Lying just a two and a half hour drive north of Sydney, Port Stephens is a popular destination for tourists and holidaymakers in Australia, both international and domestic. The warm waters in the region are ideal for dolphins, and visitors can enjoy seeing these playful and friendly animals in their natural habitat.
Bottlenose Dolphins in Port Stephens
The bottlenose dolphin, the species most commonly found in Port Stephens, is so named because of its short rounded snout. This dolphin occupies temperate and tropical waters, bays and inlets around the world.
The bottlenose dolphin population in Port Stephens are used to regular visits from the many cruise companies in the area, and it is extremely rare for passengers to return without sighting a group (or pod) of dolphins swimming and frolicking in the water about their boat. Indeed most companies boast of a 99% success rate, and offer a free return cruise if no dolphins are sighted.
Dolphin Watching Cruises
There are several cruise companies that take passengers on dolphin watching cruises, as well as whale watching during the migration season between May and October. Cruise durations start from approximately two hours, often including morning or afternoon tea. Prices start from around $22 per adult, depending on the inclusions, size of vessel and the duration of the cruise. Cruises may also include lunch or dinner, with sunset cruises being particularly popular with couples.
Most cruises depart from the Nelson Bay Marina, on the southern shore of Port Stephens, and there are also cruises from Tea Gardens on the north shore. Vessels range in size from the Supercats of Moonshadow Cruises which can carry around 300 passengers down to the smaller catamarans and yachts available for personal hire.
Fun Activities on the Water in Port Stephens
Many of the vessels that operate dolphin cruises in Port Stephens offer fun activities alongside the dolphin watching experiences. Boomnet rides are available on many of the boats, and are extremely popular with families and young people. Tamboi Queen Cruises, the oldest operating cruise company in the region, also has an all-ages waterslide and foredeck saltwater spa on board its flagship the MV Spirit. Cruises anchor off Shoal Bay beach for some fun in the water, in addition to the dolphin watching.
Eco-friendly Dolphin Watching Cruises
With tourists today being more aware of the impact that their travel has on the environment, many of the cruise companies on Port Stephens are certified ecotourism operators. Imagine Cruises in particular prides itself on its history of combining environment and tourism. The company initiated the Dolphin Research Education And Management (DREAM) research fund, contributing to an assessment of the impact of wildlife tourism on the region’s bottlenose dolphins.
With an almost-guaranteed dolphin sighting on every trip, it is well worth the excursion beyond the boundaries of Sydney to Port Stephens to partake in one of the many educational and entertaining dolphin-watching cruises on offer.
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