Sand dunes · 2.5 hours north of Sydney
The best Port Stephens sand dune tours
Sandboarding and 4WD rides on the Stockton dunes, quad bikes, a dolphin cruise with a boom net and whale watching in season: here is what to book, with honest advice on getting there from Sydney, whether you will really see dolphins, and the age and height limits on the dunes.
See our 8 picks
The Port Stephens sand dunes are at Stockton Bight near Anna Bay, and a 4WD sandboarding tour gets you onto them from €25. Walkers need no permit, but driving on the beach needs one. For dolphins, the 1.5-hour cruise from Nelson Bay costs from €29.
Our 8 picks for Port Stephens
Seven picks start in Port Stephens, so you need a car or a coach to get there. One day tour picks you up in Sydney.
- from €25 per person Our top pick
As long as you like
Sandboarding
As long as you like 4.7 (222) reviews on GetYourGuide
Unlimited sandboarding with a 4WD transfer
A 10-minute 4WD ride takes you to a private sandboarding spot. You choose sit-down or stand-up boards and stay as long as you like. There is a shaded picnic area. It is not for pregnant women or people with back or heart problems.
Best for Families, and the best value
Check availability: Unlimited sandboarding with a 4WD transfer on GetYourGuide -
from €27 per person 1 h 30 min 4.5 (577) reviews on GetYourGuide
Sandboarding on a 4WD dune tour
A 1.5-hour 4WD tour of Stockton Sands with unlimited sandboarding. The crew shows you how. Bring water, a hat and a light jacket, as it can get windy on the dunes.
Best for First-time sandboarders
Check availability: Sandboarding on a 4WD dune tour on GetYourGuide -
from €125 per person 12 hours 4.6 (350) reviews on GetYourGuide
Day tour from Sydney: dolphins, koalas and dunes
A 12-hour coach day from Sydney. You take a 90-minute dolphin cruise, visit a koala sanctuary and sandboard on the dunes. Lunch is not included. You are back at Central Station by 7pm.
Best for No car
Check availability: Day tour from Sydney: dolphins, koalas and dunes on GetYourGuide -
from €36 per person 75 minutes 4.7 (127) reviews on GetYourGuide
Birubi Beach 4WD with sandboarding and pipis
A 75-minute 4WD tour on Birubi Beach. You sandboard and learn to dig for pipis, a small shellfish. The park fee is included. The tour runs rain, hail or shine.
Best for Small groups, and a rainy day
Check availability: Birubi Beach 4WD with sandboarding and pipis on GetYourGuide - from €75 per person
1 hour on the dunes
Quad bikes
1 hour 4.7 (267) reviews on GetYourGuide
Quad bike ride on the Worimi dunes
A 1-hour guided quad bike ride through grassland and up steep dunes, in single file. Drivers must be 16 or over. It is not for anyone under 130 cm or pregnant. Transfers run on Saturdays only.
Best for Thrill seekers aged 16 and up
Check availability: Quad bike ride on the Worimi dunes on GetYourGuide -
from €29 per person 1 h 30 min 4.4 (1,032) reviews on GetYourGuide
Dolphin cruise with a boom net
A 1.5-hour cruise around the eastern harbour, past Tomaree and Yaccaaba headlands. In good weather you can ride in the boom net, a net pulled behind the boat. Bring swimwear and a towel. The listing says sightings cannot be guaranteed.
Best for Wildlife fans and kids
Check availability: Dolphin cruise with a boom net on GetYourGuide -
from €53 per person 2 h 30 min 4.6 (255) reviews on GetYourGuide
Whale watching and the outer islands
A 2.5-hour cruise with two outside decks for whale watching. You may also see dolphins and sea birds. The listing says to bring motion-sickness tablets, as the boat moves on the ocean.
Best for Whale season
Check availability: Whale watching and the outer islands on GetYourGuide -
from €26 per person 2 hours 4.4 (223) reviews on GetYourGuide
Shark and ray shallows encounter
You wade into two lagoons to feed and pet sharks and rays. The entry also covers the aquarium, and there are hot showers. Children under 12 must have an adult with them in the water.
Best for Families, and a rainy day
Check availability: Shark and ray shallows encounter on GetYourGuide
Port Stephens sand dunes tours compared
| Tour | From | Duration | Pickup | Starts from | Who it suits | Why we picked it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unlimited sandboarding with a 4WD transfer | €25 per person | As long as you like | Meeting point | Anna Bay (lower car park) | Families, and the best value | The lowest price for the dunes, with no time limit. |
| Sandboarding on a 4WD dune tour | €27 per person | 1 h 30 min | Meeting point | 80 Gan Gan Rd, Anna Bay | First-time sandboarders | The most-booked dune trip, with over 500 reviews. |
| Day tour from Sydney: dolphins, koalas and dunes | €125 per person | 12 hours | Pickup included | Sydney (20 CBD hotels) | No car | The only pick with pickup in Sydney. |
| Birubi Beach 4WD with sandboarding and pipis | €36 per person | 75 minutes | Meeting point | James Paterson St, Anna Bay | Small groups, and a rainy day | It adds pipi digging, and it runs in any weather. |
| Quad bike ride on the Worimi dunes | €75 per person | 1 hour | Meeting point | Williamtown | Thrill seekers aged 16 and up | The only way to drive yourself on the dunes. |
| Dolphin cruise with a boom net | €29 per person | 1 h 30 min | Meeting point | 8 Teramby Rd, Nelson Bay | Wildlife fans and kids | Over 1,000 reviews, and a low price. |
| Whale watching and the outer islands | €53 per person | 2 h 30 min | Meeting point | D’Albora Marina, Nelson Bay | Whale season | The one whale cruise in Port Stephens on our list. |
| Shark and ray shallows encounter | €26 per person | 2 hours | Meeting point | 2 Jessie Rd, Anna Bay | Families, and a rainy day | An animal stop for all ages, open 9am to 5pm. |
Unlimited sandboarding with a 4WD transfer
€25 per personAs long as you like 4.7 (222)
Details
- Pickup
- Meeting point
- Starts from
- Anna Bay (lower car park)
- Who it suits
- Families, and the best value
- Why we picked it
- The lowest price for the dunes, with no time limit.
