Family-Friendly Things to Do on Stockton Beach
Sandboarding
The forever changing sandscape of the Stockton Beach dunes creates peaks of over 30-metres with slopes of up to 60 degrees, making them the ideal platform for sandboarding, an activity suitable for every season.
Forget forking out the big bucks to go tobogganing in the snow. In the dunes you can slide down the slopes on boogie boards of your own or join one of the local guides and use their specially designed sandboard, where you can even strap in and surf down the dunes much like snowboarding.
2 kids sandboarding at Stockton Beach
Family Tip:
Keep an eye on kids near dune crests and vehicle tracks, as visibility can be limited and traffic can come from any direction.
Fishing
For any keen fishos, Stockton Beach is the perfect spot to pull over, park up and get your line wet. You can fish straight off the beach if you have the tackle, but for the best spot, it’s worth a trip south to the Newcastle Breakwater where you can chase mulloways, tailors and a few other pelagic species on livies or mullet.
There’s good bream and flathead fishing in other areas, but it’s always good to chase some local advice, and any of the local tackle shops will be ideal for this.
Exploring the Worimi Conservation Lands
The Worimi Conservation Lands’ 22km of beach and 350 hectares of dune driving within the recreational vehicle area (RVA) are home to a host of sights worth visiting on your Stockton Beach visit.
In 1974 during almost cyclonic conditions, the MV Sygna, a Norwegian bulk carrier, ran aground on Stockton Beach and has remained there ever since, becoming a local icon. The ship remained largely visible until 2016 when the remains collapsed into the sea. Nowadays, even at low tide, there unfortunately isn’t much to see.
For a better look at some shipwrecks, the Stockton Shipwreck Walk is a great family walk that combines scenic views with a history lesson. This easy stroll has great views of Nobby’s Lighthouse, coal ships entering or leaving the harbour, seals and dolphins and of course the remains of ships.
One of the most unique things to see among the dunes is Tin City. This small community of makeshift shacks looks like a settlement straight out of Mad Max and has an interesting history.
Tin City, Stockton Beach, NSW
It is estimated that over 100 ships have wrecked off Stockton Beach and in the late 19th century, some shacks were established to home survivors. During the Great Depression in the 1930s, this expanded to 36 huts, though only 11 remain standing today. Remarkably, 2 people still inhabit Tin City! The other shacks are passed down as family holiday homes, though are rarely inhabited.
You can organise a guided tour to see Tin City and learn more about its quirky past and present.
If you need a break from the confines of your 4WD, there are also local camel and quad bike tours that are a tonne of fun for the whole family.
Top Family Picks:
- 🏄 Sandboarding the dunes
- 🎣 Beach fishing
- 🚶 Shipwreck walk
- 🏚️ Exploring Tin City
- 🐪 Camel & quad bike tours
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Part of our complete guide to Stockton Beach.
