Taste of Port Stephens
Nature & Parks
With succulent local seafood and boutique beers, Port Stephens is an awesome destination for lovers of food and drink.
Start with the two fish coop's located just past d'Albora Marina, Nelson Bay, where you can purchase a range of seafood and cook up a storm yourself (or just whip up a tasty prawn sandwich).
Port Stephens is famous for our local oysters, the Sydney Rock variety which are farmed here and sold to some of the top restaurants in Australia. If you are in Port Stephens there are a number of places you can source local oysters, including the fish coops in Nelson Bay and Holberts Oysters on Diemars Road at Soldiers Point. If you happen to see some Myall River prawns for sale then they are also well worth a try (and again a local specialty). Plus, call into Tailor Made Fish Farms to check out the barramundi hatchery or sample some in their restaurant.
Not a seafood lover? Don't despair, the area is also home to Sam's Figs and Olives and Medowie Macadamias where you can visit the farms and sample the produce. Dotted throughout Nelson Bay, Shoal Bay, Fingal Bay and Soldiers Point are cafes and restaurants that all have their specialties... the best idea is to ask a local what their favourite restaurants are.
On your way into Nelson Bay or on your way home you might also like to call into one of our local wineries or Murrays Brewery. Port Stephens is home to Port Stephens Winery (located at Murrays Brewery). Murray's Brewery is a boutique brewery with craft beers including Whale Ale, Angry Man and Sassy Belgian Blonde (there are many more to try and new brews being developed). Local hint - get to Murrays around 2pm and you can join a brewery tour.
Don't forget that the Hunter Valley is only 1.5 hours from Port Stephens. So base yourself here and enjoy a beachside holiday with a day trip to the Hunter Valley.
And, Tastes of the Bay - Food, Wine and Jazz Festival is held in early November each year.
All this and only a 2.5 hour drive from Sydney, 1 hour from Newcastle or a short flight from Melbourne, Brisbane or the Gold Coast. If all this sounds good, then you will need at least a few nights to sample it all. Browse and book online!
