Tomaree Coastal Walk In 1 Day: The Ultimate Guide (2025)

The Tomaree Coastal Walk is a 27km overnight hike that officially opened on the 1st of September 2023. Featuring countless beaches, breathtaking coastal lookouts, varied forest landscapes and abundant wildlife, the walk takes place in the Tomaree National Park in the Port Stephens region of New South Wales. Starting with the popular Tomaree Head Summit Walk near Shoal Bay, the trail winds its way down the sublime coastline, ending at the newly constructed viewpoint at Birubi Point Aboriginal Place in Anna Bay.

Although the one-way walk is typically completed in two days, it’s certainly possible to do the entire hike in just one day. That’s exactly what Beck and I did. In this guide, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about the Tomaree Coastal Walk. This will include details about how to do the walk in just one supercharged day. For completeness, we’ll also cover details about doing the walk as recommended over two days.

About the Tomaree Coastal Walk

The Tomaree Coastal Walk is one of the most recently developed multi-day coastal tracks in New South Wales. Along the route, you’ll encounter remote beaches, panoramic ocean views, serene coastal villages and rugged rock formations, consisting of ancient volcanic rock. By doing this coastal walk, you’ll enjoy the very best of the 23.18km² (8.9 sq mi) Tomaree National Park.

Without a doubt, the walk starts and finishes with some major attractions. The Tomaree Coastal Walk encompasses the well-known Tomaree Head Summit Walk as an out and back to begin. You’ll then visit countless coastal attractions before reaching Birubi Point Aboriginal Place, which is the official endpoint of the walk.

By reaching the endpoint, you’ll arrive on the doorstep of Worimi National Park (AKA Worimi Conservation Lands). This area is home to the Stockton Sand Dunes, which is NSW’s largest sand dunes and the Southern Hemisphere’s largest mobile sand dunes.

As mentioned, NSW National Parks recommends doing the Tomaree Coastal Walk as a two day walk. But, Beck and I completed the walk in one epic day and highly recommend doing this as an alternate option.

Before we explore this one-day option in more detail, let’s look at a brief history of the Tomaree Coastal Walk.

Tomaree Coastal Walk History

After four years of development, the Tomaree Coastal Walk opened in September 2023. The new coastal track connects the well-established Tomaree Head Summit Walk in Shoal Bay with the many beaches dotted along the coastline to Anna Bay. Indeed, brand-spanking new coastal trail was developed over a 17km stretch between Tomaree Head and Anna Bay to create the coastal walk.

Other than featuring jaw-dropping natural beauty, the landscape’s history is a fascinating aspect of the walk. The coastal track is located on Worimi Country, where the Worimi Aboriginal people have lived for tens of thousands of years. Worimi Country is culturally significant to the Worimi people, especially Birubi Point Aboriginal Place. This area has long been used for traditional family gatherings and ceremonies.

Along the route, you’ll also find significant landmarks built post-European settlement. This includes the WWII gun emplacement found along the Tomaree Head Summit Walk. Additionally, you’ll pass near Port Stephens Lighthouse, which is located on Fingal Island.

Now you know a little background information and history, let’s dive into the nitty-gritty details about doing the Tomaree Coastal Walk.

Tomaree Coastal Walk Map (Directions)

Here’s a map of the Tomaree Coastal Walk. Feel free to access a GPS-guided map here on AllTrails.

Below, we’ll break down your itinerary options for completing the Tomaree Coastal Walk.

Tomaree Coastal Walk Itinerary Options

The Tomaree Coastal Walk takes anywhere between 1–3 days depending on your preference. Of course, the hike is typically completed as an overnight hike over two days. But, you could take things really slow and do the walk over three days. On the flip side, you could do the walk in one action-packed day. Completing the walk as a multi-day hike or a single day adventure all comes down to personal preference.

Personally speaking, Beck and I enjoy the physical challenge of a long coastal walk. Additionally, with lots of things to do during our quick trip to Australia in 2023, we were glad to downsize the multi-day trek into a day hike.

