Port Stephens, an open youthful tide-dominated drowned-valley estuary, is a large natural harbour of approximately 134 square kilometres (52 sq mi) located in the Hunter and Mid North Coast regions of New South Wales, Australia.
Stockton is a suburb of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, located 600 m (0.4 mi) from Newcastle's central business district. It is the only residential suburb of the City of Newcastle that lies north of the Hunter River.
Lemon Tree Passage is a suburb of the Port Stephens local government area in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia, located at the end of the Tilligerry Peninsula and surrounded by the waters of Port Stephens. At the 2021 census it had a population of 2,686. It is a haven for koalas due to it being densely wooded. The town has a small marina and the local industry is oyster farming.
Salamander Bay is a suburb of the Port Stephens local government area in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia. The Worimi people are the traditional owners of the Port Stephens area. Named after the adjacent shallow bay, itself named after Salamander, a convict ship from the Third Fleet, which was the first European vessel to enter Port Stephens (1791), it is a mainly residential suburb with a large shopping centre. At the 2021 census, Salamander Bay had a population of 4,991. It is home to Tomaree High School, a TAFE facility and St Phillips Christian College.
Fingal Bay is the easternmost suburb of the Port Stephens local government area in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia. The only population centre is the township of the same name, which itself is named after the adjacent, small, semi-circular bay. At the 2021 census, the population of the town was 1,635.
Hawks Nest is a small town of the Mid-Coast Council local government area in the Hunter and Mid North Coast regions of New South Wales, Australia, located north of Port Stephens between the Tasman Sea and the Myall River. It was named after a large hawk's nest in a tree on the Myall River that was used as a navigational aid. The traditional custodians of this land are the Worimi people.
Nelson Bay is a significant township of the Port Stephens local government area in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia. It is located on a bay of the same name on the southern shore of Port Stephens about 60 kilometres (37 mi) by road north-east of Newcastle, its nearest rail link. At the 2021 census, Nelson Bay had a population of 6,141.
Shoal Bay is the most eastern suburb of the Port Stephens local government area in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia. It is located on the southern shore of Port Stephens, adjacent to the bay of the same name at the entrance to the port. It includes part of Tomaree National Park within its boundaries and, like other suburbs around Port Stephens, is a popular tourist destination, especially in summer months. At the 2021 census the town of Shoal Bay had a population of 1,815 but the population increases significantly during tourist season.
Bobs Farm is a sparsely populated rural suburb of the Port Stephens local government area in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia. It is on the main road between Newcastle and Nelson Bay and is home to a number of small, boutique style vineyards and wineries and a thriving aquaculture industry. Bobs Farm Public School on Marsh Road is a co-educational government primary school which was established in 1918.
Williamtown is a rural suburb of the Port Stephens local government area in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia. It is located on the main road between Newcastle and Nelson Bay.
Corlette is a suburb of the Port Stephens local government area in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia. It is located just west of Nelson Bay on the shores of Port Stephens. It was named after Captain James Corlette who skippered the 63 tonnes cutter Lambton which was the first privately owned local vessel. Corlette first used it to ship timber and wool out of Port Stephens in 1816. While property values throughout the suburb average around A$1,100,000 in the most affluent areas on the shores of Salamander Bay individual sale prices of $3.7 million have been realised. It has many local tourism attractions including Bagnalls Beach Reserve, Port Stephens Shell Museum, Blue Water Sailing and Nude Kayaks.
One Mile is a suburb of the Port Stephens local government area in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia. The Worimi people are the traditional owners of the Port Stephens area. The suburb is semi-rural with a small urban settlement, several eco-resorts and back-packer accommodations to the west of Gan Gan Road. On the beach side there is a residential land-lease community and three tourist parks. The parks, two of which have licensed restaurants, are positioned to provide quick access to the suburb's two beaches. Since late 2017 Port Stephens Koala Hospital has been operating in the grounds of Treescape resort.
Boat Harbour is a suburb of the Port Stephens local government area in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia. The main population centre of the suburb is the village also known as Boat Harbour. Both lie adjacent to the bay after which they were named. The traditional owners of the land are Worimi people.
Fishermans Bay is a small suburb of the Port Stephens local government area in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia. It is located on the coast of the Tasman Sea adjacent to Anna Bay. A large part of the eastern portion of the suburb is occupied by Tomaree National Park and only a very small portion of the south western corner of the suburb is populated. The suburb is named after the adjacent bay.
Fullerton Cove is a rural suburb of the Port Stephens local government area in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia, located just north of Fern Bay and adjacent to Fullerton Cove, from which the suburb gets its name. The Worimi people are the traditional owners of the Port Stephens area. At the 2021 Australian census the population of Fullerton Cove was 745.
Fern Bay is the southernmost suburb of the Port Stephens local government area in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia. It is located just north of Stockton, which is the only suburb of Newcastle that lies north of the Hunter River and to the east of the north arm of the Hunter River at the entrance to Fullerton Cove, a large body of water. To the east is the Tasman Sea. Despite the suburb only being 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) in a direct line from Newcastle, the need to cross the Hunter River results in Fern Bay being 16 km (9.9 mi) by road from the centre of the city.
Tanilba Bay is a suburb of the Port Stephens local government area in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia. It is located on the Tilligerry Peninsula adjacent to the bay from which it got its name. "Tanilba" is said to mean "place of white flowers" in a local Indigenous language, presumably a reference to the flannel flowers which formerly thrived in the area. At the 2021 census Tanilba Bay had a population of 3,237. Tanilba Bay Public School is a co-ed government primary school located at 1A King Albert Avenue.
Mallabula is a primarily residential suburb of the Port Stephens local government area in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia. It is located on the Tilligerry Peninsula between Lemon Tree Passage and Tanilba Bay. The origin of the name may mean "three swamps" in the local Aboriginal language.
Taylors Beach is a suburb of the Port Stephens local government area in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia. It is largely undeveloped except for some commercial and light industrial developments in the southern part of the suburb. The largest population centre is at Taylors Beach itself, in the western part of the suburb, adjacent to Tilligerry Creek and Port Stephens. At the 2021 census Taylors Beach had a population of 120.
Stockton Beach is located north of the Hunter River in New South Wales, Australia. It is 32 km (20 mi) long and stretches from Stockton, to Anna Bay. Over many years Stockton Beach has been the site of numerous shipwrecks and aircraft crashes. In World War II it was fortified against a possible attack by Imperial Japanese forces. During that time it served as a bombing and gunnery range as well as a dumping area for unused bombs by aircraft returning from training sorties. The length of the beach, its generally hard surface and numerous items of interest along the beach make it popular with four-wheel drive (4WD) enthusiasts. Four-wheel drive vehicles are permitted to drive on Stockton Beach provided the vehicles are in possession of valid permits. The beach is also popular with fishermen and several different varieties of fish may be caught.
