Where to stay near Tomaree National Park

Guide updated 12 Oct 2026 · verify NSW National Parks for park camping

Use official NSW National Parks camping if camping is the plan — Samurai Beach campground only, 4WD, no facilities, $6 booking fee (official page, 26 Aug 2026). If you want a hotel or holiday house, pick the village that matches the walk: Shoal Bay / Nelson Bay for the summit, Anna Bay for Birubi, One Mile as the Day 1 hinge. Official camping: Samurai Beach campground.

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Families

Nelson Bay or Fingal: toilets, food after 6pm, and a flagged swim beat a “quiet” 4WD camp with no facilities.

Summit mornings

Shoal Bay if you can walk to Zenith. Nelson Bay if you want services and will drive 10 minutes.

One-way walk

Read Nelson Bay vs Anna Bay before you book the wrong end.

Official park camping

Coastal heath on Tomaree Head with the summit cone and offshore islands beyond

Coastal heath, Tomaree Head · Photo: Maurice van Creij · CC BY 3.0

Samurai: unpowered unmarked sites, clothing-optional at camp and nearby beach only, portable toilet required. Official page: no camping fee, $6 booking fee (26 Aug 2026). Never affiliated here.

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Gateway towns (commercial stays)

Shoal Bay / Tomaree Head context (not a hotel exterior) · Tomaree Head from Shoal Bay · Photo: wood26 · CC BY-SA 3.0

Nelson Bay

Main services hub — densest fuel, food and medical. Best if Tomaree Head is a drive, not a walk from the door.

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Tomaree Head from the bay (place context, not a hotel) · Tomaree Head from Shoal Bay · Photo: wood26 · CC BY-SA 3.0

Shoal Bay

Closest village to Zenith and the summit trailheads. Walkable mornings; thinner after-hours than Nelson Bay.

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Fingal Bay coast from Tomaree Head (place context, not a hotel) · Fingal Bay coast from Tomaree Head · Photo: Maurice van Creij · CC BY 3.0

Fingal Bay

Quieter village-edge beach and Coastal Walk lunch stop. Do not treat the spit as a walk to the lighthouse.

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Zenith Beach cove and the vegetated cone of Tomaree Head, with a sand path to the beach

Park track character (place context, not a holiday park) · Zenith Beach · Photo: Maurice van Creij · CC BY 3.0

One Mile

Official Day 1 hinge for the Coastal Walk. Commercial holiday parks are not Samurai campground.

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Coastal heath, Tomaree Head (place context, not a hotel) · Coastal heath, Tomaree Head · Photo: Maurice van Creij · CC BY 3.0

Boat Harbour

Quieter southern-peninsula base for Iris Moore, rock platforms and whale lookouts.

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Southern peninsula from Tomaree Head (place context, not a hotel) · Fingal Bay coast from Tomaree Head · Photo: Maurice van Creij · CC BY 3.0

Anna Bay

Coastal Walk finish at Birubi Point. Useful if you shuffled a car to the south end. Dune tours are a different tenure.

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Tours & gear around your stay

GetYourGuide searches and kit ideas after the bed is sorted. Official NPWS camping is never on this panel.

Guided tours

Optional Port Stephens boats, dunes and ranger walks — not a substitute for park alerts

A tour does not replace checking NSW National Parks alerts, rips, or Grade 5 stairs yourself.

What to bring

Practical kit for Grade 5 summit stairs, heat, rips and the Coastal Walk

Sturdy hiking shoesTomaree Head is Grade 5 with many steps; paved sections are slippery when wet
Sun hat + high SPFExposed heath and rock platforms burn even on “cool” Port Stephens days
Water bottle or bladder 1–2 LRemote Coastal Walk mid-sections have no taps; summer highs have exceeded 40 °C
Day pack 20–30 LWater, first aid, sun protection and a layer for wind on the summit
Trekking polesHelpful on the steep summit steps if knees or balance are the limiter
Binoculars (whale season)NPWS notes whale watching May–November from lookouts including Tomaree Head
Portable toilet (Samurai campers)Samurai Beach campground has no toilets — official bring-list, not optional manners
Fuel stove (no fires)Fires are not permitted; campers must be self-sufficient
PLB or satellite messengerOfficial pages note limited mobile reception; 000 needs coverage — optional for remote overnight
First-aid + blister kit27 km of mixed sand, rock and steps punishes hot spots
Offline maps / power bankDownload the NSW Parks app and screenshots of alerts before you lose reception
Light rain / wind shellCoastal wind on the summit and after-rain slick pavement

Some stay, tour and gear links may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Park fees and NSW National Parks bookings are never affiliated. Affiliate disclosure · Privacy