Below, we’ll cover details about the most popular options – the 2 Day and 1 Day itineraries.

Tomaree Coastal Walk In 2 Days

The Tomaree Coastal Walk is a purpose-designed overnight hike. Indeed, it’s recommended to complete this coastal track over two days. So you know exactly what you’re getting yourself into, we’ll break down the trail specs of the two days of the Tomaree Coastal Walk.

FYI – the 3 Day Tomaree Coastal Walk involves doing the Tomaree Head Summit Walk on Day 1. You’ll then complete the remainder of the walk over Days 2 and 3, basically following the itinerary of the 2 Day Tomaree Coastal Walk.

Day 1: Tomaree Head to Samurai/One Mile Beach

• Distance: 18km
• Accumulated elevation gain: 400 metres
• Time: 4–8 hours

After completing the Tomaree Head Summit Walk, you’ll walk to Samurai Beach or One Mile Beach. You can either camp at Samurai Beach Campground or walk to accommodation at One Mile Beach. Alternatively, you can organise transport from One Mile Beach to any accommodation in Port Stephens, re-commencing the walk from One Mile Beach the next day. For more information, please read Where to Stay Along the Tomaree Coastal Walk.

Day 2: Samurai/One Mile Beach to Birubi Point

• Distance: 9km
• Accumulated elevation gain: 200 metres
• Time: 3–5 hours

On the second day, you’ll simply walk from Samurai or One Mile Beach to Birubi Point Aboriginal Place.

Tomaree Coastal Walk In 1 Day: Quick Overview

• Type: One-way
• Distance: 25km
• Time: 7–10 hours
• Accumulated elevation gain: 600 metres
• Difficulty: Grade 4 (Hard)
• Trailhead: Zenith Beach Car Park

As mentioned, it’s possible to complete the entire Tomaree Coastal Walk in just a single day. Beck and I enjoyed doing the walk in one glorious day and highly recommend it. Indeed, if you’re reasonably fit and motivated, you should be more than capable of doing this walk in one day.

By doing the walk in one day, you won’t need to organise any overnight accommodation en route. Also, the overall mileage is 2km shorter as you won’t need to do the additional walk to accommodation at One Mile Beach.

Tomaree Coastal Walk Highlights

Whether you choose to do the Tomaree Coastal Walk over multiple days or just one day, you’ll enjoy the same attractions and landmarks. Below, we’ll look at all of the highlights along the route, starting with the Tomaree Head Summit Walk.

Tomaree Head Summit Walk

On its own, the Tomaree Head Summit Walk is the most popular hiking trail in Port Stephens. After a short yet steep walk up several series of steps, you’ll arrive at the headland’s superb peak. Indeed, Tomaree Head Summit is the crown jewel when it comes to the best lookout in Port Stephens.

From Tomaree Head, you’ll enjoy unbeatable views of many of Port Stephen’s beaches, such as Shoal Bay, Zenith Beach, Wreck Beach and Box Beach. Other than fantastic coastal views from the summit, it’s also worth doing some additional walking to the historic WWII gun emplacements.

To be honest, Beck and I had planned to complete the Tomaree Head Summit Walk at sunrise. But, unfortunately, the morning was forecasted to have poor visibility due to low-lying fog. So, instead, we did the Tomaree Head Summit Walk at sunset the night before completing the Tomaree Coastal Walk when the weather was much better. Admittedly, sunset is just as spectacular as sunrise. So, if you find yourself in a similar position, this itinerary variation is a good alternative to guarantee splendid views from Tomaree Head Summit.

Zenith Beach

After completing the Tomaree Head Summit Walk, you’ll make your way to the first beach of the day – Zenith Beach. Perched next to Tomaree Head Summit, you’ll feel dwarfed by the headland as you walk along the white sand beach. Surely, Zenith Beach is one of the most stunning beaches in Tomaree National Park and all of Port Stephens for that matter. Certainly, the Tomaree Coastal Walk gets off to a cracking start!

