Frequently Asked Questions Extended Version

We’re CoastXP – a nature-based, award-winning, eco-certified adventure tourism operator based on the NSW coast. We run whale watching, coastal sightseeing, boat tours, guided nature experiences and private charters around Newcastle and Lake Macquarie. Want the full story? Meet the team behind the boats.

Our playground is Newcastle and Lake Macquarie. We explore Newcastle Harbour, the Hunter coastline, Swansea Channel, Lake Macquarie and the spectacular stretch of coast between Newcastle and Bird Island on the Central Coast.

CoastXP operates out of both Newcastle and Lake Macquarie. Newcastle is a 2-hour drive north of Sydney, and Lake Macquarie is a 90-minute drive north. Alternatively, our Newcastle departure point is within walking distance of the Newcastle Interchange, where bus, train and light-rail services terminate.

Plenty! We offer whale-watching tours (May – Nov), coastal adventure cruises, Lake Macquarie boat tours, guided nature walks, dining and tasting packages, private charters and bespoke experiences. Browse them all on our experiences page.

Yes – we’re out on the water all year round, but individual experiences are seasonal. Whale watching runs during the humpback migration from the end of May through early November, while coastal sightseeing and our other nature-based experiences operate predominantly through the warmer months (November through May). Check our tour schedule to see what’s running when.

Our whale-watching season generally runs from May to November, perfectly timed with the annual humpback whale migration along the NSW coastline. The whales set the calendar – we just follow along.

When the whales have headed south, the fun doesn’t stop. Outside whale season we run the Newcastle Adventure Tour, Lake Macquarie Ocean Explorer Tour, Lake Cruise & Nature Walk and a range of private and bespoke experiences.

Yes. We have departure points in both Newcastle and Lake Macquarie, so you can explore the Hunter Coast from whichever side suits you best. See Getting Here for all the details.

Our Newcastle tours currently depart from Dock C at Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club, 95 Hannell Street, Wickham. Always double-check your booking confirmation for your exact departure point and time.

Our offshore Lake Macquarie experiences, including the Whale Discovery Tour and the Ocean Explorer Tour, depart from Chalmers Street Jetty at Swansea, near Swansea RSL.

The Lake Cruise & Nature Walk departs from Speers Point Public Jetty. Check your booking confirmation before you head off.

We operate two custom-built eco-tourism vessels: Atmos and Hydro. Both are designed for excellent stability and comfort. Atmos takes a maximum of 20 guests and Hydro just 12, which makes for a wonderfully small-group, nature-based experience. Meet our boats.

Yes. Both Atmos and Hydro have marine toilets onboard, and there are public facilities close to our main departure points too.

Absolutely. Every experience is led by our experienced vessel masters and wildlife guides, who love sharing stories about marine life, local history, Aboriginal heritage, geology and the coastal environment. Meet the crew.

Absolutely. Solo adventurers are very welcome on our scheduled tours, along with couples, families and groups. With small groups, it’s easy to share the “did you see that?!” moments with your fellow passengers.

We strongly recommend it! Popular departures can sell out, particularly during whale season, weekends, school holidays and other busy periods. Book online here.

Feeling spontaneous? Bookings may be possible close to departure if places remain, but our booking conditions require bookings to be completed at least 30 minutes before departure. Live availability is shown on each tour page – start at our Experiences page.

Please arrive at your departure point at least 15 minutes before your scheduled departure. This gives us time for check-in, boarding and the pre-departure safety briefing.

Yes. There’s parking near all our departure points. Newcastle has both paid and street parking, while free parking is available close to the Swansea and Speers Point departure locations. To find the departure location that’s right for you, visit our Getting Here page.

Yes. Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club is a leisurely 10-minute walk from Newcastle Interchange, which connects to train, bus and light-rail services. A great low-emission way to start your adventure!

You sure can! Newcastle sits right on the annual humpback migration route, and we run our Whale Encounter Tour from Newcastle between May and November.

Yes. Newcastle’s position on the open NSW coastline puts it right alongside the humpback “highway”, offering excellent opportunities to see whales in their natural environment.

Whales can be seen throughout the May-to-November season. June and July are excellent for the northbound migration, while late September and October are particularly popular for the southbound migration.

Yes. June is usually an excellent time to see humpbacks cruising north along the NSW coast towards warmer breeding and calving waters.

Yes. July is traditionally one of the busiest periods of the northbound humpback migration – peak whale traffic off Newcastle!

Yes. September marks the strengthening southbound migration, when whales begin returning towards their Antarctic feeding grounds and mothers and calves increasingly appear along the coast.

October is one of our absolute favourite times for whale watching. The southbound migration is well underway and mothers travelling with young calves are often among the whales passing Newcastle.

