Things to do in

Hunter Valley

Take a cruise around magnificent Port Stephens Harbour on one of the biggest boats in the bay. Keep an eye out for the resident Bottlenose Dolphins as you head out beautiful Port Stephens Marine Park. Take in the sights of Tomaree and Yacaaba Headlands, Shoal Bay, Nelson Bay, and the Eastern Harbour as you sit back and relax on the deck area. If you feel like getting a bit wet, feel free to use our boomnet. Enjoy entertaining and informative commentary on board. If you feel like indulging in something a little different, there is a licensed bar on board that you can choose to purchase from. 

You have to experience sandboarding in Port Stephens. The thrill of sliding down the spectacular Stockton Sand Dunes is so much fun. From the meeting point at Birubi beach, you will board the custom-built off-road vehicle to start your adventure on the short, bouncy ride into the largest moving sand mass in the southern hemisphere. The dunes stretch 32 kilometers, the entire length of Stockton Beach, and can reach over 40 meters high, the same as a 10 storey building. The views alone are spectacular. Once you are in the dunes, the team will give you a rundown on sandboarding and how to use the handmade custom-designed boards for maximum safety and speed. Then you are off. Climb to the top of the dunes, jump on your board, then slide on down and repeat. Your ticket includes unlimited sandboarding so you can stay and play as long as you like. For most people that’s about 1 – 1.5 hours. When you're done just jump back aboard one of the 4WD buses, that leave every half an hour, and be taken back to the Birubi Beach starting point. It’s an amazing experience for everyone, no matter your age. The instructors are always on hand to help, answer any questions about sandboarding, Port Stephens or the dunes and to make sure you have maximum fun. Don’t forget to bring your camera along as you’ll have the chance to capture some amazing Port Stephens holiday snaps. *Disclaimer: Please be advised that sand boarding can be a dangerous activity and you do so at your own risk, no injuries are the responsibility of 4WD Tours R Us (This applies to all participants) Failure to inform yourself off the risks is your own personal choice and by purchasing this ticket you consent that all risks involved are at your own choice and no responsibility is held by 4WD Tours R US

Spend a magical 2 hours looking for dolphins off the coast of Nelson Bay and get some time to splash about in stunning blue water. Choose from a morning, afternoon departure and be entertained by the informative commentary as you go on search of beautiful resident dolphins on the Port Stephens harbour. Get stunning views of the Eastern harbor, including spectacular Tomaree and Yacaaba headlands. Relax on the deck with a drink and snacks purchased at the licensed bar. Laugh your way around the harbor as you make use of the large boom net and water slide.

Short on time in the Hunter Valley? Get on board for a morning tour of 3 boutique wineries on a half-day trip to try local wines and cheese. An ideal taste of what the Hunter Valley has to offer. Visit at least 3 unique wineries enjoying private tastings of their delicious wines. One of the wineries visited is Two Fat Blokes Gourmet Kitchen. Here you can indulge in their famous cheese and wine experience which matches 9 different kinds of cheese with 9 different wines. Keep your eyes on the horizon during your tour, the Hunter Valley is home to many Australian wildlife species, and there is a good chance to see kangaroos hopping amongst the vineyards. With fun and entertaining hosts who are passionate about wine, your half-day tour gives you a taste of the Hunter in a short amount of time.

Discover the Hunter Valley on this tasting trip from Sydney, lunch included. Travel over Sydney Harbor Bridge through Sydney's leafy north shore, over the beautiful Hawkesbury River, and onto Australia's oldest wine production region, the Hunter Valley. The day starts at a locally owned winery and winner of Hunter Valley Winemaker of the Year. Staff will guide you through the tastings of their wine and answer your questions. Head to another cellar for more wine tastings, followed by a 1-course restaurant lunch with a wide choice of meals including options for vegetarians, vegans, and gluten-free diets. Enjoy a complimentary glass of wine or craft beer with your meal and take in the beautiful views overlooking the vineyards. Three's also the option of buying a craft beer tasting paddle. After lunch, give your taste buds a jolt with a visit to a local distillery for tastings of locally produced spirits including vodka, gin, and schnapps. The third cellar door is next for final wine tastings and a chance to relax, buy a glass of wine, and take in the serenity. Throughout the day, you'll also get to enjoy tastings of cheese and chocolate to get the most from your flavorful day and to help support local businesses. Keep an eye out for wild kangaroos and get the chance to take photos. This tour is also carbon-neutral, with all vehicle emissions offset, so when you travel you can make a choice to take positive action to help address climate change.

