Private Minivan, Options Paid On Day

A private full-day tour from Sydney run by Go Beyond Tours, shaped around your group rather than a fixed coach timetable. Dolphin and whale cruise options can be added, and time on the Stockton Bight dunes is on the cards. 5.0 from 8 reviews.

Overview

This is a full-day private tour from Sydney to Port Stephens, run by Go Beyond Tours in an air-conditioned minivan with a local guide. Pickup is included from most central Sydney accommodation, with the meeting point at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, 140 George St in The Rocks, and an 08:00 start. Only your group travels in the van.

The day follows a set route with free-admission stops: a brief pass by the Sydney Harbour Bridge, an hour in Nelson Bay, twenty minutes at Gan Gan Lookout, forty-five minutes at Nelson Bay Bowling and Recreation Club, and twenty minutes at Little Beach Reserve. The Stockton Sand Dunes stop lasts fifty minutes and is the one place where an admission ticket is not included. The tour ends back at the meeting point in Sydney.

Several optional activities cost extra on the day: a dolphin or whale watching cruise, sandboard hire, and a camel ride fee. Lunch is also not included. Bottled water is provided. The tour suits travellers who want Port Stephens in a single day without the long public transit journey, and who are happy to pick and pay for extras as they go.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Pickup in SydneyHotel or port pickup is included, with the meeting point at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, 140 George St, The Rocks. The tour starts at 08:00.
2. Sydney Harbour BridgeA 5-minute stop with free admission as the tour heads out of the city.
3. Nelson BayOne hour here with free admission.
4. Gan Gan LookoutA 20-minute stop with free admission.
5. Nelson Bay Bowling and Recreation ClubForty-five minutes with free admission.
6. Little Beach ReserveA 20-minute stop with free admission.
7. Stockton Sand DunesFifty minutes at the dunes. Admission is not included, and sandboard hire and the camel riding fee are paid separately.
8. Return to SydneyThe tour ends back at the meeting point in The Rocks.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points worth knowing before you book this one.

• Swimming on the cruise. One reviewer reported that swimming is possible on the cruise and wished they had known in advance so they could prepare. The guide could not confirm this, since guides do not join the cruise, so check with the operator directly if this matters to you.
• Budget for extras. The cruise, sandboard hire and camel riding fee are all paid on the day and are not in the tour price. Lunch is also at your own cost. Bottled water is the only refreshment provided.
• Private group feel. This is a private tour, so only your group travels in the vehicle. The van is air-conditioned and a local guide accompanies you throughout the day.
• Family friendly. Infant seats are available and pushchairs are accessible, so the tour works for families with young children. Service animals are allowed too.
• Dolphins, not camels. A reviewer reported seeing many dolphins on the cruise and enjoying sandboarding, but found camel rides were not available on their day. Treat the camel ride as possible rather than guaranteed.
• Long but easy day. The tour runs a full day with a 08:00 start. The listing states that most travellers can participate, though the vehicle is not wheelchair accessible.

Common issues. The main catch is that optional activities cost extra and one reviewer found camel rides were unavailable on the day. The tour is not wheelchair accessible, and it requires a minimum number of travellers, so it can be cancelled if that minimum is not met, in which case a different date or a full refund is offered. Changes and cancellations inside 24 hours of the start time are not accepted and receive no refund. One reviewer also noted that the guide could not tell them about swimming on the cruise because guides do not join the cruise, so ask the operator directly if that matters to you.

Picking Your Dune Tour