wonders. Once you’ve been there, you’ll agree that the Hunter Coast & Port Stephens is one of the most precious holiday gems of the NSW coast.
Port Stephens’ European history goes all the way back to Captain Cook, who noted it on the 11th of May, 1770 and named it after the Secretary of the Admiralty. Twenty-one years later, in 1791, the first ship explored the inland waterways and by the first decades of the 1800s, Port Stephens was being used for shipping timber and other goods and as a stopover for the whaling ships that were active up and down the NSW coast during that era.
While the days of the whaling ships have ended, the great humpback whales continue their yearly migration. Today, Port Stephens is popular as the launching point for whale watching boats. Recognized as the Dolphin Capital of Australia due to great numbers of bottleneck dolphins that call the Port Stephens area home, over the migratory months of May-June and https://reelammunition.com/product/subsonic-300-blackout/ September-November, people who go on dolphin tours often get the additional thrill of spotting migrating humpbacks. Due to abundance of unique marine life in the region, the Hunter Coast from Newcastle’s Stockton Beach to Forster at its northern border has been declared a Marine Park, including the Karuah River, the Myall River and other inland tidal waterways.
If one thing defines the Hunter Coast, it would be water. Surfers and other sea sports lovers find everything they want over the 90 miles (145 kilometers) of coastline, like protected beaches for family fun and exposed points and reefs for experienced surfers only. The inland waterways of the Great Lakes are a paradise for jet skiers, water skiers and everyone else who likes to get out on the water. Between the coastal beaches and the vast network of inland waterways, there’s nothing you can’t find on the Hunter Coast if you’re keen on the water.
There is a great deal to do and see in the Hunter Coast & Port Stephens region, you cannot even begin to appreciate it in a single day. The only real way to do it justice is to book into a Port Stephens accommodation and give the region a weekend at the very least. There isn’t any lack of places to stay in the area. If you like pitching a tent, you will find dozens of campgrounds in the area. If you favor more luxury and all the comforts of home, then pick a comfortable Nelson Bay Bed & Breakfast or perhaps a Port Stephens resort hotel. Next time you start planning your New South Wales holiday; plan it around Port Stephens and the Hunter Coast. You will be glad you did.