© Wikipedia
If you're in the Sydney area and looking for a beautiful and adventurous place to visit for a day, try Stockton Beach.
What you can expect:
- 32 kilometers of beach
- 19th century shipwrecks
- Deserted shacks that form 'Tin City' – more about that later!
- Beautiful breath-taking view of kilometers of dunes
- Warmth (19-27 °C in winter, 8-18°C in summer!)
What you can do (if you want):
- Four-wheel drive (4WD) on the dunes
- Waterbed-ski in the freshwater lakes
- Run around and have the feeling you're in the Sahara
- Have a great BBQ while you're at it
Entering the Stockton dunes is like entering unlimited kilometres of piles of sand. If you rent a 4WD car and you're not too bad at driving then you will definitely enjoy driving on the dunes of Stockton! It feels like a Mario Kart game: you drive up and down the sand and drift until those butterflies in your stomach turn into pure fear.
Though you should only fear when the wheels are stuck in the sand and digging doesn't help. Therefore we recommend that you shouldn't go by yourself. It's wise (and more fun) to go with a group and hire at least two cars. And be careful, some dunes are 30m high and very steep.
Stockton Beach is known for its 19th century shipwrecks and for 'Tin City', a cluster of shacks built in the 1930s and occupied by squatters. How and whereabouts can you find this city? – No one really knows! Its sand moves with great speed and with tremendous amounts: it has been reported to move inlands at a rate of 17 hectares per year. So because of this, Tin City only appears a few times a year.
Going to the Stockton Beach is not costly if you're able to split the money amongst your friends (think of: renting 4WD cars, petrol, BBQ meat: $70 each for a great day) and it's roughly a 2-hour drive (220km north from Sydney). You can access the beach via Lavis Lane in Williamtown or via Anna Bay in Porth Stephens with a special purchased permit. Go via Lavis Lane and you'll pass the conservation area 'Worimi' where you can spot some wild kangaroos.
Stockton Beach can offer you the ride of your life (4WD driving is such an experience), give you the feeling you're in the Sahara witnessing a Fata Morgana (Tin City disappears in the sand now and then) and can be a lovely beach for you and your friends to chill out on. Have fun!
