3-Hour Tag-Along, Own 4WD

Drive your own 4WD behind a local guide across the Stockton Bight sand dunes and along the beach at Anna Bay. Three hours on the sand, engine in low range. Rated 4.9 from 90 reviews.

Overview

You drive your own 4WD and follow a local guide across the sand of Port Stephens. The tour runs for 3 hours and starts from the SPAR supermarket carpark on Gan Gan Road in Anna Bay, at 14:00. There is no hotel pickup, so you need to get yourself and your vehicle to the meeting point.

The route takes the convoy through Tomaree National Park, where wildflower meadows and possible koala sightings are part of the drive, and on to beaches including Samurai, Little Rocky and Birubi. The finale is the big one: driving up the Stockton Sand Dunes for a view along the coast. Reviewers describe the guides' instructions as clear and informative, and several say first-timers managed the steep sections without trouble. One traveller who borrowed a vehicle with little experience said the guides talked them through everything.

It suits families and mixed-ability groups. The listing says most travellers can participate, the tour is wheelchair accessible, and the group is capped at 14 travellers. One reviewer mentioned sand boarding as a hit with the kids. You must tell the operator what type of 4WD you will bring, and extra passengers pay a NPWS fee of $6.50 on departure. Your vehicle also needs a Worimi Lands Beach permit.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Meet at Anna BayGather at the SPAR supermarket carpark on Gan Gan Road, Anna Bay, before the 14:00 start. The tour ends back at this same point.
2. Drive Tomaree National ParkFollow your guide through the park's bushland, passing wildflower meadows and keeping an eye out for koalas.
3. Beach stopsContinue along the coast with stops that include Samurai, Little Rocky and Birubi beaches.
4. Stockton Sand DunesThe full 3 hours covers the dunes, where you drive up the sand for a view along the coast. Admission is free, but extra passengers pay a NPWS fee of $6.50 on departure and vehicles need a Worimi Lands Beach permit.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points will shape how the afternoon goes.

• Bring your own 4WD. This is a tag-along tour, so you drive your own vehicle the whole way. You must tell the operator in advance what type of 4WD you are bringing. A review from someone who borrowed a Ford Ranger suggests a borrowed vehicle is fine.
• Nervous drivers. Several reviewers arrived worried about the steep sandy track and said the guides' clear instructions made it manageable. One family said the whole tour was enjoyable even with no prior experience.
• Group feel. The convoy is capped at 14 travellers. One reviewer mentioned the guides' funny jokes kept their kids happy, and more than one traveller said they would return or recommend the tour to friends.
• Kids on tour. Families are clearly welcome. One reviewer called it fun for the whole family after repeating the tour years apart, and another said their kids enjoyed the sand boarding.
• Extra costs. The NPWS fee of $6.50 per extra passenger is paid on departure, and your vehicle needs a Worimi Lands Beach permit. Budget for both on top of the booking.
• Weather and timing. The experience needs good weather, and poor conditions can mean a cancelled run. The listing offers a different date or a full refund in that case, so keep some flexibility in your plans.

Common issues. There is no hotel pickup, and the 14:00 start means an afternoon commitment with a fixed meeting point in Anna Bay. The NPWS fee of $6.50 per extra passenger and the Worimi Lands Beach permit for your vehicle are both extra. Weather can cancel the tour, with a new date or full refund offered. One reviewer noted the track is very steep in places, which may unsettle inexperienced drivers, though most found the instructions reassuring. Confirmation can take up to 48 hours and depends on availability.

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