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The Tomaree Coastal Walk is more than a track; it is a living connection between land & people — a 27-kilometre journey across Worimi Country that symbolises the best of coastal New South Wales. Whether you’re tackling the full two-day hike or exploring a short section, every step offers a reminder of how nature, culture & community can walk together in harmony.

The Tomaree Coastal Walk has quickly become one of New South Wales’ most celebrated natural experiences-a 27-kilometre journey across the spectacular headlands, beaches & forests of Port Stephens. Stretching from Tomaree Head at Shoal Bay to Birubi Point in Anna Bay, this coastal trail showcases the region’s diverse environment, rich Aboriginal heritage & growing role in sustainable tourism.

Designed to highlight the beauty of Worimi Country, the walk is part of the state’s flagship NSW Great Walks initiative — a program linking New South Wales’ most distinctive multi-day hikes from the Blue Mountains to the Snowy Alps. But beyond the government investment and trail markers, the Tomaree Coastal Walk represents something more profound: a collaborative commitment between community, culture & conservation.

Planning the Tomaree Coastal Walk – From Vision to Reality

The idea of creating a continuous coastal track through Tomaree National Park had been discussed for years before work began. Port Stephens had long attracted visitors to its beaches and headlands, yet the experience was fragmented — short local trails, lookout tracks & car-based sightseeing. The vision was to link these scattered points into one uninterrupted path, allowing walkers to explore the coastline’s full diversity at a natural pace.

Early planning started in 2022, supported by a $6.7 million NSW Government investment. The aim was to create a route that balanced tourism with environmental protection — improving access while reducing off-track erosion & visitor congestion at the region’s busiest lookouts.

Consultation with the Worimi Traditional Owners was central to the design process. The track alignment drew on ancient Worimi walking routes & stories associated with the coastline. Cultural advisors worked with the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) to ensure interpretive signage, artwork & storyboards reflected authentic connections to Country.

The initial concept proposed a 20 kilometre route, later extended to 27 kilometres as additional sections were identified for safety and environmental improvement, including the Fingal Bay bypass & new lookouts at Barry Park & Zenith Beach.

Construction & Upgrades – Building a Safer, More Accessible Trail

By early 2023, major construction was underway across Tomaree National Park. The project involved several distinct zones: the Shoal Bay precinct, including the iconic Tomaree Head summit walk; the One Mile coastal section & the southern terminus at Birubi Point.

The Tomaree Head summit walk — one of Port Stephens’ most visited sites, attracting over 200,000 walkers each year — required significant safety upgrades. From February to June 2023, the summit walk was closed entirely while NPWS replaced an ageing steel stairway, widened the narrow ridgeline track & improved the WWII gun-emplacement loop trail.

To maintain limited access, NPWS temporarily opened the summit via a connection from the gun-emplacement path between 2 June and 30 June 2023. The headland carpark & viewing areas remained open during construction, ensuring visitors could still enjoy partial views of the coastline.

At the same time, crews began work on the Birubi Gateway precinct in Anna Bay. This included construction of new seating areas, viewing decks, accessible paths & art installations celebrating the cultural significance of Birubi Point Aboriginal Place. The shared pathway between Robinson Reserve & Pacific Avenue was intermittently closed during May 2023 to accommodate heavy machinery & surfacing work.

Environmental upgrades focused on stormwater management, re-vegetation with native species & rehabilitation of informal tracks to protect sensitive dune vegetation.

Official Opening – September 2023

After nearly two years of work, the Tomaree Coastal Walk officially opened in September 2023. The finished product connected 27 kilometres of coastal landscapes — from the steep slopes of Tomaree Head to the sweeping sand dunes of Birubi Point — as a single, signed trail.

The opening was a milestone for both the NSW Great Walks program & Port Stephens’ local tourism economy. The new track allowed for multi-day itineraries that encouraged overnight stays rather than day trips, supporting cafes, restaurants, guesthouses & eco-lodges across Shoal Bay, Fingal Bay, One Mile & Anna Bay.

Officials described it as a “world-class coastal experience” & “a win-win for nature and tourism.” For the first time, walkers could traverse an entire national park coastline without leaving a managed path — moving from headlands to beaches to forest with interpretive stops along the way.

Safety & Final Additions-Fingal Bay Bypass & Barry Park Lookout

Although the walk opened in September, one final project remained. By December 2023, contractors completed the Fingal Bay bypass, a critical link designed to prevent walkers from attempting the dangerous Fingal Spit crossing — a sandbar notorious for strong tides & past accidents.

The new bypass leads hikers through a shaded corridor of blackbutt, melaleuca & eucalypt forest, across pedestrian bridges & out to a viewing platform offering 180-degree views toward Barry Park and the open ocean. This upgrade not only improved safety but also added one of the walk’s most scenic lookouts.

Additional features finalised during this stage included:

• Slot Canyon Lookout, giving elevated perspectives over Shoal Bay.
  Zenith Beach boardwalk, providing accessible coastal views near the base of Tomaree Head.
• New trailhead signage, carpark layouts and mobility-friendly paths for prams & wheelchairs at key entry points.
  

With these final touches, the Tomaree Coastal Walk reached full operational status at 27 kilometres — one of the longest and most accessible coastal trails in NSW.

Celebrating Culture & Accessibility on the Tomaree Coastal Walk

Cultural interpretation is woven throughout the tomaree coastal walk. The project honours the Worimi people, whose ancestors have walked this coastline for thousands of years. Storyboards & sculptures at Birubi Point Aboriginal Place explain local creation stories & the significance of the land & sea to the community.

Cultural artwork & signage are also found at Fingal Bay & Tomaree Head, highlighting traditional travel routes, fishing areas & gathering places. These elements encourage visitors to appreciate the walk not only as a scenic experience but as a journey through living heritage.