Embark on an epic adventure on the largest moving sand dunes in the Southern Hemisphere. Once at the meeting point, you will board a comfortable 4WD vehicle for a 10-minute drive across the expansive dunes to the private and secluded sandboarding area, far away from the hustle and bustle of civilisation. Here you will be greeted by a friendly instructor who will teach you the safe method of sandboarding for both the sit down and stand up styles. You can choose from a range of different boards, both with and without bindings - or, pair up with a buddy and ride tandem. The bowl-shaped dune features both smaller slopes and a monster slope - you choose the size of the hill based on your confidence level. Sandboarding is suitable for all ages and abilities. There is a shaded picnic area with tables and chairs provided at the dune, so feel free to bring your own food and drinks and enjoy a picnic whilst taking in the incredible panoramic views of beach, dunes, and forest. There are plenty of amazing photo opportunities within this unique landscape. Best of all, you can stay and play as long as you like. Most people will generally spend 1-2 hours. There is a shuttle to the dunes and back every 15 minutes, so when you are ready to head back just hop on the the next shuttle.

Entry to Irukandji is unique, unlike the traditional aquarium viewing through glass, our guests have the ability to meet the wildlife, pet them, feed them & even share the water with them. Our Entry Pass allows guests to access the shallow water of the lagoons in bare feet, being surrounded by many curious & friendly sharks & rays guests are treated to a whole new level of excitement, fear & admiration for these misunderstood creatures and the entire ocean. Incredible Aussie shark memories All Day When you arrive at Irukandji you will be greeted by staff members who will guide you through the whole process, from learning how to interact safely with the animals to providing you with all the equipment needed to enter the water and meet the animals. Choose from the option of wearing your own clothes in the water and just getting your feet and ankles wet, getting into a wetsuit and going in deeper with the Discovery Pass upgrade. You can choose to go barefoot or cover up your toes with a pair of wear and keep souvenir socks. At the lagoons, you will be given a feeding stick and food for the sharks and rays, and then guided around to the different pools by a knowledgable fish keeper. Each of the pools is home to different species of fish with specific food and information provided at each one. You will get to reach in and interact with the animals as they swim around in their aquatic homes. Irukandji features 2 large, deep, natural-style lagoons housing a variety of different animals. In the Fingill lagoon, you’ll meet a whole bunch of friendly and curious rays who will glide over your feet and eagerly snatch the food from your sticks. Reach down to pet them and feel the different textures of their skin. Then over at the Tropical lagoon, meet a few more rays plus a variety of shark species including zebra sharks and brown-banded bamboo sharks. You can interact with them while listening to the keepers as they give educational talks about sharks, rays, and marine conservation. During our Big Shark Talk, our friendly fish keepers will invite you into the shallows as they bring up our large Tawny Nurse Sharks and Whitetip Reef Sharks. Afterwards, you can rinse off under a warm shower and towel down before heading in for a cruise around the gift shop for a large range of sustainable gifts, cute fluffy toys, snacks and cold drinks.

