Things to do in Anna Bay

Anna Bay is where the Port Stephens coastline turns wild and wide open. This relaxed surf village sits at the southern edge of the bay, the gateway to the largest moving sand dunes in the Southern Hemisphere and two of the region's finest surf beaches. Camel trains cross the sand at Birubi, four-wheel drives carve out toward a shipwreck, and the Worimi Conservation Lands hold thousands of years of Aboriginal history in their shifting slopes.

There is a rare mix of adventure and stillness here, from sandboarding down a towering dune to watching the sun drop behind One Mile Beach with no one else in sight. The best Anna Bay activities and things to do in Anna Bay sit within a short drive of a waterfront base at Corlette, so you can spend the day among the dunes and be back beside the marina by evening. Here is where to start.

Sandboard down the dunes

Sandboarding is the classic first go on the dunes. Operators like Sand Dune Safaris provide boards for both sitting and standing, and run beach and dune adventures that often fold in a visit to Tin City or the Sygna shipwreck. It suits most ages and takes little skill, just a willingness to climb back up for another run.

Ride a camel along Birubi Beach

A camel train crossing the sand is one of the enduring images of Port Stephens. Oakfield Ranch Camel Rides runs day rides along Birubi Beach and the smaller dunes six days a week, closed Wednesdays, departing every half hour or so between 10am and 3.30pm with no booking needed. The one-hour sunset rides climb into the higher dunes on Friday and Saturday evenings and do need to be booked ahead.

Take a horse ride through the bush and along the sand

For a gentler pace than a camel, Sahara Trails has run guided horse rides around Anna Bay since 1988. The beginner bush trail suits absolute first-timers and children from age four, walking the horses through the coastal scrub, while the one-hour intermediate beach ride meets at Birubi Point and follows the shoreline beneath the dunes. Bookings are essential, and the beach ride is for riders aged fourteen and up.

Take a quad bike or 4WD tour

For a faster pass across the sand, Quad Bike King and Sand Dune Adventures both run guided tours deep into the dunes. Sand Dune Adventures is an Aboriginal-owned enterprise operated by the Worimi Local Aboriginal Land Council, and its quad tours weave in the cultural history of the land alongside the thrills. Comprehensive instruction comes first, and riders can go solo or double up.

Visit Tin City and the Sygna shipwreck

Hidden among the dunes is Tin City, a cluster of eleven hand-built huts that began life sheltering shipwreck survivors in the early 1900s and grew through the Great Depression. It is the last legal squatter settlement in Australia, reached only by 4WD tour. Many tours pair it with the wreck of the Sygna, a Norwegian freighter run aground by a 1974 cyclone and still visible on the beach at low tide.

Walk the coastline to Morna Point

For a walk with the ocean beside you the whole way, follow the coast south from Birubi Point toward Morna Point, starting near the Iris Moore picnic area on Birubi Lane. The return walk covers a spectacular stretch of the Tomaree coastline and takes around two hours at an easy pace, longer if you stop for the views or to watch for whales offshore in season.

The Anna Bay coastline is a fine spot for birdlife too, with sooty oystercatchers, white-faced herons and the occasional white-bellied sea eagle overhead. Pack water and sun cover, since much of the path sits out in the open.

Meet sharks and rays at Irukandji

At Irukandji Shark & Ray Encounters, right in Anna Bay, you can wade into a shallow lagoon and feed, pet or snorkel alongside smooth rays and tawny nurse sharks. General entry lets you wander the pools and watch the feeds, while the shallows and swim experiences put you in the water with the animals.

The focus is as much on marine conservation as the encounter itself, which makes it a favourite for families. Sessions fill quickly in school holidays, so book ahead. It sits around fifteen minutes from Corlette.

Get close to koalas nearby

A few minutes beyond Anna Bay at One Mile, the Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary offers a raised story walk through the treetops, an elevated skywalk with views across the bay, and a viewing window into the koala hospital. It is a gentle, educational outing that supports the rehabilitation of sick and injured koalas, and it works for all ages.

Play a round at David Graham's Golf Complex

Named for the Australian major champion, David Graham's Golf Complex spreads across a twenty-five-acre site in Anna Bay. The twenty-hole putt putt course and the driving range are both undercover, and there is a nine-hole par-three course and laser tag on the same grounds. It is an easy, affordable few hours for families, and the covered putt putt is lit for night play. Bring cash, since the older parts of the complex do not always take card.

Taste the local produce

Along the main road into Anna Bay, farm-gate stalls sell fresh produce straight from the source, including the famously good local tomatoes, avocados and farm eggs. It is worth slowing down for.

A short drive on toward Williamtown, B.Farm by Murray's is home to the Murray's brewery, with an indoor cellar door pouring hand-crafted beers, estate wines and spirits, and a farm-to-table menu at Restaurant William. The gardens and family-friendly grounds make it an easy long lunch, around twenty minutes from Corlette.

Free things to do in Anna Bay

There are plenty of  free things to do in Anna Bay all year round: 

• Walk into the dunes from the Birubi Point car park
• Swim at the patrolled Birubi Beach 
• Wander along the quiet sands of One Mile Beach
• Slide down the smaller dunes near the water's edge on a bodyboard
• Cast a line for bream, whiting or tailor off Birubi Point
• Explore the rock pools at low tide

Sunrise and sunset are the real showpieces here. With little light pollution across the village, the night sky over Anna Bay puts on a display you rarely see closer to the city, so it is worth staying out past dark.

Things to do in Anna Bay with kids

The best things to do in Anna Bay with kids include:

• Sandboarding and camel rides gentle enough for younger children
• Hands-on marine life at Irukandji Shark & Ray Encounters
• Undercover putt putt golf at David Graham’s Golf Complex
• Swimming at Birubi Beach
• Treetop walks at the Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary

For a full run-down of family options across the region, including the best beaches for a clear day, see our guide to things to do in Port Stephens with kids.