Accessibility was another priority. New infrastructure, including boardwalks, stabilised paths and rest areas, enables people of varied mobility levels to experience coastal nature. Interpretive nodes are spaced regularly so walkers can rest & absorb the landscape at their own rhythm.

Route Layout & Walking Options

The tomaree coastal walk can be undertaken in several ways:

Two-Day Full Hike

• Day 1: Tomaree Head Summit to One Mile Beach – approximately 18 km.
  
  • Highlights: Zenith Beach, Fingal Bay, coastal forests, secluded coves.
  • Accommodation available at Shoal Bay, Fingal Bay or One Mile.
    
• Day 2: One Mile Beach to Birubi Point – approximately 9 km.
  
  • Features: forested dunes, cultural art at Birubi Point, ocean lookouts.
    

Day-Hike Options

For shorter adventures, walkers can explore the trail in sections. A popular day-hike variant is the Birubi Point to One Mile Beach track — 7.5 km one way, taking around 4–4.5 hours. This segment offers wide ocean views and passes through small coastal communities, ideal for casual walkers seeking coffee stops or local ice-cream breaks.

Another highlight is the Tomaree Head Summit Walk, a 2.2 km return trail (Grade 5) that climbs 161 metres to panoramic views across the bay and offshore islands. Many visitors combine the summit climb with a shorter coastal stroll for a half-day outing.

The full trail is rated Grade 3, suitable for walkers with moderate fitness. The best seasons are spring through autumn, when weather is mild and wildflowers & wildlife are most active.

Tomaree Coastal Walk in the NSW Great Walks Network

Within the state’s Great Walks network, the tomaree coastal walk is the signature coastal journey. It stands alongside other celebrated multi-day hikes, including:

• Grand Cliff Top Walk (Blue Mountains)
• Murramarang South Coast Walk (Ulladulla to Batemans Bay)
• Light to Light Walk (Beowa National Park, Sapphire Coast)
• Snowies Alpine Walk (Kosciuszko National Park)
• Gidjuum Gulganyi Walk (Tweed-Byron Hinterland)
• Green Gully Track (Oxley Wild Rivers National Park)
  

Together, these trails showcase NSW’s varied landscapes — alpine summits, rainforests, river gorges and coastlines — while supporting sustainable tourism in regional areas. Tomaree’s inclusion recognises Port Stephens as the coastal gateway of the Great Walks initiative.

Community Conservation & Regeneration Efforts

The tomaree coastal walk’s success has sparked new community stewardship projects. Local volunteers have taken ownership of protecting and restoring the ecosystems that surround the track.

On 7 December, the Friends of Tomaree National Park hosted a regeneration day at the One Mile Headland entrance. Nearly twenty volunteers, supported by Escape Eco Adventures and the NSW Australian Climbing Association, gathered to remove invasive Bitou bush & plant native species suited to the coastal forest environment.

Coordinator Sue Olsson described the effort as part of a long-term goal to create a healthier, more resilient coastal forest. By encouraging native vegetation to reclaim disturbed areas, the group aims to make the site more resistant to reinvasion by exotic weeds & to provide stable habitat for local wildlife.

These activities form part of NPWS’s broader commitment to sustainable park management, ensuring that the natural and cultural values of Tomaree are maintained as visitor numbers increase.

Economic & Tourism Impact on Port Stephens

Since its completion, the tomaree coastal walk has had a measurable economic impact on the Port Stephens region. The trail encourages visitors to stay longer, supporting accommodation providers, local eateries and tour operators. Off-season visitation has grown, balancing the traditional summer surge with steady year-round demand.

Local businesses have responded with guided walking tours, e-bike hire, cultural interpretation services and eco-lodging. The influx of walkers has also inspired environmental education programs linking tourism with conservation awareness.

By 2025, Port Stephens was recognised as one of Australia’s top regional walking destinations, earning titles such as “Aussie Town of the Year.” The tomaree coastal walk is central to that reputation — a showcase of how thoughtful investment and community collaboration can transform a natural landscape into a sustainable tourism asset.

The Tomaree Coastal Walk Experience-Nature, Culture & Connection

Walking the tomaree coastal walk today is more than a recreational outing. It is an immersion into the layered character of Worimi Country — where ocean and forest meet, where ancient paths are re-traced, and where conservation and tourism coexist.

From sunrise over Shoal Bay to sunset at Birubi’s dunes, the trail offers a spectrum of experiences:

• The calls of black cockatoos above coastal banksia.
• The scent of eucalyptus on sea breezes.
• Whales breaching offshore in winter.
• Cultural markers that tell of thousands of years of continuity.
  

Each section reveals a new perspective on the Port Stephens coastline, and together they form a continuous narrative of land, people and place.

Legacy & Future of the Tomaree Coastal Walk

As part of the NSW Great Walks initiative, the tomaree coastal walk continues to evolve. NPWS conducts regular maintenance, erosion control & accessibility reviews to ensure the trail remains safe and sustainable. Community partners continue weed-control and planting programs, while tourism operators develop new experiences linking the walk with whale-watching, kayaking and Aboriginal cultural tours.

The project stands as a model for how regional NSW can develop world-class walking experiences that protect the environment and celebrate Indigenous heritage. Its combination of natural beauty, cultural depth and community stewardship ensures that future generations will continue to walk these same coastal paths with appreciation and respect.

The Tomaree Coastal Walk is more than a track; it is a living connection between land and people — a 27-kilometre journey across Worimi Country that symbolises the best of coastal New South Wales. Whether you’re tackling the full two-day hike or exploring a short section, every step offers a reminder of how nature, culture and community can walk together in harmony.

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