5 great day trips from Sydney

Whale watching is also a popular activity as humpbacks and southern right whales pass through the waters during the annual migration between May and November. They can be viewed from the headland in Tomaree National Park or through a whale-watching tour, such as Imagine Cruises' Sail With the Whales cruise, available from May 28 to November 3.

There are 26 beaches in the Port Stephens region, the most noted being Stockton Beach, which runs 32 kilometers from Stockton to Anna Bay. The sand dunes of Stockton Beach featured in several scenes from the 1979 movie "Mad Max," starring Mel Gibson.

Imagine Cruises Port Stephens, Anna Bay, NSW; +61 2 49 849 000