Nelson Bay is a pretty town on the Southern coastline of Port Stephens, near to the Port Headlands. It is about 60 kilometres by road north-east of Newcastle.
Chinese fishermen established a camp here early in the 1800s. A post office and a school were built later in the century, but it was not until well into the 20th century that Nelson Bay became a popular tourist destination.
Within the sheltered arms of the bay there are safe, calm beaches that are ideal for small children, while the coastal beaches just a five-minute drive away are washed by booming waves. The diving and snorkelling here is exceptional.
Not only are there plenty of things to do in Nelson Bay itself, but it also makes an ideal location from which to explore the rest of Port Stephens with its pretty beach and busy harbour. There are plenty of activities in the area to keep yourself and your family occupied.
There are a variety of shops in the area and so you definitely won't have any trouble finding those holiday souvenirs. There are also a number of restaurants and cafes serving a wide range of styles of food, situated along the coast and in the town itself. Nelson Bay is not short on accommodation within walking distance of all amenities.
Nelson Bay is the perfect place from which to explore the port and the beautiful surrounding areas. There are numerous paths and walkways around the coastline and also a number of tours which take you to the Hunter Valley and the other bays and beaches of Port Stephens.
A trip on the water is also very popular, with a variety of cruises available. You can join a cruise to watch dolphins and whales, as well as deep sea fishing trips. If you'd prefer to go out on your own it is possible to hire a variety of boats for either fishing, sight seeing or dolphin watching - or all three from Nelson Bay Boat Hire.
For those who like the faster side of life why not hire a jet ski for a few hours. Alternatively take the relaxing, but still fun, option of hiring a water bike. Nelson Bay offers everything for every age and taste of visitor to the area.
Located a little over two hours drive from Sydney and about 25 minutes from Newscastle Airport, Nelson Bay makes a great place to unwind for a couple of days or even longer. There is a range of accommodation in Nelson Bay from farmstay and villa accommodation to bed and breakfasts, hotels and apartments.
Well known for the many Bottlenose dolphins that live around the Port, Dolphin Spotting is an extremely popular passtime for visitors. Then there are Whales. Approximately 3000 Humpback Whales pass close to the coast of Port Stephens whilst migrating to the warm tropical waters from late May to July each year.
September to November offers even more excitement when the Whales can be viewed returning to the Antarctic with their calves.
Dolphin Watch Cruise and Beach & Dune 4WD Tour Combo(EX733) (Dolphin Swim & Whale Watch) Why book one adventure when you can enjoy two? With our popular combo you can save when you combine our Dolphin Watch Cruise with a Port Stephens 4WD 2 Hour Beach and Dune Tour. These are Port Stephen...
4WD Tour, Cruise & Beer Tasting Combo(EX1510) (Sailing & Yacht Charter) Beach, Boats and Beer - an experience hard to resist! Our 4WD Tour, Cruise and Beer Tasting Combo is the ultimate day tour in Port Stephens. If you love 4 wheel driving adventures, sailing and beer th...
Parasailing over Port Stephens(EX1849) (Parasailing) Feel the thrill and enjoy breathtaking views of Port Stephens as you soar 150 metres into the air on board a ballooning parachute behind a high powered speed boat. You will be winched into the air gui...
Purchase this DVD that captures the sweeping contrasts of New South Wales. Includes footage of the Great Dividing Range to Bathurst, Goulburn and Albury, through the rich grazing lands.
Marvel at Dubbo's Western Plain Zoo and discover the rare opal at Lightning Ridge. Explore the Ghost Towns and outback city of Broken Hill and admire the splendour of the Menindee Lakes in the Kinchega National Park.
Investigate the Minnamurra Rainforest and enjoy the waterfalls of the Illawarra Plateau. Explore the snowfields of the Snowy Mountains, Mt Kosciusko and traverse the Murray River from the Alpine headwaters to Lake Hume. Moving on to the Southern Coast of New South Wales and the panoramic vistas's of Jervis Bay, the famous Blow Hole at Kiama and north to Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour and Byron Bay.
PLEASE NOTE: The New South Wales travel destinations outlined above are only a small selection from the tens of thousands of Australian travel information pages available on Australian Explorer. A comprehensive list of destinations for New South Wales Holidays can be found on the main New South Wales Holidays location guide.
