Port Stephens (pop. 75,276) is a popular tourist center and local government area in southeastern Australia. It is on the east coast of the state of New South Wales. Port Stephens lies about 25 miles (40 kilometers) northeast of the city of Newcastle. It consists of numerous townships, including Nelson Bay, Oyster Cove, Salamander Bay, Shoal Bay, and Soldiers Point.
The Port Stephens area is named for its chief port, a natural harbor that opens into the Pacific Ocean. The harbor is a meeting point for several major rivers and creeks, including the Karuah and Myall rivers, and Kore Kore Creek. The industrial area that developed around the harbor is important to the regional economy.
Many tourists visit Port Stephens to fish, kayak, or surf in its coastal waters, which became part of the Port Stephens-Great Lakes Marine Park in 2005. The park is also a popular spot for dolphin and whale watching. People can view the park from ferries that travel between Nelson Bay and the township of Tea Gardens, which lies north and east of the Port Stephens area.
Port Stephens lies within the traditional lands of the Worimi Aboriginal peoples. The Port Stephens area is home to several Aboriginal cultural sites, including large shell deposits called middens. The middens contain discarded shells of various species along with artifacts from historical Aboriginal campsites. In 2007, many of the sites became part of the Worimi Conservation Lands, also known as Worimi National Park. The park is managed by the Worimi people in partnership with the government of New South Wales.
The British explorer James Cook sighted the harbor on May 11, 1770. He named it in honor of the British politician Sir Philip Stephens. The first Europeans to live in the region were five escaped convicts (criminals) who were shipwrecked near Port Stephens in 1790. The convicts lived with the Worimi people for around five years before being recaptured by British authorities. Other European pioneers began to settle in the region during the 1820’s. Many early settlers harvested timber or fished for oysters in the coastal waters.
As the harbor became an industrial port in the early 1800’s, it also became known for its shipwrecks. In 1862, the Point Stephens Lighthouse opened at Fingal Bay, just south of the Port Stephens harbor. Another lighthouse, Nelson Head Inner Light, was built around the township of Nelson Bay in 1872. Both lighthouses were eventually retired from operation and became tourist attractions.
