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Destinations > Dunes
Dunes
Issue: August 2009
Words and photos by Mark Allen
There's sand, more sand and a whole lot of history at Stockton Beach.
Need a sand fix? Walk, ride a motorbike, horse or camel, surf the dunes on a cardboard box or a dedicated sand board or drive over the huge sand banks in a quad runner, with a tour operator or your own 4WD. Stockton Beach is arguably the ultimate destination to fill your clothes and every bodily orifice with sand. If you can't get your sand adrenalin fix here, you're simply not trying!
Some may say 'there's nothing but sand to see'...well yes and no.
Yes there is plenty of sand, some 32km of adrenalin-generating, wheel-spinning, sand-flicking fun. Located in the Port Stephens region, ranging from Stockton (near Newcastle) in the south to Anna Bay in the north, there are dunes standing more than 20 to 30 full-sized wagons high stacked on top of each other. Perhaps they don't look all that substantial while your driving on the coastal sections and peering west into the huge dunes, but when you're amongst the pure, vegetation-free, shifting sands, they seem positively gigantic and daunting to the point of nerve racking, especially at the peak of every dune as you take your sand-filled boot off the brake at the last second with gentle accelerator pedal to ensure a vertical and safe decent. It's this last second lack-of-vision (other than skywards) that causes hesitation as you just never know how soft, how steep and how far down each dune will be - unless of course you've done the right thing and exited your vehicle first for an eyeball over the edge.
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Don't be tempted to play the hero and hit the tops of dunes at speed, you will come unstuck sooner rather than later with potentially horrifying results. Got the jitters yet? Good, but you needn't be too worried as driving Stockton Beach is generally a safe affair providing you take adequate precautions for yourself and all other beach users. Of course, you should carry all relevant recovery gear and preferably travel with at least one other vehicle.
No, it's not just all sand, there are freshwater lakes to swim in, an array of vegetation ranging from sand-securing grasses (spinifex, pigface and bitou bush) to forested areas, World War II history and don't forget to bring a fishing rod for a free feed or your boardies for a swim in the patrolled flag section at the northern end at Birubi Point.
World War II History
There are many theories, folk law and yarns about what really went on along the 32 long kilometres of this beach during the war years. While some of the tank traps (pyramid shaped concrete pillars used to prevent the encroachment of army tanks) are still visible at times amongst the dunes, many have been repositioned at the northern end at the bustling café to border off walkers, parked cars and the myriad of tourer operators. These tank traps in fact lined the whole length of Stockton Beach and into neighbouring farm lands and were intertwined with barbed (or razor) wire to ensure the Japanese didn't invade our shores - remember that Williamtown air base is just a stones throw inland near the Lavis Lane entry, so due caution was exhibited!
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Words and photos by Mark Allen
There's sand, more sand and a whole lot of history at Stockton Beach.
Need a sand fix? Walk, ride a motorbike, horse or camel, surf the dunes on a cardboard box or a dedicated sand board or drive over the huge sand banks in a quad runner, with a tour operator or your own 4WD. Stockton Beach is arguably the ultimate destination to fill your clothes and every bodily orifice with sand. If you can't get your sand adrenalin fix here, you're simply not trying!
Some may say 'there's nothing but sand to see'...well yes and no.
Yes there is plenty of sand, some 32km of adrenalin-generating, wheel-spinning, sand-flicking fun. Located in the Port Stephens region, ranging from Stockton (near Newcastle) in the south to Anna Bay in the north, there are dunes standing more than 20 to 30 full-sized wagons high stacked on top of each other. Perhaps they don't look all that substantial while your driving on the coastal sections and peering west into the huge dunes, but when you're amongst the pure, vegetation-free, shifting sands, they seem positively gigantic and daunting to the point of nerve racking, especially at the peak of every dune as you take your sand-filled boot off the brake at the last second with gentle accelerator pedal to ensure a vertical and safe decent. It's this last second lack-of-vision (other than skywards) that causes hesitation as you just never know how soft, how steep and how far down each dune will be - unless of course you've done the right thing and exited your vehicle first for an eyeball over the edge.
read on below advertisement
Don't be tempted to play the hero and hit the tops of dunes at speed, you will come unstuck sooner rather than later with potentially horrifying results. Got the jitters yet? Good, but you needn't be too worried as driving Stockton Beach is generally a safe affair providing you take adequate precautions for yourself and all other beach users. Of course, you should carry all relevant recovery gear and preferably travel with at least one other vehicle.
No, it's not just all sand, there are freshwater lakes to swim in, an array of vegetation ranging from sand-securing grasses (spinifex, pigface and bitou bush) to forested areas, World War II history and don't forget to bring a fishing rod for a free feed or your boardies for a swim in the patrolled flag section at the northern end at Birubi Point.
World War II History
There are many theories, folk law and yarns about what really went on along the 32 long kilometres of this beach during the war years. While some of the tank traps (pyramid shaped concrete pillars used to prevent the encroachment of army tanks) are still visible at times amongst the dunes, many have been repositioned at the northern end at the bustling café to border off walkers, parked cars and the myriad of tourer operators. These tank traps in fact lined the whole length of Stockton Beach and into neighbouring farm lands and were intertwined with barbed (or razor) wire to ensure the Japanese didn't invade our shores - remember that Williamtown air base is just a stones throw inland near the Lavis Lane entry, so due caution was exhibited!
next page »
