Where the bush meets the beach on the mid-north coast, just three hours from Sydney, Blueys Beach could be one of Australia’s best-kept secrets. The ideal weekend destination for those with a love of the outdoors, Blueys Beach offers unspoiled stretches of sand, swimming with dolphins, world-class diving and fishing sites, and plenty of space for everyone from couples to large families to unwind, well away from the chaos of the city.

Blueys Beach on the mid-north coast of New South Wales is a hidden gem, perfect for those who love the outdoors. Image © Skye Gilkeson
Until a recent visit with family who often spend weekends in the sleepy coastal spot, I hadn’t been to Bluey’s Beach since I was a teenager. I had forgotten just how magical Blueys Beach is. I breathed more gently as the road narrowed, enveloped with trees as we wound our way through the curves of the countryside. Driving the Lakes Way, huge stretches of water opened up on either side of the road the trees swaying in the breeze. When we strolled the beach, we barely saw another soul, the only sound was the sets crashing onshore. Despite the many years between visits, Blueys felt the same. It’s a place you instantly feel at ease; where you want to kick off your shoes, switch off your phone and enjoy the stunning local landscape with friends and family.
How to Get to Blueys Beach
- The easiest and most comfortable way to get to Blueys Beach is by car. It is a 3+ hour drive north of Sydney on the mid-north coast of New South Wales. The drive is relatively easy, mostly on highways north, with a turn off to a windy road delivering you to the coast for the final 30 minutes. You will need a car once you arrive to explore the local area so I highly recommend you hire one for your entire stay.
- Greyhound and Port Stephens Coaches do operate in the area but expect the journey to take longer, you may also have to change buses and you will still need a way of getting around the area once you arrive.

Blueys Retreat at Blueys Beach offers 4* self-contained townhouses with resort-style amenities onsite. Image © Gus Gilkeson
Where to Stay in Blueys Beach
Blueys Retreat
Moby’s Beachside Retreat
The 4 star Moby’s Beachside Retreat at Pacific Palms offers one, two, and three-bedroom self-contained beach houses with resort-style amenities on-site such as a lagoon pool, gym, day spa, and tennis court, footsteps from Boomerang Beach.

The Kingfisher Cafe serves of locally sourced, seasonal slow food in a relaxed setting. Image © Gus Gilkeson
Where to Eat in Blueys Beach
Kingfisher Cafe
Pacific Palms Recreation Club
Kembali
Twenty By Twelve
Hueys at Blueys
Stockland Forster Shopping Centre
Stockland Shopping Centre in Forster is a short 20 minutes drive from Blueys Beach and it’s there you will find a large supermarket, pharmacy, fast food outlets and the like, should you need to shop up for the weekend or longer.

Blueys Beach has plenty of beautiful unspoiled stretches of sand on the doorstep. Image © Gus Gilkeson
What to Do and See in Blueys Beach
Great Lakes Food Trail
Fishing
The Great Lakes region is a fisherman’s paradise. Charter a boat for a day of deep-sea fishing, sports fishing, or estuary fishing. Flathead, bream, jewfish, bonito, bluefin tuna, and many other catches can be found in the local waterways.
Dolphin Swims, Diving + Whale Watching
Spend a morning swimming with a pod of wild Common dolphins or Bottlenose dolphins during a dolphin cruise (October to June). Get up close and personal with the largest popular of grey nurse sharks on the East Coast with a dive in the world-class diving sites off Seal Rocks.
Bushwalking
Great Lakes Paddocks
Hit the Beach
A huge thank you to my brother Gus for all of his tips that make this guide a truly local snapshot.

Skye is the founder and editor-in-chief of The Fit Traveller. She is a journalist, writer, photographer, intrepid traveller and a former personal trainer with a passion for helping others reach optimal health. As a TV journalist and producer, Skye has worked for household names such as 60 Minutes, Sunrise, TODAY and Nine News. She has also written for Women’s Health, Fodor’s Travel and Yahoo7 Travel, among many others.
Skye created The Fit Traveller as a beautiful online space and community where people feel inspired to escape the desk to move and explore more.
Equally comfortable in a 5-star resort or hiking a far-off mountain, Skye loves the unexpected and enriching life experiences that each trip brings and can often be found in a backstreet chatting to locals with her camera in hand.
Skye is based in Sydney, working to master the balance between motherhood and her insatiable appetite for adventure.