Wreck Beach // Port Stephens (NSW)

Forget about towel sharing on Bondi, head north to Port Stephens and snag a beach to yourselves. Follow Henry’s advice and hit up Wreck Beach for your weekend dose of isolated bliss.

Highlights

Idyllic beaches
Dreamy Seascapes
2 hours from Sydney

Blissful Beach Escape

Port Stephens is a 2 hour drive up the Pacific Highway from Sydney (on a good run) and can be a popular escape for Sydney escape artists and central coasters. We realised this when we pulled into the area’s main hub and beach, Nelson Bay. Jeez it was busy. The idea of towel-sharing with a stranger didn’t excite us hugely, so we continued around the headland to Shoal Bay, which was much more like what we were after (especially at the quieter northern end). With its long curving aspect and steep pointed headlands it felt more like Copacabana Beach here, minus the g-strings and capoeira.

The faint screams of children in the distance were still just a bit too much though. Perfection is what we were searching for after all and we wanted something even more private. We hopped back into the car and drove slightly further south through Tomaree National Park to a seemingly empty Wreck Beach.

Paradise Found Near Port Stephens

As the sun entered the latter stages of its kaleidoscopic descent behind us, we took a moment to appreciate where we were and just how incredibly lucky we are to have these magnificent escapes on our doorstep. We vowed to continue striving for unbeaten paths and the less crowded options where the rewards are just a whole lot sweeter.

The following day we continued south for a morning of walking and exploring the wonders of Fingal Bay, before returning to our base in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs. A day of towel-sharing at Bondi Beach on the Bank Holiday Monday awaited us…

Essential Gear

Beach towel
Camping gear
Sunscreen

How To Get There

From Sydney, take the M1 Northbound until you reach Newcastle, then turn off onto the B63 towards Tomaree National Park. The drive should take you around 3 hours.