Whales can still be seen in early November, particularly the later southbound stragglers, but numbers generally start to drop as the season draws to a close.

There’s no reliable “best” time of day. Humpback whales travel day and night (no rest stops!), so memorable encounters are possible at any time.

The Whale Encounter Tour is approximately two hours – plenty of time to explore Newcastle’s coastal waters while searching for migrating humpbacks and other marine wildlife.

The tour departs from Dock C at Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club in Wickham. Please check your confirmation email and arrive at least 15 minutes before departure. Directions are on our Getting Here page.

Our Newcastle whale-watching tours operate aboard Atmos, one of our custom-built eco-tourism vessels, which takes up to 20 passengers and offers unobstructed 360-degree views.

The minimum age for tours aboard Atmos is three years. All children must be accompanied by an adult.

The overwhelming majority of whales we encounter during the migration are humpback whales. Other species occasionally pop up along the NSW coast, but sightings can’t be predicted. These include southern right whales, minke whales, bryde’s whales, sei whales, fin whales and even blue whales.

Dolphins are regularly encountered along the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie coastline, including bottlenose and common dolphins. They’re wild animals, so they’re not guaranteed – but they do love to show off, and we have a fantastic success rate!

Long-nosed fur seals are among the marine animals we occasionally meet along the Hunter Coast during the cooler months. Wildlife sightings vary from tour to tour.

Whales are wild animals with their own plans, so sightings can’t be guaranteed. However, if no whales are spotted on a designated whale-watching tour, we offer a free return trip (t’s and c’s apply).

Eligible passengers receive a standby ticket to come back on another whale-watching departure during the same season, subject to availability and our current terms and conditions.

We follow both state and federal marine-mammal regulations. Our vessels never approach an adult whale closer than the legal limit, and we keep even greater distances when calves are present. It’s all part of our commitment to responsible wildlife tourism.

Whales are in charge of their own behaviour – and they’re often very curious! If a whale comes within the caution zone, our skippers will always stop and wait for the animal/s to pass before continuing the tour. This keeps the whales safe and comfortable around the vessel.

Yes! We operate our Whale Discovery Tour from Swansea, giving you direct access to the Lake Macquarie coastline and the annual humpback migration.

The Lake Macquarie whale-watching season runs from approximately May to November, following the same humpback migration seen all along the NSW coast.

June and July are excellent for northbound whales, while late September and October are particularly popular during the southbound migration.

The Whale Discovery Tour departs from Chalmers Street Jetty at Swansea, on the ocean side of Swansea Bridge and close to Swansea RSL.

Our Whale Discovery Tour from Lake Macquarie is approximately two hours.

The Whale Discovery Tour operates aboard Hydro, our custom-built 12-passenger vessel offering a small-group experience and up-close, water-level views.

The minimum age for tours aboard Hydro is five years. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

We depart Swansea, travel through Swansea Channel and head offshore to explore the coastline in search of migrating humpbacks – anywhere between Newcastle to the north and the Central Coast to the south, depending on where the whales are hanging out.

Depending on the day, you may also meet common or bottlenose dolphins, long-nosed fur seals, seabirds and other marine wildlife.

No wildlife encounter can be guaranteed. However, if no whales are spotted on a designated whale-watching tour, we offer a free return trip (t’s and c’s apply).

Yes. Free parking is available around Swansea near the departure area, including near Swansea RSL and the Swansea Swim Centre. See our Getting Here page for more.

You can’t go wrong! Both give you access to the same spectacular humpback migration. Newcastle offers our larger vessel Atmos and Newcastle’s coastal scenery, while Lake Macquarie offers an even more intimate 12-passenger experience aboard Hydro from Swansea.

Yes. The Whale Discovery Tour is family-friendly for children aged five and over who are comfortable with an offshore boating adventure.

Don’t worry – join the free waitlist for your preferred departure and consider grabbing another available time. You can also check our Newcastle Whale Encounter Tour for more availability.

Yes – whales and lunch, what a combo! During whale season we offer a package combining the Whale Discovery Tour with a two-course lunch at TINTA Belmont, subject to availability.

Humpbacks migrate from productive Antarctic feeding grounds to warmer northern waters to breed, give birth, socialise and shed their skin, before returning south with their calves. Newcastle just happens to have front-row seats.

The east-coast migration is an extraordinary journey of thousands of kilometres in each direction, with many whales completing a round trip of around 10,000 kilometres. Now that’s a road trip!

The main northbound migration occurs from around May through August, although timing varies each year and individual whales don’t all travel together.