After entering the northern end of Zenith Beach, you’ll exit the southern end of the beach, re-joining the coastal track.

Wreck Beach

From Zenith Beach, you’ll walk around 1.2km before reaching the turnoff for Wreck Beach. To explore Wreck Beach, you’ll need to do a short out and back walk. Admittedly, the final section of the walk down onto the beach is quite steep. To save our legs, we decided to venture close to Wreck Beach, enjoying views of it, without stepping foot onto the beach itself.

Box Beach

From the turnoff for Wreck Beach, you’ll walk another 700 metres to arrive at another turnoff – this time for Box Beach. Again, you’ll need to do a short out and back to step foot on Box Beach, which we highly recommend.

Basically, you have two options to reach Box Beach. You can either follow a walking trail through the coastal bushland or simply road walk to Box Beach. Although the walking trail is well-defined, Beck and I opted for the road walk as an easier option. And, this option would avoid the early morning cobwebs on the bushwalking trail!

Box Beach is another spectacular beach found along the Tomaree Coastal Walk. We highly recommend heading to the southern end of the beach where you’ll find mesmerising rock formations.

Fingal Beach

From Box Beach, you’ll rejoin the coastal track, heading towards Fingal Bay. Along the way, Beck and I surprisingly encountered a ‘Temporary Detour’ sign. This was certainly unexpected as we thought the official opening of the Tomaree Coastal Walk meant that the track would have been completed without any detours. Nevertheless, the sign recommended that we follow the cycling path, parallel to Marine Drive to reach halfway down Fingal Beach.

In the future, when there is no detour in place, you’ll follow a trail currently called the Ocean Beach Trail, to reach Fingal Beach at its northern end, closer to Fingal Spit.

After following the cycling path, we arrived at Fingal Bay, stepping foot onto Fingal Beach. Compared with Zenith, Wreck and Box Beaches, Fingal Beach is a much larger white sand beach. The beach brilliantly extends to the Fingal Spit, which connects the beach with Fingal Island. As mentioned, this is where the Port Stephens Lighthouse is located.

So you’re aware, crossing the spit is tide-dependant and not officially part of the Tomaree Coastal Walk. Perhaps, you’ll want to re-visit the area to visit the lighthouse another time!

After walking along the beach to its southern end, the next attraction is visiting Barry Park Lookout. This is an excellent viewpoint for whale watching. Having visited during the backend of the migratory season in late November, Beck and I didn’t see any whales at the lookout or during the walk!

Big Rocky

After departing Barry Park Lookout, you’ll join a winding and undulating trail through drier coastal bushland. For around 5km, you’ll walk a section void of any major attractions, yet you’ll enjoy consistent mouthwatering coastal views.

At around the 12km mark, you’ll reach a turnoff for Little Rocky, which is a bite-size version of Big Rocky, the turnoff of which is a further 200 metres along the trail. Essentially, both areas feature wondrous coastal rock formations. Both Little Rocky and Big Rocky are worth exploring. Of course, if you’re tight on time or down on energy, we recommend prioritising Big Rocky, which has even more mindblowing formations than Little Rocky.

After exploring Big Rocky, the trail continues to Samurai Beach.

Samurai Beach

Samurai Beach is a clothes-optional (nudist) beach along the Tomaree Coastal Walk featuring a basic campground. If you’re into the whole nudist beach thing, Samurai Beach may be your favourite attraction along the coastal walk. It could even make for the perfect naked lunch spot. Call us prudish, but Beck and I were happy to enjoy walking along the picturesque beach with our hiking gear still on!

At the southern end of Samurai Beach, you’ll reach one of the most extraordinary natural settings along the Tomaree Coastal Walk. Between Samurai Beach and One Mile Beach, you’ll arrive at a spectacular series of red-tinged rock platforms called Middle Rock. Set against the turquoise-coloured ocean, the undefined trail along the rocks is simply delightful.

