Port Stephens is home to some of the most beautiful beaches in NSW. Whatever you’re looking for you’ll find it here, from tiny beaches backed by towering headlands (which have a wild and remote feel), to family friendly sweeps of golden sand that barely experience a wave. You’ll also find surf beaches and those you can drive on. In four separate trips, we covered them all to make sure you can find the perfect beach for you!
One thing to note is that the area Port Stephens covers is quite large, and some beaches can be an hour apart. For this reason we’ll separate them into those that are in the Nelson Bay area, and those close to Hawks Nest. Virtually no beaches in Port Stephens are patrolled, so it’s best to be cautious when entering the water.
Here are the most beautiful beaches in Port Stephens.
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1. Zenith Beach
2. Wreck Beach
3. Fingal Beach
4. Box Beach
5. Birubi Beach
6. Sunset Beach
7. Samurai Beach
8. Kingsley Beach
9. One Mile Beach
10. Bennetts Beach
11. Jimmys Beach
12. Mungo Beach
Where the beaches are
As Port Stephens covers two sides of an inlet, we thought we’d create a map to help you see where our favourite beaches are!
We did this to show the distances between the Nelson Bay and Hawks Nest side - for example Jimmys Beach and Zenith Beach aren’t far apart as the crow flies, but they are a 1 hour 15 minute drive apart because of the bay!
You can see them on Google Maps as well by clicking this link.
The best beaches around Nelson Bay
1. Zenith Beach - the best for wow factor
It was a struggle to work out whether to put Zenith or Wreck Beach at the top of the list because we fell in love with both. We’ve gone with Zenith because it’s extremely easy to access so it’s suitable for everyone.
Zenith Beach is flanked by the towering peaks of Tomaree Mountain and Stephens Peak which give it an incredibly dramatic feel.
The first time we saw it, we instantly said this has to be one of the best beaches in NSW.
It’s hard to convey just how spectacular it is until you see it with your own eyes. It’s 400m long and has some waves but it’s partially sheltered by the headlands making it a good spot for a dip if you don’t go too far out.
Distance from Nelson Bay: 5 minute drive
Walking involved: Just a couple of minutes from the car park
2. Wreck Beach - the best for a wild and remote feel
Just the name Wreck Beach gives you the feeling of a wild beach out on a desert island somewhere, and to be honest that’s exactly how it feels! The only thing it’s missing is an actual wreck.
Just like Zenith, it’s backed by picturesque headlands and has beautiful clear water. It’s the kind of beach you think would be sure to draw in the crowds and yet it remains blissfully quiet. We visited once where everywhere was heaving in Port Stephens… except Wreck Beach.
It’s a lot smaller at just 50m, but it’s 50m of pristine sand and generally small waves which make it a lovely place for a dip.
It’s the kind of beach you plan to come to for an hour and find that you can’t tear yourself away. If you like spectacular quiet beaches, Wreck Beach is a must do.
Distance from Nelson Bay: 5 minute drive
Walking involved: Either 3km return along the Wreck Beach walk (the first part of the Tomaree Coastal Track) or 600m from Verona Road.
3. Fingal Bay - the best for a calm swim
Fingal Bay is a huge sweep of golden sand with a sand bar that appears at low tide leading over to Fingal Island.
It’s a truly beautiful beach and generally the water is as still as a millpond, which makes it a fantastic choice for people looking for a swim without the waves.
It’s also ginormous at over a kilometre long, so despite its huge popularity you won’t have to sit shoulder to shoulder with anyone else. Fingal Bay is often patrolled which will give those with young children added peace of mind.
Fingal Beach
The sand bar to Fingal Island
Distance from Nelson Bay: 10 minute drive
Walking involved: Just a couple of minutes from the car park
4. Box Beach - the best for surfers
So it won’t be winning any awards for the biggest waves in Australia, but Box Beach is one of the most popular surf beaches in the area.
As well as that, it is another utterly gorgeous beach, backed by headlands with picturesque islands in the distance.
It’s generally not very busy, but it was hosting a surf competition on our visit so it was busier than usual.
The waves mean it’s not as good for swimming, but just sitting and watching the surfers is a great way to spend the afternoon.
Distance from Nelson Bay: 10 minute drive
Walking involved: You can reach Box Beach by walking 2.2km (each way) along the Tomaree Coastal Walk or the nearest car park is 150m away.
5. Birubi Beach - the best for epic sand dunes
Birubi Beach needs no introduction, it’s famous for its incredible sand dunes, some of which are 40m high!
The beach itself is huge and despite the fact you’ll share it at times with 4WDs and camels it’s still very easy to find a spot that feels like you have the whole thing to yourself.
As well as enjoying the beach itself, heading out into the sand dunes behind the beach is an absolute must.
The Worimi Conservation Lands (the official name for the dunes) are like a little piece of the Sahara Desert right here in Port Stephens.
They are jaw dropping, particularly once you walk far enough in to be completely surrounded by them (roughly a 20 minute walk).
We’ve written a whole guide on everything to do at the sand dunes here.
Distance from Nelson Bay: 15 minute drive
Walking involved: Just a couple of minutes from the car park.
6. Sunset Beach - the best for sunset lovers
If you’re anything like us there’s no better way to end the day than watching the sunset.
Whilst the East Coast of Australia is known for its sunrises, Port Stephens is blessed to have a beach which you can watch the sunset from too.
Now it’s a small thin beach which is not worth a visit outside of sunset time because it’s not a patch on other beaches in the area, but when it comes to sundown there’s no better place to be.
It also almost entirely disappears at high tide!