Sandboarding on a 4WD dune tour
€27 per person1 h 30 min 4.5 (577)
Details
- Pickup
- Meeting point
- Starts from
- 80 Gan Gan Rd, Anna Bay
- Who it suits
- First-time sandboarders
- Why we picked it
- The most-booked dune trip, with over 500 reviews.
Day tour from Sydney: dolphins, koalas and dunes
€125 per person12 hours 4.6 (350)
Details
- Pickup
- Pickup included
- Starts from
- Sydney (20 CBD hotels)
- Who it suits
- No car
- Why we picked it
- The only pick with pickup in Sydney.
Birubi Beach 4WD with sandboarding and pipis
€36 per person75 minutes 4.7 (127)
Details
- Pickup
- Meeting point
- Starts from
- James Paterson St, Anna Bay
- Who it suits
- Small groups, and a rainy day
- Why we picked it
- It adds pipi digging, and it runs in any weather.
Quad bike ride on the Worimi dunes
€75 per person1 hour 4.7 (267)
Details
- Pickup
- Meeting point
- Starts from
- Williamtown
- Who it suits
- Thrill seekers aged 16 and up
- Why we picked it
- The only way to drive yourself on the dunes.
Dolphin cruise with a boom net
€29 per person1 h 30 min 4.4 (1,032)
Details
- Pickup
- Meeting point
- Starts from
- 8 Teramby Rd, Nelson Bay
- Who it suits
- Wildlife fans and kids
- Why we picked it
- Over 1,000 reviews, and a low price.
Whale watching and the outer islands
€53 per person2 h 30 min 4.6 (255)
Details
- Pickup
- Meeting point
- Starts from
- D’Albora Marina, Nelson Bay
- Who it suits
- Whale season
- Why we picked it
- The one whale cruise in Port Stephens on our list.
Shark and ray shallows encounter
€26 per person2 hours 4.4 (223)
Details
- Pickup
- Meeting point
- Starts from
- 2 Jessie Rd, Anna Bay
- Who it suits
- Families, and a rainy day
- Why we picked it
- An animal stop for all ages, open 9am to 5pm.
- All 8 offer free cancellation.
- Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 25 October 2026. Prices are “from” prices in euros and can change; the booking page shows the live price.
Sandboarding and 4WD on the Stockton dunes
The dunes sit on Worimi Conservation Lands at Stockton Bight, a 4,200-hectare park. The Worimi Traditional Owners run it with NSW National Parks.
Walkers need no permit. Driving on the beach needs a beach vehicle permit. Do not drive on the beach within two hours of high tide. The beach is not patrolled, so do not swim there.
Quad bikes on the sand dunes
The quad bike ride lasts 1 hour and goes in single file behind a guide. Drivers must be 16 or over and at least 130 cm tall. Pregnant women cannot ride. On weekdays and Sundays you drive yourself to Williamtown.
Dolphins and whales in Port Stephens
The dolphin cruise leaves from Nelson Bay and takes 1.5 hours. Dolphins are wild, and the listing says sightings cannot be guaranteed.
The whale cruise takes 2.5 hours and goes out onto the ocean. If you get seasick, take something before you board.
A Port Stephens day trip from Sydney
A day trip to Port Stephens from Sydney is long. The coach tour takes 12 hours and fits in dolphins, koalas and the dunes.
Torn between Port Stephens and Jervis Bay? Our guide to Sydney weekend tours puts them side by side.
Sydney to Port Stephens: car, coach or tour
Port Stephens is about 2.5 hours north of Sydney by car, on the M1. Port Stephens Coaches runs daily from Central, via Chatswood, Pymble and Hornsby. Newcastle Airport is about 25 minutes away.
There is no direct train. If you want day trips by train, head south instead, from Sydney to Wollongong.
Driving takes about 2.5 hours and gives you the most time on the dunes.
Tips before you book in Port Stephens
Mind the tide
Do not drive on the beach within two hours either side of high tide.
Bring water and sunscreen
The dunes are hot and open. Bring water, a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen.
Dolphins are not guaranteed
Dolphins and whales are wild. The dolphin cruise listing says sightings cannot be guaranteed.
Check the limits
Sandboarding is not for pregnant women or people with back or heart problems. Quad bike drivers must be 16 or over.
If the weather turns
One sandboarding operator may cancel in heatwaves, heavy rain or gales, with a full refund. The Birubi Beach tour runs in any weather.
Port Stephens: questions and answers
When is the best time to visit the Port Stephens sand dunes?
How much does sandboarding in Port Stephens cost?
Can you walk onto the Stockton sand dunes?
What are the best things to do in Port Stephens?
Is Port Stephens worth the trip from Sydney?
What can I do in Port Stephens on a rainy day?
More Port Stephens tours, live
More options with live prices and availability, straight from GetYourGuide.
See every tour with today's prices and open dates on GetYourGuide.
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Sources (2), facts checked on 25 October 2026
Written by the Things to Do in Sydney editorial team.