The world of pet-friendly travel has certainly opened up in Australia as more options become available. Where we used to be reliant on the good-will of friends and family or trusting our fur-family to kennels, there are now many regions that offer pet friendly accommodation plus dog-friendly parks, beaches, cafes…
The NSW Government through changes to the Fair Trading Amendment (Short-term Rental Accommodation) Act 2018, has implemented a mandatory Code of Conduct for Short Term Rental Accommodation. The Code creates new minimum standards of behaviour and requirements for all industry participants, including: Booking platforms Hosts Guests Letting agents and facilitators.…
So you have packed the car, organised the friends and family and are all ready for the long awaited getaway escape to the water wonderland of Port Stephens. And yes, not to be forgotten, the fur-kids are also ready to go! Port Stephens is renowned for being a natural area…
A month of delicious food and special delights Be amazed by the local catch at LOVE SEA FOOD TASTES PORT STEPHENS this August! Port Stephen’s month-long celebration has arrived! The renowned Port Stephens events, Love Sea Food and Tastes at the Bay, have joined in 2019 to create one of the…
Winter, Whales, Festivals and Fun! What we love about the Winter period is that we are really lucky to live in an area where Winter clothes normally means adding a pair of jeans and maybe a warm jacket but be ready to change into shorts and a T-shirt sometime in…
After many years – at least 3? – the Spit to Fingal Island is back in place. For a long time it was not accessible but now we are able to walk over to the island again and we are so happy to be able to spend the good part…
First of all, there are many ways to get to Little Beach but the best way that still always takes my breath away, is to come via the Nelson Bay shoreline (along Victoria Rd) and continue along that road, hugging the waterline. There is a short hill rise around Fly Point and the…
We love going up to the Lighthouse Tea Rooms (“Innerlight” is the proper name but we all tend to call it the Lighthouse Tea Rooms) – some beautiful improvements have been made over the last few years, with the extension of the outside dining area which provides even more expansive views over…
A fully enclosed dog exercise area was put in place in Fingal Bay in late 2016 and is has proved to be a very popular place for local and tourist 4-legged friends. This is located in the foreshore parkland area next to the beach and is south of the children’s…
If you have not been to Boat Harbour yet or have not been for a long time, it is the perfect place to spend a few hours or even a whole day. Boat Harbour is a quintessential seaside village, just off the main tourist areas and tucked away between Anna…
We are often asked about the dog-friendly beaches in the area. Afterall, a holiday in Port Stephens has so much to do with the waterways, ocean, bay areas and beaches. And Bagnalls Beach is a beach that caters for everyone – humans (of all ages!) and our 4-legged friends. It is…
The most popular dog friendly beach in the area is Bagnalls Beach at Corlette which is ‘dog heaven’ – completely off the lead, full access all day, a great picnic area next to the beach, easy parking and a bonus as well that it is also a lovely spot for ‘humans’. It is best to…
It has been a while since we visited the Tilligery Peninsula but close local friends of ours recommended we take a trip to see what changes had occurred. We normally take a trip to the area every year but we realised it had been more than a year since we last explored…
One of our good friends Mitch is a local photographer and he recently explained to us the ‘magic time’ of day to take photos. This is around 4pm depending on the season, and is when the sun is lower in the sky, the glare has gone but before the start of…
While on the subject of Fingal Bay, there is a popular walking and cycling trail from Shoal Bay to Fingal. This is easily accessible from the Cottages – just head south pass the school and continue to the end of Rigney Street. Turn right onto Tomaree Street and the walking…
Every year (sometimes 2 or 3 times), we take the National Park walk to Big Rocky. The walk starts in Fingal Bay and meanders along the cost down to Big Rocky which is a little north of Samarui Beach. This is a great walk in Autumn and Spring – it…
This is another favourite spot for us as it is slightly out of the way and not in the main tourist area. The Cellar Cafe is both a bottle shop and cafe in one, and is located in Market Street, Fingal Bay. The cafe is open for breakfast and lunch,…