Nestled between volcanic rocky outcrops in Tomaree National Park, Box Beach is a secluded 350m stretch of pristine white sand with crystal-clear waters. Located between Shoal Bay and Fingal Bay, this quiet surf beach offers excellent snorkeling around the tidal rockpools at its southern end. Part of the Port Stephens – Great Lakes Marine Park, the beach showcases striking red-and-brown volcanic geology dating back 300 million years. A 150m bushland path from the carpark leads to this local favourite, far from the crowds of nearby patrolled beaches.
Box Beach
IntermediateGO
GO
It's a go.
Showing last known conditions
Wave Height 0.1 mSwell Period 11 sWind Speed 7.5 knPrecipitation 0.0 mmTidal Phase slack
Last evaluated
DANGER: Explicit Risks Present
Box Beach has hazards marked as danger. Entering the water here means you may face serious risks to your personal safety.
- No lifeguard service danger
Box Beach is unpatrolled. The nearest patrolled beach is Fingal Bay.
The spot
Community-maintained
Community contribution: submitted by Daniel
Know before you go
Logged by the community, confirmed by mods
High risk: No lifeguard service
Box Beach is unpatrolled. The nearest patrolled beach is Fingal Bay.
Moderate risk: Rip currents
Dangerous rip currents are common at Box Beach. No lifeguard service is provided.
Moderate risk: Undercurrent
A persistent undercurrent makes swimming tricky, especially for inexperienced swimmers.
Low risk: Exposed surf break
Waves break close to shore with consistently reasonable surf year-round, strongest in autumn and winter.
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Getting in
Shore entry
Entry
From Nelson Bay, head to Shoal Bay and turn onto Box Beach Road. Drive through thick bushland to the end of the road where a small carpark is located. A signed 150m sandy path leads to the beach. The beach is also accessible via the Tomaree Coastal Walk or Shoal Bay to Fingal Bay walking track.
Parking & facilities
Small unpaved carpark at the end of Box Beach Road. Limited spaces available.
No entry fee. Part of Tomaree National Park (free entry).
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About this data
- Conditions last evaluated
- Spot data last updated
- Data sources
- Open-Meteo (marine & weather conditions), tide predictions via UTide, community contributors (descriptions, hazards, marine life).
- License
- Spot content licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. How's the Spot is open source.
Weather & swell ┬╖ Open-Meteo marine & weather APIs Tides ┬╖ UTide harmonic analysis Sea & safety ┬╖ community reports