The long jetty stretching out into the ocean offers a lovely focal point for photographs and you can sit and relax on the sand as Nelson Bay puts on another spectacular light show.
Distance from Nelson Bay: 18 minute drive
Walking involved: None, just a few seconds
7. Samurai Beach - the best for going au naturel
That’s right, Samurai Beach is an official nudist beach and what a beach it is! At 1.3km long you can easily find a private-ish spot (I say “ish” because you are also allowed to drive on this beach, so it’s not as cut off as it would otherwise be).
The sand on the beach is quite compact so we saw many people sitting along the sand banks behind the beach. You’ll find a mix of people clothed and not and the vibe is inclusive of everyone.
One thing to note is that you need a gutsy 4WD to access this beach. We had no problem driving on to it, but got stuck driving out and had to enlist the help of local experts to tow us (thank goodness for friendly locals and their winches!).
The exit route (as the roads are one way) has lots of high soft sand unlike the entry road, so despite our car being a 4WD we couldn’t get out.
Distance from Nelson Bay: 15 minute drive
Walking involved: None, you can drive right onto the sand!
8. Kingsley Beach - the best for a quiet beach with easy access
If you like your beaches quiet, but you don’t really want to do any walking, then Kingsley Beach is a great option.
It’s a small beach which is very picturesque with stunning turquoise water. It tends to attract families that want a quieter experience and is known as more of a locals beach.
It’s very close to the Boat Harbour whale watching platform which is a must visit in season (May to October).
Distance from Nelson Bay: 12 minute drive
Walking involved: One set of wooden stairs takes you down to the beach
9. One Mile Beach - the best for family fun
Families flock to One Mile Beach and it’s easy to see why. It’s a real beauty with sand dunes in the distance giving it a rugged feel.
It does get very busy on sunny weekends, especially as there are a lot of facilities here and it’s sometimes patrolled.
By any other country’s standards it’s not a busy beach, but by Aussie standards it felt busier than we’re used to.
Having said that, it had great vibes and everyone was having a lot of fun. It had quite a few waves and though we spotted a few surfers, most were bodyboarding.
You can see Samurai Beach in the distance and apparently you can walk over there but we didn’t try it ourselves. It also has showers and a cafe, which is more than most of the beaches in Port Stephens!
Distance from Nelson Bay: 10 minute drive
Walking involved: Just a couple of minutes from the car park
Beaches around Hawks Nest
Ask anyone visiting Port Stephens about the beaches around Hawks Nest and they generally haven’t heard of them, yet there are several real gems! A couple have white sand, which sadly doesn’t show up in the photos as well as they did in person.
10. Bennetts Beach - the best for dolphin spotting
Bennetts Beach is our favourite in the Hawks Nest area and every time I go there I marvel that you barely see another soul, yet the sand is nearly white and the water is turquoise! It really is incredible.
The islands in the distance (Broughton and Cabbage Tree) add to the beauty, as well as Yacaaba Headland looming over one end of the beach.
If you’re lucky you might even spot dolphins frolicking in the water right from the beach. The smallish waves mean it is often good for swimming.
If you love huge pristine beaches without the crowds you should definitely pay Bennetts a visit.
Distance from Hawks Nest: 8 minute drive
Walking involved: None, just a few seconds
11. Jimmys Beach - the best for white sand
Jimmys Beach is a wonderful beach for swimming, with clear calm water and just like Bennetts, the chance you might even share it with dolphins!
Of all the beaches on the list, it has the whitest sand, so you can pretend you’re on a tropical island for a while. The sheltered water also make it an ideal paddle boarding spot.
It’s a huge beach which gets a lot narrower at the Windy Whoppa end so it’s best to access it closer to the caravan park. It’s a perfect family beach or just for anyone wanting a quiet little slice of paradise.
You can also drive on certain parts of the beach with a permit.
Distance from Hawks Nest: 8 minute drive
Walking involved: Just a few minutes from the car park
12. Mungo Beach - the best for getting off the beaten track
So I’m not sure Mungo Beach technically counts as Port Stephens, but it’s so close we had to include it! At 17km long it’s the third largest in NSW and it really does feel like you have it to yourself most of the time.
It’s a pristine beach overlooking Broughton Island and though a swim in the water looks tempting, it’s better for a paddle due to strong rips. The end nearer Dark Point sand dunes is much more sheltered though and we saw some spear fishers in this area.
There are lots of access points for Mungo depending on whether you want a sheltered area like at Dark Point or wild like at the Mungo Rainforest end.
You are allowed to drive on this beach but we’ve only experienced someone driving there once, so it isn’t too intrusive.
We’ve got a whole guide on all the things not to miss around Mungo Beach here.
Distance from Hawks Nest: 15 minute drive
Walking involved: Depends on which access point you go from, but generally just a few minutes.
Where to stay in Port Stephens
The first thing you need to decide is which part of Port Stephens you want to visit as it’s a big area. If it’s your first visit you probably want to stay somewhere around Nelson Bay.
If you’re looking for something quieter or it’s your second visit, we’d definitely recommend Hawks Nest or Tea Gardens (they are 10 minutes apart and both cute little villages).
Admiral Motor Inn - Nelson Bay
The Admiral Motor Inn is a real find in the budget category. It’s easily one of the best budget places we’ve stayed in, in NSW. The rooms are big, the beds are comfy and they’ve put some nice little things in there that make it feel quite homely. It’s also very central.
Check out the reviews and prices on Booking.com
Hawks Nest Motel - Hawks Nest
We’ve stayed at this motel many times and it’s a great option for a budget trip. The rooms are always clean and there’s an electric frypan to cook basic meals. The location is great and there’s even a pool.
Check out the reviews and prices on Booking.com
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