Travel Port Stephens

IT may seem a little odd that we would be sending you to a coastal town for a winter break, but fear not, there is good reason Port Stephens is an attraction in the cooler months.

The place may surround a marina full of boats, seafood restaurants and swimwear shops but Port Stephens is actually most famous for its winter time spectacle of whale watching.

These beautiful creatures migrate north to warmer waters when winter hits and around 9,000 humpback whales pass through Port Stephens every year between May and August on their way to and back from their summer holidays.

With most tour companies boasting a sighting average of 90%, plus free trips if you don’t see any whales, it is easy to work out that your trip will be worthwhile. With most accommodation being on the cheaper side during the winter break it is a great idea for a getaway from the city without sacrificing any ocean side time.

Don’t worry about the weather either, as Australia is a warm country and Port Stephens is no exception. While it might not be scorching hot, the temperature rarely drops below 18 degrees and there is still snorkelling, golfing, 4WD adventures and a National Park if you feel the need to get the most out of your stay.

For food and drink lovers, Port Stephens is home to a few native treasures. Lemon Tree on the Tilligerry Peninsula is famous for producing the best Sydney Rock Oysters in Australia and the local oyster farmers are more than happy to show you around and give you a bit of an education on oyster farming if you are interested.

A visit to the Port Stephens Winery will give you a chance to not only sample the wines of the region but also Murrays Port Stephens Whale Ale who have recently relocated their breweries to the location where their full range of ales are available for your tasting pleasure.

Only a few hours out of Sydney and quick flights available from all other capital cities, Port Stephens is a beautiful town to escape to, and if it’s good enough for the whales to visit twice a year, it’s sure as hell good enough for BBM.

Whale Watching

IMAGINE witnessing the beauty of a fifteen meter, forty-eight ton humpback propelling itself above water level, and then crashing back down into the surrounding water.

Most aren’t able to say they’ve had the opportunity to see these giant beasts breech the ocean water. So, why not give it a shot and knock that whale watching trip off your bucket list at one of the top places to do so in Australia, Port Stephens.

There’s been a consistent yearly increase of humpbacks migrating along Australian coasts, resulting in a growth in whale watching popularity. With an abundance of options for whale watching destinations and tours, what makes Port Stephens the best of the bunch? We’ve thrown together some reasons that should help make Port Stephens your destination of choice.

Nelson Bay, a suburb of the Port Stephens Local Government Area, offers whale watching for six months of the year. From mid May to August you are able to see the northern migration of the whales as they make way to their calving waters in the Coral Sea.

August to mid November, the whales begin their migration back south to the Antarctic, their feeding grounds.

An estimated 9,000 humpback whales will migrate up the east coast in 2011, making the chance of spotting these giants quite likely. They will begin to pass Port Stephens in mid May. The whales are known to travel a bit closer to Port Stephens, making them much easier to spot and shortening the time you’d waste traveling to find them.

Whale watching in Port Stephens takes place in the largest marine park in New South Wales, at about 98,000 hectares. Within this park are 9 different species of whales. These include humpback, minke, southern right, false killer, sei, pilot, brydes, fin and orca whales. The most common among the waters of Port Stephens are humpback whales, while orcas are quite the opposite, rarely making an appearance.

Every Port Stephens whale watching tour includes a dolphin watch cruise, as the port is home to 3 different species of dolphins including coastal bottlenose, offshore bottle, and short-beak common dolphins. The port is widely known as the “Dolphin Capital of the World.” Over 80 dolphins reside permanently within clear, gorgeous waters of Port Stephens and can be seen anytime throughout the year. These dolphins can typically be seen in large pods when passing the offshore islands.

There are plenty of options when it comes to how you watch the whales whether it is by a larger boat, speedboat or sailboat so booking a tour won’t be a problem. Sailboats seem to be a popular choice, simply because of their quietness in comparison to others, allowing you to hear more of what’s going on around you. The costs of 3-hour tours are pretty consistent throughout the port and are very reasonable with family packages being offered by most guides.

If traveling by sea isn’t your thing, no worries, as there are plenty of points around Port Stephens that make great spots for whale watching. Close to Nelson Bay is one of the more popular spots, Telegraph Point, a small village on the north coast of New South Wales. While your chances of spotting a group of whales is not nearly as high as if you were on boat, watching from a point is still a fantastic and relaxing way to try for a glimpse at them.

Two different points in Port Stephens are becoming known as a common spot for whales to breech, Point Stephen’s lighthouse and the shoals of Boat Harbour. There’s much debate as to why whales breech so there’s no telling why these two spots are so special. Just know that they are, and have your camera ready!

The port has much more wildlife to offer than simply whales and dolphins. Cabbage Tree Island attracts a colony of seals and a rare species of petrel, a tube-nosed bird. During whale season, tours will typically stop by the rocks to observe the seals, if they are present. Sea turtles and penguins occasionally make appearances as well.

Whale watching season is an ideal time for bird watchers, as well. During this time, gannets will join in large flocks to feed while hundreds of short-tail shearwaters nest on Broughton Island. Other birds that are common to the area include the fluttering shearwater, yellow-nosed and sooty albatross, wedge tail eagles and white-breasted seagulls. They are usually seen hovering over the ocean in small and large flocks in search of fish.

The largest group of islands along the coast of New South Wales is all national parks with breathtaking scenery. It just so happens that the whales will migrate along these islands, making for a picturesque tour. The islands aren’t the only national parks the tours will typically pass, with Tomaree National Park to the south and Mayall River National Park to the north along the scenic coastline.

The reasons Port Stephens makes a solid choice for whale watching are plenty, making it an easy decision when it comes to choosing a destination for your first whale watch. There are plenty of accommodation to choose from, most of which offer special rates in celebration of the upcoming whale season.

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