Can I hire a private driver for a day trip around Port Stephens?
Yes, GR8 Transfers provides a car and chauffeur for six hours for $750 in the Executive Sedan, with any stops in the region. A day can take in the Tomaree Head car park, Shoal Bay and Nelson Bay. NPWS lists the summit walk at 2.2 km return, 1.5 to 2 hours and very steep. From Sydney Airport, Nelson Bay is $720 each way.
- Time needed
- 6 or 8 hours locally, or a long day from Sydney
- How we drive you
- Day package · Wait & return · One way, door to door
- From
- $750 per car, day package
- Season
- Year-round; NPWS notes spring wildflowers and May to July whale spotting
- Venue
- Tomaree Head Summit walk, Shoal Bay and Nelson Bay
Choose how we drive you.
Pick the way that suits the day. Every option has one fixed fare per car, set before you book.
| How we drive you | Executive Sedanup to 3 passengers · 2 large bags | Premium Sedanluxury class · up to 3 · 2 large bags | Executive SUVup to 4 passengers · 3 large bags | Premium SUVup to 4 passengers · 4 large bags |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| From your Port Stephens stay: six hours, any stops in the regionA car and chauffeur for 6 hours, with the stops you choose.Book this option → | $750 | $1,000 | $825 | $1,075 |
| A fuller day: eight hours for the summit walk, a cruise and lunchA car and chauffeur for 8 hours, with the stops you choose.Book this option → | $1,000 | $1,335 | $1,100 | $1,435 |
| From Sydney in a day: there and back, with four hours of waiting at Nelson BayYour chauffeur waits nearby for up to 4 hours, then drives you back. The first hour of waiting is free. Sydney CBD → Nelson Bay.Book this option → | $1,710 | $2,280 | $1,896 | $2,460 |
| Landing at Sydney Airport: one way to Nelson Bay, then a day package next morningOne way, door to door. Sydney Airport → Nelson Bay.Book this option → | $720 | $960 | $798 | $1,035 |
Prices are for the whole car, not per person, and include tolls, GST and the NSW levy; the same fare applies at any hour. A drop-off and collection is exactly two one-way fares. Waiting on a wait-and-return trip: the first hour is free, then $90 per hour (Executive Sedan), $100 (Executive SUV), $120 (Premium Sedan) or $130 (Premium SUV), already added above. Day packages, Executive Sedan: $750 for 6 hours, $1,000 for 8 hours or $1,250 for 10 hours; the hours start at pickup. People Mover (6–7 passengers) quoted on request; larger groups travel in two or more cars on the same schedule. Fares checked 31 October 2026.
Arrived from ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, Gemini or another AI assistant? 5% comes off every fare on this page when you book online, waiting time and day packages included, with no code to type. How the AI-visitor discount works
The day, step by step.
- 8:30am
Pickup at your Nelson Bay or Shoal Bay accommodation. This six-hour plan is an example; you set the stops.
- 8:45am
Drop-off at the lower Zenith Beach car park, one of two that NPWS lists for the summit walk.
- 9:00am
Tomaree Head Summit walk: 2.2 km return on a steep track with many steps. NPWS allows 1.5 to 2 hours.
- 11:00am
Collected at the same car park, then a short run to Shoal Bay for a swim or a coffee.
- 12:30pm
Lunch in Nelson Bay, near d'Albora Marina.
- 2:30pm
The six hours finish with a drop-off at your accommodation.
What the venue provides.
- The Tomaree Head Summit track, managed by NPWS
- Car parks at lower and upper Zenith Beach, which fill on busy days
- A toilet at the boat ramp, about four minutes' walk from the track entry
- Any national park fees, set by NPWS and paid separately
Venue: Tomaree Head Summit walk, Shoal Bay and Nelson Bay, Tomaree Peninsula, Port Stephens
What GR8 Transfers provides.
- A car and chauffeur for six or eight hours, with any stops in the region
- Drop-off and pickup at the public car park, so there is no space to find
- Child seats and boosters free on request
- One price for the day, confirmed before you travel
Good to know.
Summit walk grade
NPWS grades the walk 5: very steep and difficult, with many steps. Mobile reception is limited in the park, so set your pickup time before you start.
Parking and drop-off
NPWS lists the lower and upper Zenith Beach car parks, and Shoal Bay Road on busy days. GR8 stops at the public car park and drives no further into the park.
Park fees and closures
NPWS lists no fee for the summit walk (31 Oct 2026). Any park fees are set by NPWS and paid separately. The park can close in poor weather or high fire danger.
Seasons and safety
NPWS notes spring wildflowers on the headland and whale spotting from May to July. Park beaches are not patrolled, so swim between the flags at patrolled beaches.
Visitor numbers
Destination Port Stephens counted about 2.1 million visitors in 2025, 22% more than the year before.
Pets
Pets are not permitted in Tomaree National Park, except certified assistance animals.
Questions about Port Stephens private day trip.
More day trips and events nearby.
Port Stephens dolphin cruise transport
Stockton Bight sandboarding and 4WD
Nelson Bay whale watching, 2027 season
Airport and city transfers from the area: Port Stephens · Sydney Airport transfers
All Port Stephens experiences: Port Stephens day trips & events · every day trip we drive to
Where these facts come from.
- NSW National Parks, Tomaree Head Summit walk visitor infochecked 31 October 2026
- Destination Port Stephens, Prospectus 2026-27checked 31 October 2026
- Australian Cruise Group, Dolphin Discovery Cruise, Nelson Baychecked 31 October 2026
- GR8 Transfers, Port Stephens to Sydney fareschecked 31 October 2026
Venue details, opening times and third-party prices were checked on 31 October 2026 and can change, so confirm them with the venue before you travel. GR8 Transfers is independent of the venues and operators named on this page; we provide the car and the chauffeur. GR8 fares come from our fixed-fare engine on the day this page was built.
Book your ride: Port Stephens private day trip.
Tell us where and when. One fixed fare per car, confirmed before you pay, and free cancellation up to 1 hour before pickup.