One Mile Beach

After walking along Middle Rock, you’ll reach One Mile Beach. This is yet another stunning beach along the Tomaree Coastal Walk. Personally, Beck and I enjoyed lunch near Middle Rock at the northern end of the beach, before walking along the beach itself. At the southern end of the beach, you’ll reach a defined trail that steeply exits the beach, following through more coastal bushland.

Following a section of bushwalking, you’ll arrive at Slot Canyon Lookout.

Slot Canyon Lookout

The Slot Canyon Lookout is one of the most geologically fascinating parts of the coastal walk. A large split in the rock formations has created an awe-inspiring narrow slot canyon along the coastline over the shoreline. From the lookout, you can enjoy a great view of the Slot Canyon, watching waves crash and fill the bottom of the canyon.

After visiting the lookout, you’ll enjoy a series of spread-out board walks over undulating rocky terrain. You’ll soon pass Boulder Beach before arriving at Boat Harbour Beach.

Boat Harbour Beach

Sure, Boat Harbour Beach isn’t the best beach you’ll encounter along the Tomaree Coastal Walk. Of course, by this point of the walk, you’d have been spoilt by several outstanding stretches of white sand. At least, at Boat Harbour Beach, you’ll find several useful amenities, such as a sheltered picnic table, a bench to rest and public toilets.

After passing the calm beach, you’ll walk through the small coastal town of Boat Harbour, following along Kingsley Drive. Soon enough, you’ll reach Kingsley Beach.

Kingsley Beach

Kingsley Beach is one of the lesser-known beaches along the Tomaree Coastal Walk. We think Kingsley Beach, alongside Little Kingsley Beach, which is the next beach along the trail, are both unsung attractions. Certainly, even during the later stages of the walk, you’ll enjoy equally impressive beaches and coastal views as first encountered near Tomaree Head.

Fishermans Bay

Soon after departing Little Kingsley Beach, the trail meanders through a dense forest landscape. Generally speaking, the dramatically changing forest and bushland environment is a highlight of the coastal walk. After walking among drier bushland, you’ll enjoy more lush forest vibes before arriving at Fishermans Bay. Admittedly, we didn’t stay too long at Fishermans Bay, making our way to the Iris Moore Picnic Area.

Iris Moore Lookout

Next to the Iris Moore Picnic Area, you’ll find the magnificent Iris Moore Lookout. From the lookout, you’ll enjoy immediate views of Iris Moore Reserve as well as sweeping views of the Tomaree coastline. Near the Birubi Point Cemetery, you’ll find an unnamed lookout, which is just as impressive.

Once you’ve passed the Iris Moore Lookout, you’re really on the home stretch as you approach Birubi Point Aboriginal Place.

Birubi Point Aboriginal Place

The Birubi Point Aboriginal Place is the official endpoint of the Tomaree Coastal Walk. This is where you’ll find a recently constructed lookout, featuring several information boards detailing the Aboriginal history of the area. Other than reading and understanding the history of the area, you’ll enjoy sweeping views of Birubi Beach and Stockton Beach from Birubi Point.

Birubi Beach

Although Birubi Point is the official endpoint of the coastal walk, feel free to explore Birubi Beach. This beach is at the northern end of Stockton Beach and is located on the Worimi Conservation Lands. Beck and I visited Birubi Beach in 2019 during Beck’s first-ever trip to Australia. So, despite being tired from the walk, we were happy to continue our walk along the beach, soaking up the nostalgia.

Stockton Beach

From Birubi Beach, you’re just a stone’s throw away from the famous Stockton Sand Dunes. If you’re too tired to explore the sand dunes after doing the coastal walk, that’s fair enough. We highly recommend revisiting to explore the sand dunes another day!

So, there you have the many highlights of the breathtaking Tomaree Coastal Walk. Below, we’ll discuss some of the logistics of doing the walk, such as how to get there, where to park, public transport and accommodation en route.

