Port Stephens dolphin cruise, koalas & sandboarding from Sydney
Spot 140 bottlenose dolphins, then sandboard down the Southern Hemisphere's largest mobile sand dune system in one day.
A full-day tour departing Sydney at 7 am with a Japanese-speaking guide, combining a 1.5-hour dolphin discovery cruise in Port Stephens, a visit to the Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary with elevated walkway access to wild koalas, and a 4WD sandboarding adventure on Stockton Bight. The tour returns to Sydney by 7 pm and includes all entry tickets, the sandboarding experience, bottled water and snacks.
Step-by-step itinerary
Port Stephens dolphin cruise and sandboarding
- Drive from Sydney to Nelson Bay
- Take 90-minute dolphin discovery cruise
- Lunch in Nelson Bay (own expense)
- Visit Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary
- 4WD ride to Stockton sand dunes
- Sandboard down Stockton sand dunes
- Return to Sydney
What’s included
- Dolphin discovery cruise ticket.
- koala sanctuary admission and guided walks including the elevated SKYwalk.
- sandboarding ticket and 4WD dune experience.
- bottled water and snacks throughout the day.
Times
- Every day except Wednesday and Sunday 07:00
Before you book
Operated by Brighton Tours - Gray Line Sydney
Prices and times updated 5 days ago
Traveler reviews
The experience
What fits a full day of wildlife and sand into one trip from Sydney? This tour stacks three distinct stops (a marine cruise, a koala sanctuary, and a desert adventure) each one a separate experience rather than a rushed highlight reel. You leave Sydney at 7 am with a guide who speaks Japanese, giving you the option to hear the details in your own language as the day unfolds. The drive to Nelson Bay takes you to the traditional lands of the Worimi people, where the Moonshadow Cruises boat waits to take you out onto Port Stephens' turquoise water.
The 1.5-hour dolphin cruise is built around watching bottlenose dolphins (roughly 140 live in this natural harbour) as they move through the water and surf the bow waves. The boat also passes pelicans, sea eagles, and occasionally seals. During winter months, humpback whales move through the same waters. After the cruise, you have time in Nelson Bay to buy lunch on your own from local restaurants before heading inland to the Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary. The sanctuary operates as a rehabilitation and conservation facility for sick, injured and orphaned koalas, with the goal of releasing them back into the wild. You walk a flat 250-meter pathway lined with educational sculptures, then tour the Koala Hospital: a $5 million facility that directly supports wild koala survival in the region. The final stop at the sanctuary is the SKYwalk, a 225-meter elevated pathway with viewing platforms set into the tree canopy where you can see wild koalas in their natural habitat.
The day ends at Stockton Bight, a 32-kilometer coastal desert and the largest mobile sand dune system in the Southern Hemisphere. A 19-seater 4WD red bus takes you 2 kilometers into the dunes, where you sandboard down the massive slopes. Bottle water and snacks are provided throughout the day, and you return to Sydney by 7 pm.
Is this one for you?The 12-hour commitment (leaving Sydney at 7 am and returning by 7 pm) means you can fit this into a single day without an overnight stay, though it leaves little room for other activities. If you want to pack wildlife, marine life and adventure into one outing without splitting it across multiple days, the fixed schedule makes that possible.
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Top questions
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 15 years); Infant (under 3): free.
What happens if it rains?
It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.
How many dolphins typically appear on the Port Stephens cruise?
Around 140 bottlenose dolphins live in Port Stephens' natural harbour and regularly appear during the 1.5-hour cruise, often surfing the bow waves or moving playfully through the water. Pelicans, sea eagles, seals and humpback whales (in winter) also inhabit the same waters.
What exactly is the Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary and what do you see there?
The Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary is a $10 million rehabilitation and conservation facility jointly funded by the NSW State Government and Port Stephens council. You walk a 250-meter flat pathway with educational sculptures, tour the $5 million Koala Hospital, and access the SKYwalk: a 225-meter elevated pathway with tree-canopy viewing platforms where you can see wild koalas in their natural setting.
Is sandboarding included, or do I need to pay extra for it?
Sandboarding is included in the tour price. You board a 4WD bus at Stockton Bight and sandboard down the dunes as part of the day's activities. No additional ticket is required.
What's included in the tour price and what do I pay for separately?
The tour includes the dolphin cruise ticket, koala sanctuary admission, sandboarding, a 4WD experience on Stockton Beach, bottled water and snacks. Lunch in Nelson Bay is at your own expense, as are any personal purchases during the day.
Does the guide speak only Japanese, or other languages too?
Your guide speaks Japanese. When passenger numbers are low, the tour may operate as a bilingual tour, but Japanese is the primary language for this departure.
Port Stephens dolphin cruise, koalas & sandboarding from Sydney
12h · JA
from AU$ 240 per person
≈ US$ 171 in your currency
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