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A person walking across the Stockton Bight sand dunes, Port Stephens

Sandboarding and 4WD dune tours in Port Stephens

Find the right day on the dunes for you.

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Unlimited Sandboarding with 4WD Tours R Us

Families and groups who want the most time on the dunes for the price.

2¼ hrs · Anna Bay

4.7 (297)from A$43 /person
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At a glance

Every dune tour here meets in Anna Bay and drives you onto the Stockton Bight dunes in the Worimi Conservation Lands, so the choice is about time and format. Pick an unlimited sandboarding session if boarding is the point, a one-hour beach-and-dune trip for young kids or a tight day, and a three-hour 4WD tour if you want to see more of the dunes and beach than one slope.

  • All tours meet in Anna Bay, not Nelson Bay, so plan the drive from your stay and check the exact meeting point.
  • Sand Dune Safaris is the one to choose for stand-up sand-surfing boards as well as sit-down boards.
  • The 4WD passenger and tag-along tours are non-refundable; the sandboarding tours allow free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
  • Sandboarding isn't recommended in pregnancy or with back or heart problems.

Which dune tour suits you?

You want as much sandboarding as possible. Go with Unlimited Sandboarding with 4WD Tours R Us or Sand Dune Safaris. Both drive you into the dunes, give you a lesson and leave you boarding for around two hours. Sand Dune Safaris adds stand-up sand-surfing boards and a shaded base with tables.

You have young kids or only an hour. The Beach and Dune Adventure is a short beach drive with commentary, a look for pipis, then sandboarding.

You want to see the dunes, not just slide down one. The 4WD Passenger Tour spends about three hours on the beach and in the dunes with a local guide driving. If you have your own low-range 4WD, the tag-along tour teaches you to drive it there.

Quad bikes and camel rides

These dunes have more than boards and 4WDs. Sand Dune Adventures runs Aboriginal-guided quad bike tours from bush onto the Stockton dunes: a one-hour ride, or 1.5 hours with sandboarding and an introduction to Worimi culture. Oakfield Ranch runs camel rides from Anna Bay along Birubi Beach and over the dunes, with 20-minute day rides and 60-minute sunset rides. Book either directly with the operator.

What to bring

Sunglasses, a hat, sunscreen and water. Wear clothes you don’t mind filling with sand, and leave anything that hates sand in the car. In summer the sand gets hot, so morning sessions are kinder.

Getting there

Tours meet at Anna Bay, at the lower car park on James Paterson Street or along Gan Gan Road depending on the operator. Each tour page lists the exact meeting point. If you’re staying in Nelson Bay or Shoal Bay, it’s a short drive; One Mile is closer still.

Common questions

How big are the Stockton dunes?

Stockton Beach runs about 32 km from Newcastle to Birubi Point at Anna Bay, backed by what Visit NSW describes as the largest moving coastal dunes in the Southern Hemisphere, up to about 30 metres high.

Can I drive my own car onto the dunes?

Only in a suitable 4WD with a Worimi Conservation Lands beach vehicle permit. If you'd like a guide, the tag-along tour leads a convoy and teaches beach driving; it needs a low-range 4WD.

Which dune tour is best for young children?

The one-hour Beach and Dune Adventure is the gentlest option, with a short beach drive and sandboarding. Infants ride on laps; check age details for your date on the listing.