Boat Harbour and Port Stephens NSW

Port Stephens is a large natural bluewater harbour 160 kilometres north of Sydney. With a population of around 26,000, Port Stephens is a popular holiday destination. Port Stephens has a narrow entrance between two striking hills of volcanic origin.  Nelson Bay is the main town of Port Stephens.  Botaba B&B is in Boat Harbour, a quiet area on the Tomaree Peninsula between the ocean and bay. From Boat Harbour it is an 8 minute drive to Nelson Bay. (Map of Port Stephens)

The southern headland, "Tomaree", rises to 120 metres above mean sea level. The peak can be accessed via an excellent walking trail, and the view from the summit is worth the effort. Download Tomaree National Park Guide.

"Yacaba", the northern headland, is 210 m is above mean sea level. The harbour at Port Stephens is mostly shallow and sandy but contains sufficient deep water to accommodate large vessels. The actual area of the bays are larger than Sydney Harbour. The areas between Nelson Bay and Tea Gardens are the most well known sections of Port Stephens, here it is 3.8 km wide.

Port Stephens–Great Lakes Marine Park has been set up to preserve this magnificent area. The park’s diverse marine life includes many species of dolphins, turtles, fish, invertebrates, seabirds and seaweeds along with threatened species such as the Gould’s petrel, little tern, grey nurse shark and green turtle. Humpback whales travel along the marine park coastline during their annual migration north to breeding grounds.

Whale Watching and Sailboat Day Trips where you can snorkel and swim with dolphins are a great feature of Port Stephens. Imagine Cruises and others sail from Nelson Bay daily. Often you'll get a bit of education on the local marine environment while you take part in an adventure to remember. Between May and June, humpback whales cruise past the town on their northern migration, returning south between September and November and these huge animals are often encountered on the dolphin cruises.

The Karuah River meets Port Stephens at its north-western corner and the Myall River (via Myall Lakes) meets the port at the northern shore. Twelve Mile Creek drains into the port's south-western corner. Together this combination of fresh water estuary gives Port Stephens an amazing combination of freshwater, estuary and deep ocean fishing.

Golfing in Port Stephens is simply fantastic! There are many quality courses to choose from including the Horizon Resort in Salamander Bay, Pacific Dunes at Medowie, The Nelson Bay Golf Club, and more.

Stockton Beach Sand Boarding

Check out our Australian Travel Links page to see other websites with useful travel information.

Botaba Bed and Breakfast
32 Andrew Close - Boat Harbour, NSW 2316 Australia
Port Stephens
Ph: (02) 4981 9018
Map of Boat Harbour NSW