Tomaree Head Summit Hike in Port Stephens, Australia

The Tomaree Head Summit is in Shoal Bay, the coastal tip of Port Stephens. Situated on a headland, it has a unique view from the top with 360º views overlooking the many bays and beaches of the area in every direction. If you're lucky (we were!), you might even spot dolphins below.

We're currently living full-time in our campervan, a 2018 Mercedes Sprinter, and exploring Australia, with a plan of "driving the lap" (completing the entire perimeter of the country). I first visited Australia in 2019, following the classic backpacker route, mostly visiting big cities, staying in hostels and traveling by public transport. This time, with the freedom of our campervan, we're trying to hit the lesser known spots and go slower.

For thousands of years, the Worimi people have lived on this land.

The first Europeans to step foot in present-day Port Stephens were actually a group of convicts who had escaped after a shipwreck in 1790. They lived alongside the Worimi for five years before being recaptured (one died in this time period) at which time there were about 400 living in the area. Soldiers were later sent here in the late 1820s to prevent other escaped convicts crossing from Port Macquarie through Port Stephens on their way further south.