Sydney to Grafton road trip: Distance, time & best stops

Sydney to Grafton road trip: Distance, time & best stops

Attractions between Sydney and Grafton: Newcastle to Port Stephens

After Newcastle, you may wish to steer off towards all-action Port Stephens. If so, drive towards Williamtown, which brings fighter jets at Fighter World and a quad biking tour across the Worimi Sand Dunes.

Further towards Nelson Bay are several wildlife attractions – Oakvale Wildlife Park, the Shark, Ray and All Creatures Rescue Centre and Irukandji Shark and Ray Encounters.

6 fantastic Port Stephens experiences worth going for.

  1. 4WD dunes tour with sandboarding – whizz down the Sahara-style dunes
  2. Dolphin-watching cruise with fun boom nets 🐬.
  3. Quad-biking over the Worimi sand dunes – learning about local Aboriginal culture along the way.
  4. Snorkelling with wild dolphins – the ultimate dolphin experience
  5. Port Stephens koala sanctuary admission tickets 🐨.
  6. Shallow water shark and ray encounter 🦈.

Near Anna Bay, try riding camels on Birubi Beach, clothing-optional bathing at Samurai Beach and koala-watching at the Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary.

Birubi Beach camel tours in Port Stephens
Birubi Beach camel tours in Port Stephens. Photo by Alesha Bradford, courtesy of Destination NSW.

Things to do in Nelson Bay include dolphin-watching cruisessnorkelling with dolphins and taking on the Tomaree Head Summit Walk.

For Nelson Bay accommodation, take a look at the golf course-centric Landmark Resort, the wallet-friendly Peninsula Motel and Serviced Apartments or the apartment-style Mantra Nelson Bay.

Click through for the next section: Seal Rocks and Forster