Stockton  New South Wales

Perched on the northern side of the Hunter River mouth directly opposite Newcastle, Stockton is a historic seaport.

While the glory days when much of the produce from the Hunter Valley pastures and coal mines were shipped through its portals are gone, Stockton retains much of its old, singular charm as an ocean and riverside 'commuter suburb’ of Newcastle which is just a short ferry ride away.

Stockton is also a holiday base, handy for the tourist and natural attractions of Newcastle, magnificent Lake Macquarie, Port Stephens, the Watagan Mountains hinterland and the pleasures of the Hunter Valley vineyards and restaurants.

Of special interest are the Stockton sand dunes that stretch more than 30km north to Anna Bay in Port Stephens. The unvegetated dune system is up to 1.5km wide and is a haven for fisherfolk, 4WD enthusiasts and nature lovers in general. Some of the varied activities available in the dunes include camel riding, horse riding, quad and dune buggy driving and sand tobogganing.