You think you know the drive from Port Stephens to Anna Bay. Most people just punch it into Google Maps, follow the asphalt for fifteen minutes, and park at the Birubi Point Surf Life Saving Club.
They’re missing the point.
Honestly, the "trip" isn't just a 10-kilometer stretch of road connecting Nelson Bay to the edge of the Worimi Conservation Lands. It is a transition between two completely different worlds. On one end, you have the polished, turquoise-blue luxury of the bay; on the other, you have a literal desert that happens to crash into the Pacific Ocean. If you aren't feeling that shift, you're doing it wrong.
The Reality of the Port Stephens to Anna Bay Connection
Let's get the geography straight because people get confused. Port Stephens is the whole region—the "blue water paradise"—but most folks use it interchangeably with Nelson Bay. Anna Bay is the southern gateway. It is the rugged, salt-sprayed sibling that doesn't care about your fancy brunch plans.
When you make the move from the heart of Port Stephens to Anna Bay, you are moving toward the largest moving coastal dunes in the Southern Hemisphere. We're talking 4,200 hectares.
The drive itself? It’s quick.
Too quick.
If you just stick to Gan Gan Road, you’ll see some trees, maybe a stray kangaroo if it’s dusk, and then—boom—the roundabout that leads to the dunes. But the nuance is in the detours. Most travelers ignore the swampy back-end of One Mile or the rocky outcrops of Boat Harbour. That’s a mistake.
Why Birubi Beach is the Only End Goal That Matters
You arrive at Anna Bay and the first thing you hit is Birubi. It’s the northern end of Stockton Beach. This isn't your average swimming hole. This is where the road literally ends and the 32 kilometers of sand begin.
The scale is hard to describe until you’re standing on the crest of a dune looking south. It looks like Dune. It looks like Arrakis, but with better air quality and surfers. This is where the Worimi Traditional Owners have lived for thousands of years, and you can still see the middens—ancient piles of shells and tools—if you know where to look. (Don't touch them. Seriously. It’s illegal and disrespectful).
The Stockton Bight sand dunes are moving at a rate of about 4 to 6 meters a year. Think about that. The landscape you see today is literally not the one that was there five years ago.
👉 See also: Tempe Town Lake: What Nobody Tells You About the Desert's Biggest Waterfront
The Logistics: Don't Get Bogged
If you want to take a vehicle from Port Stephens to Anna Bay and actually hit the sand, you need a permit. You can't just roll your Corolla onto the beach. You’ll be "that guy." The one everyone takes photos of while the tide comes in and swallows your axles.
- The Beach Permit: You need a Worimi Conservation Lands permit. You can get them at the Shell petrol station in Anna Bay. It’s not expensive, but it’s mandatory.
- Tyre Pressure: Drop them. Then drop them more. Most people think 20 psi is enough. Experienced locals often go down to 15 or even 12 if the sand is particularly soft and "sugar-like" near the entrance.
- The Entrance: The Lavis Lane entrance is further south, but the Gan Gan Road entrance at Anna Bay is the main artery.
The sand changes. One day it’s hard-packed and you could drive a bus on it; the next, it’s a graveyard for SUVs. If you aren't comfortable with 4WD recovery, just take one of the hummer tours or the 4WD buses. They’re run by guys who have lived here for forty years and know exactly which dunes are currently "swallowing" vehicles.
The "Hidden" Stops Along the Way
Everyone stops at the Nelson Bay Lighthouse. Fine. It’s pretty. But on the way to Anna Bay, you should pull off into Boat Harbour.
It is a tiny suburb tucked away from the main road. It feels like a time capsule. No high-rises. Just rocky headlands and a small, protected beach that is often empty when Nelson Bay is packed like a sardine tin. During whale season (May to November), the headland at Boat Harbour is actually better for sightings than many of the paid lookouts because you’re closer to the water level.
Then there’s Kingsley Beach. It’s a bit of a hike down, but it’s spectacular. Most people driving from Port Stephens to Anna Bay just blow right past the turn-off. Their loss.
What Most Guides Get Wrong About the Dunes
They tell you to go for the sunset.
Sure, the sunset is great. The light hits the sand and turns everything orange and pink. It’s Instagram gold.
But the real magic of Anna Bay is the morning.
Around 7:00 AM, the wind hasn't usually kicked up yet. The dunes are perfectly smooth, rippled by the overnight breeze, with no footprints. It feels prehistoric. By 2:00 PM, the "Fanny" (the local name for the northeasterly wind) usually kicks in. It’ll sandblast your face and make your fish and chips taste like grit.
Another thing? Tin City.
People think Tin City is some historical museum. It’s not. It’s a cluster of eleven shacks in the middle of the dunes. It started during the Depression and was used in Mad Max. People still live there. They have no mains power or water. It’s a bizarre, Mad Max-style settlement that reminds you how rugged this coast actually is. You can only get there by 4WD.
The Seasonal Shift
Port Stephens to Anna Bay in January is a zoo.
The traffic on Gan Gan Road crawls. The parking lot at Birubi is a nightmare.
If you want the actual experience, go in October. The water is starting to warm up, the whales are still breaching on their way back south with their calves, and the wildflowers in the heathland between the towns are exploding.
Practical Insights for the Journey
- Coffee: Don't wait until you get to the beach. Stop at the local shops in Anna Bay. There’s a bakery there that makes a meat pie that will change your life, or at least your afternoon.
- Safety: The ocean at Anna Bay is powerful. It’s not the calm, lake-like water of Shoal Bay. There are heavy rips. If you aren't swimming between the flags at Birubi, you are flirting with a helicopter rescue.
- Camel Rides: Yes, they do camel rides on the beach. It feels touristy because it is, but honestly, seeing the dunes from that height is actually pretty cool.
- Sandboarding: If you do this, wear long shorts. Sand is an abrasive. If you wipe out at 30km/h on a piece of Masonite, you’ll find out why the locals call it "sand rash."
The transition from Port Stephens to Anna Bay is essentially the transition from "vacation mode" to "adventure mode." You leave the marinas and the gelato shops behind for something much more raw.
Next Steps for Your Trip:
Before you head out, check the BOM (Bureau of Meteorology) for wind speeds; anything over 25 knots makes the dunes miserable. Purchase your Worimi 4WD permit online or at the Anna Bay 7-Eleven if you plan on driving the beach. Finally, aim to arrive at Birubi Point at least one hour before low tide if you intend to explore the rock pools or drive down toward Tin City, as the high tide cuts off the traversable beach width significantly.