When you go on an overseas or on an interstate holiday you put a lot of time and effort, not to mention the money to ensure everything is just perfect for you and your family. Well we have the perfect day for you. In fact, Our tour is called“One Perfect Day”. Yes, you are going to leave the metropolitan magic of Sydney to venture or should I say adventure to the pristine waters of Port Stephens and the spectacular sand dunes of Stockton Bight. Just a 2.5 hours’ drive north in a luxury state the art modern coach to a marine wonderland of dolphins all year round. Departing Sydney’s iconic Central Railway Station at 7am. As you depart the Sydney CBD you will be stunned by views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Sydney Opera House and the world’s most beautiful harbour, the one and only Sydney Harbour. Now it’s time to sit back and relax as we travel north along the M1 highway into the rugged Hawkesbury River region, a true bushland wilderness only 1 hour from the Sydney. We stop briefly at what the locals refer to as ‘The Twin Servo’s’ for coffee and a comfort stop. We arrive at 10am at tranquil coastal village of Nelson Bay, the heart of Port Stephens and home to d’Albora Marina departure point for the your Dolphin Discovery Cruise. Ok now it’s time to board your boat to see a marine wonderland with Moonshadow TQC Cruises, the largest dolphin cruise company in NSW. Port Stephens is home to 160 bottle nose dolphins, one of the most beautiful marine mammals on the planet. At times the dolphins love to surf the bow waves of Moonshadow’s boats and if you’re lucky they may give you a wink of their eye or you can just wink at them. There is heaps of other wildlife to see on the cruise from pelicans, sea eagles and even the odd seal. You will experience 90 minutes of cruising the blue blue waters of Port Stephens with expert commentary provided by Moonshadow’s experienced skippers. In the warmer months you can even take a plunge in the boom net at the rear of the boat but make sure you have a change of clothes. Take plenty of photos to capture these magic moments. After your cruise there is plenty of time to enjoy your lunch at the many waterside cafes or simply walk around sightseeing and taking in the seaside vibe. We arrive at the Stockton Bight sand dunes a coastal desert 32kms long and largest mobile sand dune system in the Southern Hemisphere. Here you will be greeted by our friendly 4WD drivers and guides from Port Stephens 4WD Tours, who will help you onto their 21-seater 4WD red coach for the 2km drive to “The Dunes”. Ok, now it’s time for Sandboarding. Your sandboarding guide will give you safety instructions and tips on techniques on how to sandboard successfully. Sandboarding is suitable for toddlers to grandparents and very safe. Sandboarding is referred to as ‘soft adventure’ however it is hard core family fun. But before we leave Port Stephens there is one last stop at B-Farm aka for a spot of wine tasting.

Uncork unexpected and unique experiences on a tour of Australia's Hunter Valley. Your 7-hour tour includes multiple wine tastings, a cheese and wine masterclass, a mystery wine experience, chocolate and wine pairings, a generous lunch, a glass of wine, and a tour of a working brewery. Go off the beaten track with your small group and find great Hunter wines that exist beyond the shelves of a bottle shop. Don’t expect to go on the path well-traveled—it’s too busy there, and there’s no room for surprises.   Speaking of surprises, did the mystery wine experience catch your eye? Your tour includes a unique wine encounter that is not available to your average walk-in wine-taster. The mystery wine experience is designed to build your wine knowledge while getting you involved, having a few laughs, and teaching you what makes Hunter Valley wine unique.   Your best day ever wouldn’t be complete without the dream weavers: knowledgeable guides are a huge part of what makes your day unforgettable. They’re passionate locals who love their wine and the Hunter Valley. So, are you ready for the best day ever?

Head to the meeting point and check in for your cruise. Then, board the 54-foot sailing catamaran and get ready for your whale-watching adventure. Set sail, heading out to sea to find the incredible migrating humpback whales. Enjoy sightings of these majestic behemoths, who often put on a show for guests, breaching, performing pectoral slaps, and evening mugging. Learn more about the whales and other wildlife from your experienced guides, who will provide informative commentary throughout the experience. And be sure to keep an eye out for Australian fur seals, dolphins, and sea birds while you sail. Your whale-watching cruise includes complimentary tea and coffee, with other drinks and snacks available to purchase from the fully licensed on-board bar.