Less than three hours’ drive north of Sydney, Port Stephens – a shire embracing many seafront neighborhoods like Nelson Bay, Shoal Bay, Anna Bay, Soldiers Bay and others generally ranks high as a day-tripper in the itinerary of Indian locals and visitors alike to Australia particularly to see the dolphins while cruising the surrounding waters and if time permits to have a bash at the sand dunes said to be the largest of its kind in Southern Hemisphere.
However many other things to do and see there demand more than a day trip
Some of the other key attractions include swimming at the beach in Shoal Bay, getting close to koala’s at the Koala Sanctuary and playing with stingrays and sharks at the Irukandji Shark & Ray Encounters to hiking to the Tomaree Head Summit for a view stamped as one of the top ten scenic vista in Australia.
Not to be ignored is the food and wine scene for a taste of the best of the freshest local produces. There are plenty of top quality restaurants and cafes to serve them. This includes a few Indian cuisine outlets as well. And finally the staying options are wide and varied from luxury hotels,motels and apartments to modest Airbnb rooms.
Because of the above Port Stephens has enjoyed a great summer with domestic tourism – all accommodation and eating outlets showing pretty good results with a reasonably high occupancy rates and bookings.