Just a 2.5-hour drive north of Sydney, you’ll find yourself in the idyllic coastal cove of Port Stephens, home to some of NSW’s most pristine beaches. As the coast weaves around, there are dreamy watering holes, open bays, sandy beaches and surfing hotspots – but, if you’ve had visited Shoal Bay, Zenith Beach or Fingal Beach, you’d know that pedestrian accessibility hasn’t always been its strong point. So fans of Port Stephens will be stoked to learn that a new 27 km walking track has been built to guide walkers through the lush bush-meets-water region.
The Tomaree Coastal Walk has been designed to cater to everyone from the slow stroller who just wants to wander along the beach to harder core adventurers who want to tackle the full 27km and bunk down overnight in one of the local towns.
The continuous walking track starts at Tomaree Head and winds around to Birubi Point, taking you past beaches and lookouts all the way through Tomaree National Park. The pièce de résistance: the peak of Tomaree Mountain, where you’ll catch an eagle-eyed view of the entire port. It’s a hearty hike to the top, but the juice is well worth the squeeze.
The track will not only offer more wheelchair and mobility accessibility than ever, but it’s also upgraded existing pathways that were in need of TLC.
The Tomaree Coastal Walk will also be a triumphant celebration of the Worimi Country on which it resides. Tourists can learn more about the history of the First Nations people, the Worimi, thanks to artwork, educational signage and digital displays.
NSW Premier Chris Minns says the Tomaree Coastal Walk is yet another reason for tourists to visit the beautiful Port Stephens region. “This enhancement of Tomaree National Park adds another breathtaking experience befitting this region’s fantastic landscape and our state’s environmental character.”
With spring now sprung, we can’t think of a better way for Sydneysiders to spend a weekend.