A Rare Coastal Wilderness
Located around 15 minutes north of Newcastle, Stockton Bight contains a remarkable landscape of ancient sand dunes, lagoons, wetlands and coastal vegetation. The dune system is estimated to be around 6,000 years old and remains one of the last relatively intact systems of its kind in New South Wales. The area provides important habitat for wildlife including the vulnerable little tern, which breeds within the frontal dune system. Stockton Bight is also part of the traditional Country of the Worimi people, with burial sites and places of cultural significance located throughout the 32-kilometre dune landscape.
The Threat
In 2001, the New South Wales government announced creation of a 5,000-hectare national park at Stockton Bight. While this was a major conservation gain, campaigners argued the protections did not go far enough. Only a portion of the broader dune system received national park protection, leaving key frontal dunes and sensitive areas exposed. An approved eight-year sand mining lease also remained in place, threatening the freshwater aquifer beneath the dunes and important wildlife habitat.
The Campaign
The Wilderness Society continued campaigning alongside local community groups and the Worimi people for stronger protections across the broader Stockton Bight landscape. Campaigners argued the area’s ecological and cultural values required long-term protection beyond the original national park boundaries. The Wilderness Society and the Conservation Alliance also organised and sponsored public tours through Stockton Bight to showcase the region’s beauty and tourism potential. These tours helped build public awareness and support for protecting the dune system from further industrial impacts.
Legacy
The Stockton Bight campaign highlighted the importance of protecting coastal dune systems not only for biodiversity, but also for cultural heritage and community connection to place.
“The natural environment is one of the most sacred things to the Aboriginal people.”—Carol Ridgway-Bissett, Wilderness Society Honorary Life Member who worked with the Wilderness Society during the Stockton Bight campaign