How to Get to the Tomaree Coastal Walk

The most convenient way to get to Port Stephens to do the Tomaree Coastal Walk is to drive there yourself. If you don’t have a car, we recommend hiring one for your trip to Port Stephens. The distance from Sydney to Nelson Bay in Port Stephens is around 200km and takes around three hours to drive.

To find out more about renting a car with Discover Cars, read our Discover Cars review and Discover Cars Insurance review.

It’s also possible to use public transport to get from Sydney to Port Stephens. From Sydney, you can catch a train to Newcastle, where you can then catch a bus or two buses to Port Stephens, depending on service availability. Using public transport is certainly time-consuming and long-winded, so we don’t recommend it.

Tomaree Coastal Walk Parking

According to NSW National Parks, all-day free parking is available at the trailhead for the Tomaree Head Summit Walk (AKA Upper Zenith Beach Car Park) and also along Shoal Bay on Shoal Bay Road. But, this isn’t correct. Both of these areas are 4 hour parking zones, enforced during the day, which means they aren’t appropriate places to park for the coastal walk, which takes all day or multiple days.

Thankfully, there is all-day free parking at the Zenith Beach Car Park (AKA Lower Zenith Beach Car Park) located here. At this car park, there are around 15–20 spots. Make sure to arrive early to guarantee a spot.

Tomaree Coastal Walk Public Transport

After completing the one-way Tomaree Coastal Walk, you’ll need to use public transport to get from Anna Bay to Shoal Bay. From this bus stop in Anna Bay, catch the 130 bus to Shoal Bay. From Shoal Bay, you’ll simply walk to the Zenith Beach Car Park. Otherwise, you can organise a taxi or car shuffle with your mates!

Where to Stay Along the Tomaree Coastal Walk

When it comes to Tomaree Coastal Walk accommodation, there are plenty of options. If you’re doing the Tomaree Coastal Walk as a multi-day hike, you’ll want to be strategic with where you stay. Below, we’ll run through your options regarding the best places to stay along the coastal track.

Samurai Beach Campground

There are several Tomaree Coastal Walk camping options en route. Perhaps, the most convenient option is camping at the Samurai Beach Campground. After all, the camping area is literally located along the walk at Samurai Beach. Keep in mind, that the Samurai Beach Campground is a basic camping area with no facilities. So, you’d have to come fully prepared.

It’s also possible to camp at an Ingenia holiday park or even glamp at the Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary in the suburb of One Mile, next to One Mile Beach. Let’s explore these options below.

One Mile Ingenia Holiday Parks

The official Tomaree Coastal Walk map suggests walking to and staying in the upper area of One Mile, where you’ll find both Ingenia Holidays Middle Rock and Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary. Of course, other than camping or glamping, there are a variety of lodging options at both Ingenia Holidays Middle Rock and Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary, including delightful cabins.

Other than Ingenia Holidays Middle Rock, you’ll find another Ingenia holiday park in the lower area of One Mile, called Ingenia Holidays One Mile Beach. To be honest, both Ingenia Holidays Middle Rock and Ingenia Holidays One Mile Beach share a similar vibe and are both convenient accommodation options during the Tomaree Coastal Walk.

Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary

As mentioned, the official Tomaree Coastal Walk map suggests walking to and staying in the upper area of One Mile if you’re doing an overnight hike. In this area, you’ll find the highly-rated Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary. Certainly, this would be a memorable place to stay.

Other One Mile Beach Accommodation

Thankfully, there are plenty of other fantastic accommodation options in the lower area of One Mile near One Mile Beach. Let’s look at the other best Tomaree Coastal Walk accommodation options in One Mile.

Port Stephens and Nelsons Bay Accommodation

Of course, you can stay wherever you like during the Tomaree Coastal Walk. From Gan Gan Road in One Mile, you can organise public transport or a taxi to take you to your accommodation in Port Stephens. You’ll simply return to One Mile Beach the next day to complete the walk.

Even if you’re doing the Tomaree Coastal Walk in just one day, you may want to stay in Port Stephens or Nelson Bay before or afterwards. In this case, you can stay anywhere you’d like in the Port Stephens region.

