After the Hunter Valley Marathon: Port Stephens

The Route: Lovedale → Nelson Bay → Anna Bay → Newcastle Airport Logistics: About 1 hour 30 minutes by road from Lovedale to Nelson Bay. A hire car is the easiest option. Marathon Month: July Duration: 2 nights

Lovedale ──(about 1 hr 30 mins by road)──> Nelson Bay ──(about 25 mins)──> Anna Bay
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Newcastle Airport (NTL) <──(about 35 mins by road)─────────────────────────────┘

The Winery Run marathon finishes on a Sunday morning in July. Port Stephens is a good place for the following two days, because so much of it is done sitting down: on a boat, at a table, or in a car.

July in Port Stephens: winter. Days are usually in the high teens Celsius, nights are cool, and the sea is cold. This is the migration season for humpback whales, which pass the coast heading north from about May to August, so whale watching cruises from Nelson Bay run in July. Sightings are likely but not guaranteed, and the sea can be rough. Dolphins live in the bay all year. July is also school holiday season in New South Wales, so book the boat and the room ahead.

Nights One and Two: Nelson Bay and Anna Bay

Nelson Bay is the main town, with a marina and the departure point for whale and dolphin cruises. The waterfront is flat and paved for a kilometre or so, with benches. Cruises take a couple of hours and involve sitting outdoors, so bring warm layers and a windproof.

Tomaree Head has a summit walk with a lot of steps, so leave it. At Anna Bay, the Stockton Bight sand dunes are the largest moving dunes in the southern hemisphere by some measures, and a 4WD scenic tour is easier on tired legs than sandboarding.

For a bed, Peppers Anchorage Port Stephens at Corlette has a waterfront setting, and Oaks Pacific Blue Resort at Salamander Bay is a large resort with a pool. Prices rise in school holidays.

For a meal, Little Beach Boathouse at Little Beach serves seafood, and Nelson Bay's fishing co-operative sells fresh fish for a simpler evening. Book on weekends.

Whale Watching in July

Humpback whales pass Port Stephens on their northward migration between roughly May and August, and several operators run whale-watching cruises from Nelson Bay marina in that period. Trips last two to three hours, the vessels have covered seating, and the swell outside the heads can be lively, so take seasickness tablets if you are prone to them. Sightings are likely in July but not guaranteed. The walk along the marina to the boarding area is short and flat. Land-based watching is possible from the headlands, but the steep steps at Tomaree Head make it a poor choice after a marathon, so go by boat.

Getting Around Port Stephens

The peninsula is spread out, and most places to see are 10 to 25 minutes apart by car. Nelson Bay and Shoal Bay are the main visitor centres on the eastern side, Salamander Bay and Corlette sit in the middle, and Anna Bay is on the ocean side to the south-east. Public transport is infrequent, so use the hire car. Parking at popular beaches fills in school holidays, and July is one of them.

At Anna Bay, the Stockton Bight dunes sit within the Worimi Conservation Lands, which are jointly managed with the Worimi people. Birubi Point Beach is the usual access point. The sand is soft and tiring, so walk for 20 or 30 minutes at most, or take a guided 4WD dune tour. Check current operators and prices.

Getting Home

Newcastle Airport (NTL) is about 35 minutes by road from Anna Bay. Sydney is around three hours by road. Refuel the hire car before returning it.