Sandy Shores

A vast oceanic playground is just one of the many attractions awaiting
visitors to this relaxed north coast community.

With 26 sandy beaches and a host of national and marine parks, many locals believe the Port Stephens Area to be heaven on Earth. It has long been a favourite of the leisure market and with the large spread of meetings and conference space available the corporate market is also paying attention.

Port Stephens is located 220 kilometres north-east of Sydney, an easy 2 hour drive away. Direct air connections are available from Sydney and other regional New South Wales centres to Newcastle, 50 kilometres to the south.

The sports-minded love the Port Stephens Area. Watersports are especially popular with jet boating, jet skiing, fishing, swimming, water skiing or simply pottering around the waterways in a “tinny” being just some of the activities on offer. There are a couple of very good golf courses, some excellent restaurants, and a laid-back, chilled-out atmosphere that quickly eases the tensions of city dwellers.

>> conference & convention venues Port Stephens NSW

DESIGNING MINDS

The Shoal Bay Resort and Spa galvanized the meetings community when it opened in November 2002. An ambitious redevelopment of the old Shoal Bay Country Club, established on prime land in 1932, it now encompasses 163 self-contained studio, one, two, and three bedroom suites, apartments and villas. The $5½ million Aqua Spa has brought a stylish Double Bay quality to Port Stephens while the extensive conference facilities are complemented by the 3 pools, restaurants and bars that sprawl across the 2 hectare site.

The latest addition to the Shoal Bay Resort and Spa is the Heritage Apartments, which will open at the end of 2004. There will be 27 luxury one bedroom apartments as well as a host of new resort facilities including Mermaids Bar and Restaurant, Cocktail Lounge, Promenade Restaurant, Occies Kids Club, a resort shop and offices.

With the opening of the Heritage Apartments, Shoal Bay Resort and Spa will have a total of 190 rooms with a sleeping capacity of 600.

MAKING THE MOST

It would be criminal not to take advantage of a waterway two-and-a-half times the size of Sydney Harbour. Moonshadow Cruises has 3 vessels available for private charter where conference groups can take to the waters of Port Stephens for meetings, product launches, gala dinners or simply or bit of R&R. Groups can take in their own special whale watching expeditions or spot the resident population of Bottlenose dolphins who enjoy a little interaction with the visitors. Multiple viewing decks run right around the boats while the Moonshadow V supercat has underwater cameras ideal for dolphin tracking.

For something a little racier, touring the Stockton Sand Dunes with Sand Safaris Active Adventure Tours aboard self-drive Honda TRX 350s is one of the most thrilling activities available in Port Stephens. Stockton is the largest moving coastal sand mass in the Southern Hemisphere, covering some 2,500 hectares with the dunes rising as high as 30 metres. It’s a unique place where unique events can be mounted.

Group activities can involve exploring the dunes and the wreck of the Sygna, which ran aground on the beach during a cyclone in 1974, and has been slowing rusting away ever since. Groups can also sand board down the dunes, fish, fly kites, ride horses or play desert golf. Barbeque lunches or dinner can be arranged with special themes, the Arabian Nights theme being especially popular.