Best Time of Year to Do the Tomaree Coastal Walk

Honestly, any time of year is a good time to do the Tomaree Coastal Walk. Of course, certain times of the year may be better than others.

During Summer (December to February), you’ll encounter hot weather, which may make all-day hiking very tough. On the flip side, the days are much shorter in winter (June to August), so that may not be an ideal time to hike, especially if you’re smashing it out in one day. Additionally, the beaches may be too cold for swimming in winter.

Of course, whale migratory season is from May to November. So, perhaps the best time to do the walk, keeping the weather and wildlife in mind, is in May or between September to November.

Hiking Gear For the Tomaree Coastal Walk

Here are our hiking gear essentials for the Tomaree Coastal Walk. Of course, you’ll want to pack plenty of water (2–3L), snacks and you’ll want to be sun smart, so wear a hat, long sleeves and sunscreen.

To find out more about all of the gear that we use and recommend, read our guides about our favourite hiking gear, travel gear and camera gear. Otherwise, read our comprehensive travel packing checklist.

Tomaree Coastal Walk FAQs

Below, you’ll find the most frequently asked questions about the Tomaree Coastal Walk.

How Long Is the Tomaree Coastal Walk?

The Tomaree Coastal Walk length is approx. 27km for the overnight hike and 25km for the one day hike option. That’s because you won’t need to do additional walking to accommodation in One Mile (extra 2km) if you’re doing the walk in one day.

How Hard Is the Tomaree Coastal Walk?

Using the Australian Walking Track Grading System, the coastal walk has been rated Grade 4. This means the walk is considered hard. Certainly, doing the walk in one day is physically demanding, especially in the heat. Otherwise, trail navigation is simple and elevation gain is modest given the long distance.

What Is the Tomaree Coastal Walk Elevation Gain?

The total accumulated elevation gain is approx. 600 metres.

What to Expect On the Tomaree Coastal Walk?

Other than a breathtaking coastal walk, expect to see plenty in the way of wildlife. Beck and I missed out on seeing whales and dolphins. But, we were lucky enough to see white-bellied sea eagles, an echidna as well as several goannas and kangaroos. You’ll also encounter plenty of spider webs during some sections, which Beck wasn’t too pleased about.

Is the Tomaree Coastal Walk Free?

The walk itself is free. Depending on your circumstances, you’ll just have to factor in the costs of accommodation and public transport.

Where to Get More Details About the Walk?

Head to the NSW National Parks website.

Is the Tomaree Coastal Walk Dog Friendly?

No, pets aren’t allowed in NSW National Parks.

Are There Similar Coastal Walks in NSW?

Similar overnight coastal treks in NSW include the Murramarang South Coast Walk in Murramarang National Park, the Light to Light Walk in Beowa National Park (formerly Ben Boyd National Park) and the Royal Coastal Track in Sydney’s Royal National Park.

Read more: Hiking The Royal National Park Coastal Walk In One Day

Bonus Tips For Hiking the Tomaree Coastal Walk

• Public transport is limited: bear in mind, that the 130 bus from Anna Bay to Shoal Bay only runs hourly at peak times and every two hours during non-peak times.
• Arrive early to ensure free all-day parking: there is limited unrestricted parking near Tomaree Head. So, arrive early to avoid disappointment.
• Explore more of Port Stephens: in reality, by doing this walk, there are no other Tomaree National Park walks to do as you’d have covered the best trails already. But, there are plenty more beautiful places to explore in Port Stephens. After completing the hike, make sure to visit Shoal Bay, Nelson Bay, Dutchmans Beach, Bagnalls Beach and the Stockton Sand Dunes. If you’re a hiking junkie, we simply recommend doing some coastal walks around Port Stephens, where you can walk between bays and beaches.

Did we exclude any important details in this article? Please let us know in the comments below.

We acknowledge and respect the First Nations people as the Traditional Custodians of the land/water that we visited and recognise that sovereignty was never ceded.