Port Stephens Day Trip Sydney: Dolphin Cruise & Sand Dunes

Three hours north of Sydney, 160 dolphins waiting, and a catamaran with a net you can jump from

You're picked up from your Sydney hotel and driven north to Port Stephens, crossing the Harbour Bridge and passing through Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park along the way. You board a triple-deck catamaran for a dolphin cruise with access to a boom-net for swimming, then visit Gan Gan Lookout for views across the bay toward Newcastle. The drive back to Sydney is included, and sandboarding on Stockton Beach sand dunes is available as an optional extra on the day.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Sydney Harbour Bridgepass by
2. Ku-ring-gai Chase National Parkpass by
3. Stockton Beach Sand Dunes30m

Port Stephens day trip and dolphin cruise

• Cross Sydney Harbour Bridge
• Pass Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park
• Cross Hawkesbury River
• View Port Stephens from Gan Gan Lookout
• Take dolphin harbour cruise
• Optional sandboarding at Stockton Beach
• Return to Sydney

The experience

The drive out of Sydney takes longer than you'd think. You cross the Harbour Bridge first (that part happens fast, almost too fast to register you're actually on it), and then the city thins out and you're in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, the same stretch where they filmed Skippy the Bush Kangaroo back in the day. Your driver knows the route cold, which matters because Port Stephens is about three hours north and the road has its own rhythm. You'll pass the Hawkesbury River, famous for Sydney Rock Oysters, and by the time you hit Nelson Bay the whole vibe has shifted. The air smells different. Saltier.

The catamaran is waiting at the dock: a triple-deck boat called Moonshadow, which sounds like something from a kids' film but is actually built for this. The thing that gets you is the boom-net: it's a net strung off the side of the boat, and you can literally climb into it, dip in and out of the water while the boat moves. It's ridiculous and it works. The boat has covered decks if the weather turns, but most people end up on the open decks anyway. The dolphins (over 160 bottle-nosed ones live in Port Stephens year-round) show up more often than not. You're not guaranteed a sighting, but the odds are solid enough that the crew doesn't oversell it. They just point and say "there" and you see them, or you don't, and either way you're on the water in one of those bays that looks like it shouldn't be real.

After the cruise, you get the view from Gan Gan Lookout, which sits high enough that you can see all the way down to Newcastle and north to the Myall Lakes. The Stockton Beach sand dunes are right there too, the largest in the Southern Hemisphere, and if you want to sandboard down them, that's an optional add-on you can book on the day. It costs extra and it's not included, but the dunes are there whether you do it or not. Then you drive back to Sydney, which is when most people sleep.

The whole day is about six to seven hours of actual time away from the city, plus the drive. Bring a swim suit if you're going in the boom-net. Bring water, though bottled water is included. The pickup from your hotel is part of the deal, so you don't have to figure out how to get to a meeting point or rent a car for the day.

What’s included

• Private transportation from your Sydney hotel.
• hotel pickup and drop-off.
• bottled water throughout the day.
• dolphin cruise aboard the triple-deck Moonshadow catamaran with access to the boom-net.
• expert driver and guide.
• views from Gan Gan Lookout across Port Stephens toward Newcastle and the Myall Lakes.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:30

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 13 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by Runaway Tours Sydney

Is this one for you?Pick this if you want to see Port Stephens and its dolphins without arranging your own transport or timing the boat departure yourself: the private pickup and fixed schedule handle both, and the three-hour drive means you're not spending half the day in a car with a full tour group.

Traveler reviews

5.00★★★★★★★★★★

3 verified traveler reviews

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

How long is the drive from Sydney to Port Stephens?

About three hours each way. The return journey is included in the tour.

What's the boom-net and can you actually swim from it?

It's a net strung off the side of the catamaran where you can climb in and dip in and out of the water while the boat is moving. Bring a swim suit if you want to use it.

How likely are you to see dolphins?

Port Stephens is home to over 160 resident bottle-nosed dolphins, so sightings are common, but not guaranteed.

Is sandboarding included?

No, it's optional and costs extra. You can book it on the day if you want to try the Stockton Beach sand dunes.

What happens if the weather is bad?

The catamaran has all-weather indoor viewing areas, so the cruise runs in most conditions.

Is hotel pickup included?

Yes, your hotel pickup and drop-off in Sydney are included in the tour price.

Can you bring children?

Yes. Infants and small children can use a pram or stroller, and infant seats are available if you notify the operator in advance.

What's included in the price?

Private transportation, hotel pickup and drop-off, the dolphin cruise, bottled water, and an expert driver/guide. Sandboarding and any meals are extra.