In the lead up to Australia Day, Wotif.com revealed a list of Australia’s favourite beach destinations for holidaymakers over the long weekend ‚Äì with Newcastle and Port Stephens featuring at fifth and sixth respectively and the top two for New South Wales.
Port Stephens, which did not feature in Wotif’s 2013 or 2014 top 10 beach destinations for Australia Day, was becoming more popular as a coastal getaway, according to Wotif.
Destination Port Stephens CEO, Janelle Gardner, welcomed the top 10 listing, saying Port Stephens was experiencing one of its busiest peak summer holiday periods ever.
“The no vacancy sign has been up since before Christmas and all through January, and with ongoing investment in innovative and strategic marketing strategies from both Port Stephens Council and the industry, we are continuing to see visitor numbers grow from season to season,” Janelle said.
“Our successful and far-reaching tourism slogan ‚Äì ‘P.S. I Love You’- is clearly resonating with the market and, judging by our top 10 listing with Wotif and our bumper summer holiday traffic, holidaymakers clearly do love Port Stephens.”
Attractions in Port Stephens include the region’s world-famous dolphins and koalas, pristine coastal scenery, unspoilt bay and ocean beaches, the biggest sand dunes in the southern hemisphere, a wide variety of accommodation, gourmet seafood and locally made beer and wine and activities such as dolphin swims, parasailing, kayaking, quad biking, bushwalking, surfing, cycling, jetboating, sailing and snorkelling.
Newcastle’s Lord Mayor Cr Nuatali Nelmes said that the survey reflects the City of Newcastle’s ever-increasing popularity as a destination which offers pristine beaches, myriad cultural attractions, unique food and beverage experiences and a year-round calendar of events.
“Newcastle is constantly evolving and as word spreads about the diversity of experiences on offer for all age groups, whether for families, couples, or young singles, we are experiencing year-on-year growth in visitor numbers from across Australia and internationally.”
“It is always exciting to see Newcastle’s natural beauty and wealth of attractions recognised, and we would welcome any Australian that has not visited, or visited in some time, to come and experience the city for themselves.”
- Wotif.com’s top 10 Australia Day long weekend coastal destinations
1. Surfers Paradise
2. Noosa
3. Broadbeach
4. St Kilda
5. Newcastle
6. Port Stephens
7. Cairns
8. Port Macquarie
9. Wollongong
10. Maroochydore
Image | Port Stephens coastline
