Named by a passing Captain James Cook in 1770, Port Stephens is still very much an idyllic setting. Whether visiting the sandy beaches at Port Stephens at Fingal and Shoal Bay or the Gan Gan Hill Lookout, make sure you pack the one thing that Captain Cook did not - your camera. The scenery around the bay, larger than Sydney Harbour, is beautiful. And there is always a chance of spotting dolphins on the "must do" ferry ride across to the Tea Gardens Local Pub where you can enjoy a newspaper cone of fish and chips. A short distance away is Terrigal, quickly becoming one of the "go-to" places on the Central Coast. A line of majestic Norfolk Pines stands strong along Terrigal's front beach, whilst the lookout "The Skillion" offers one of the finest and most accessible viewpoints in the area. With a range of fabulous locations to relax and recharge - Forster, Tuncurry, Wyong, Taree - there is something for everyone only 25 minutes from Newcastle Airport. So whether watching whales in the bay, climbing the famous Stockton Bight sand dunes - "4WD style" or visiting the Best Independent Regional Theatre (Australia - 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012) at Avoca Beach, the Central Coast has it all.