There was great excitement leaving HQ, with the anticipation of our adventure to Port Stephens. We had the playlist ready and hit the road, dancing to the beat. Our first meal and start of many delicious feasts was at the Mooney Mooney Club which is located on the shores of the Hawkesbury River with idyllic views.
After checking into our amazing accommodation, we went exploring to Little Beach which was only steps away. From our accommodation, you could hear the waves and smell the salty air – Very special.
Our week was action-packed and what better way to start a Trusted Travel holiday than to go four-wheel driving and sandboarding!! The sand dunes at Anna Bay are the largest coastal dunes in the Southern Hemisphere. The dunes stretch 32km and can reach over 40 to 50 metres high – that’s a 10-storey building! The views alone are spectacular. With great effort and determination, we climbed to the top of the dunes, slid down and repeat. Woo, it was so much fun.
While most of the group chose to be thrill-seekers, a few other Trusted travellers went for a cruise on the historic timber ferry from Nelson Bay to Tea Gardens. The ferry ride took us through the heart of Port Stephens Marine Park and along the shores of the Myall River. With calm waters, sunshine and blue skies, it was the perfect day to be out on the bay enjoying the stunning vistas.
On Wednesday, we slowed the pace and spent the day at Oakvale Wildlife Park with some new animal friends of all shapes and sizes. The 4-week-old goats were super cuddly and it was such a cool experience being able to bottle feed them. We all enjoyed patting the soft koalas and a few brave travellers even held the olive python.
On Thursday we headed back to the sandscape of Anna Bay, to be with more furry animals – the friendly and gentle camels. The camel ride took us through the sand dunes – we felt like Lawrence of Arabia on the Sahara Desert. After a relaxing lunch at the Crest Cafe with its incredible beach views, we ventured to Fighter World, the aviation museum to discover many incredible planes operated by the Royal Australian Air Force. We felt like real “top gun” pilots, sitting in the cockpit of the Mirage Interceptor and the Macchi Jet Trainer.
On the last evening we went to Gan Gan Hill which is one of the highest spots in the area to see the most spectacular sunset, followed by a delicious meal at the iconic Shoal Bay Country Club.
On the last day we visited the stunning Inner Light Tea Rooms which overlooked the picturesque bay, for one last opportunity to take in the view and some happy snaps.
We all agreed it was a week of incredible adventure and we were beyond happy that we had made new friends.
