Tomaree Head Summit walk

At the mouth of Port Stephens, the rocky knob of Tomaree Head rises 160 metres straight from the sea, and a short, steep path climbs to its summit for one of the great coastal views in New South Wales. From the top the eye takes in the islands offshore, the long arc of the bay's beaches, and, in season, migrating whales passing close to the headland. Remnants of World War II gun emplacements line the way up. The climb is sharp but brief, and the reward - especially at sunrise - is out of all proportion to the effort.