STOCKTON BEACH New South Wales

0997 STOCKTON BEACH New South Wales

Stockton Beach is located north of the Hunter River in New South Wales, Australia. It is 32 km long and stretches from Stockton, to Anna Bay. IMAGE BY: Hazel Hogarth TAKEN: 2 November 2017

0998 STOCKTON BEACH New South Wales

Over many years Stockton Beach has been the site of numerous shipwrecks and aircraft crash sites. IMAGE BY: Hazel Hogarth TAKEN: 2 November 2017

0999 STOCKTON BEACH New South Wales

In World War II this beach was fortified against a possible attack by Imperial Japanese forces. IMAGE BY: Hazel Hogarth TAKEN: 2 November 2017

1000 STOCKTON BEACH New South Wales

During World War II the beach served as a bombing and gunnery range as well as a dumping area for unused bombs by aircraft returning from training sorties.

1001 STOCKTON BEACH New South Wales

The length of the beach, its generally hard surface and numerous items of interest along the beach make it popular with four-wheel drive enthusiasts. IMAGE BY: Hazel Hogarth TAKEN: 2 November 2017

1002 STOCKTON BEACH New South Wales

Four-wheel drive vehicles are permitted to drive on Stockton Beach provided the vehicles are in possession of valid permits. IMAGE BY: Hazel Hogarth TAKEN: 2 November 2017

1003 STOCKTON BEACH New South Wales

The beach is also popular with fishermen and several different varieties of fish may be caught. IMAGE BY: Hazel Hogarth TAKEN: 2 November 2017

1004 STOCKTON BEACH New South Wales

Stockton Beach, on the Tasman Sea, starts on the northern side of the break wall that protects the entrance to Newcastle harbour in Stockton, Newcastle's northernmost suburb, and stretches for 32 km in an approximate north-easterly direction to Anna Bay in Port Stephens. IMAGE BY: Hazel Hogarth TAKEN: 2 November 2017

1005 STOCKTON BEACH New South Wales

In some areas it is as much as 1 km wide and has sand dunes over 30 metres high although at the Stockton end it is at its narrowest with no dunes. IMAGE BY: Hazel Hogarth TAKEN: 2 November 2017

1006 STOCKTON BEACH New South Wales

Each year the dunes move north by approximately 4 m IMAGE BY: Hazel Hogarth TAKEN: 2 November 2017

1007 STOCKTON BEACH New South Wales

The sand on Stockton Beach varies from hard to soft packed and changes daily with the changing winds and weather. IMAGE BY: Hazel Hogarth TAKEN: 2 November 2017

2008 STOCKTON BEACH New South Wales

The dunes are the largest continuous mobile sand dunes in the Southern Hemisphere. IMAGE BY: Hazel Hogarth TAKEN: 2 November 2017

2009 STOCKTON BEACH New South Wales

A large part of Stockton Beach lies within the Worimi conservation lands, which stretch from south-west of the wreck of the MV Sygna, north-east along Stockton Beach to just west of the end of the beach at Anna Bay. IMAGE BY: Hazel Hogarth TAKEN: 2 November 2017

2010 STOCKTON BEACH New South Wales

The earliest inhabitants of the Port Stephens region and particularly the land close to Port Stephens itself were the members of the Worimi Aboriginal tribe and their middens may be seen at many points along the beach. IMAGE BY: Hazel Hogarth TAKEN: 2 November 2017

1012 STOCKTON BEACH New South Wales

These middens, which are up to 12,000 years old, consist mainly of the remnants of pipis and whelk shells. IMAGE BY: Hazel Hogarth TAKEN: 2 November 2017

1011 STOCKTON BEACH New South Wales

As the beach is constantly reshaped by the winds some middens are concealed while new ones are revealed. IMAGE BY: Hazel Hogarth TAKEN: 2 November 2017

1013 STOCKTON BEACH New South Wales

A midden conservation area, where beach driving is not permitted due to the cultural significance of the middens, has been established on the beach. IMAGE BY: Hazel Hogarth TAKEN: 2 November 2017

1014 STOCKTON BEACH New South Wales

World War II resulted in fortifications against a possible amphibious assault by Imperial Japanese forces being installed along the beach. IMAGE BY: Hazel Hogarth TAKEN: 2 November 2017