Southbound whales begin appearing later in winter, with numbers building through spring. September and October are particularly good months, and later travellers can continue into early November.

Many humpback calves are born in warmer waters along the east coast. Mothers then travel south with their young calves towards Antarctic feeding grounds, bringing them past the NSW coast during the return migration.

A breach is when a whale launches much of its body out of the water before crashing back into the sea – it’s as spectacular as it sounds! Reasons can include communication, play or other social behaviour, and removing dead skin, remoras or barnacles.

Sadly, no promises. Breaching is spectacular but unpredictable. Some whales are total show-offs, while others simply travel steadily, surface to breathe and carry on with their migration. Either way, it’s spectacular to see a wild animal in its natural environment.

A tail or fluke slap is when a whale lifts or strikes its tail fluke against the water. It can create an impressive splash and may be linked to communication, social interaction or excitement.

Humpbacks sometimes roll onto their side and repeatedly slap their long pectoral fins against the surface – a bit like a friendly wave. It’s one of several spectacular behaviours you may see on a dedicated whale-watching tour.

Spyhopping is when a whale raises its head vertically above the water, appearing to have a good look around. It’s an occasional but memorable behaviour seen in several whale species.

Whale watchers use “mugging” to describe an encounter where a curious whale chooses to stay very close to a stationary vessel. The whale, not the boat, starts the encounter, and can sometimes circle or stay with the boat for quite some time. We like to say the whale is “people watching” while the people are “whale watching”.

Adult humpback whales can grow to around 15–16 metres long – longer than our boats! Seeing one from a small vessel like ours is an extraordinary way to appreciate just how big they are.

Humpbacks are enormous wild animals and must always be treated with respect. Professional whale-watching operators like us follow strict approach rules to protect both whales and guests. Whales are like the gentle giants of the sea, and it’s incredibly rare for them to physically come in contact with boats at all.

Whales have to consciously surface to breathe, so they don’t sleep quite the way we do. They use unihemispheric sleep – while half the brain rests, the other half stays alert enough to keep breathing. Handy trick!

Whales are mammals and breathe air through blowholes on top of their heads. Their visible “blow” is created when they exhale forcefully at the surface – often the first clue our crew spots.

Dive times vary depending on what a whale is up to. Migrating humpbacks often surface regularly, which helps us follow their direction of travel from a respectful distance. If they feel like it, a fully grown humpback can hold its breath for up to 20 minutes.

Humpbacks feed mainly on krill and small schooling fish. Their major feeding grounds are in colder southern waters, including the productive waters around Antarctica.

Not really – the migration is mainly a journey between feeding and breeding areas. Humpbacks bulk up on energy reserves in southern feeding grounds before setting off on their long trip.

The name comes from the distinctive shape of the whale’s back as it arches before diving.

Researchers identify individual humpbacks using distinctive markings, particularly the patterns and pigmentation on the underside of their tail flukes – like a fingerprint. We photograph flukes on our tours and upload them to Happywhale, a global citizen-science platform that helps researchers track individual whales and their migrations.

They sure do! Male humpbacks are famous for producing complex songs, particularly around breeding areas. These songs can be repeated for long periods and evolve over time – whale chart-toppers change each year.

Humpbacks are often seen on their own or in small temporary groups rather than permanent pods. Mothers and calves form an important close pair during the southbound migration.

Southern right whales occasionally visit the NSW coast, although they’re far less common than humpbacks. Different protection requirements apply to these animals, and we follow them closely.

Tens of thousands of humpbacks now make the east-coast migration each year. Their recovery is one of Australia’s great marine conservation success stories – and we help keep an eye on them by taking part in the annual whale census with ORRCA.

The annual migration brings huge numbers of humpbacks close to the NSW coastline, creating one of Australia’s most accessible opportunities to see large whales in the wild. It’s a natural spectacle right on our doorstep.

Dress for the ocean, not the beach! Warm layers and enclosed shoes are recommended, particularly during the cooler whale-watching months.

It often feels cooler once you’re travelling on open water, thanks to wind and sea spray. Bring an extra layer even when Newcastle feels mild on land – you can always take it off.

Yes. We provide premium weatherproof jackets for boat-tour guests when required. They’re not a replacement for your own clothes – they go over the top as an extra layer of protection from the elements.

Wear secure, enclosed footwear suitable for moving safely around a boat. Leave the slippery soles and flyaway thongs at home.

Yes. UV exposure on the water can be significant, even on cooler or cloudy days, so slip, slop, slap!

Sunglasses make wildlife watching more comfortable by cutting glare from the water. A secure strap is handy in windy conditions – the ocean has claimed many a pair.

A sun-safe hat is useful, but boats can be windy. Choose one that fits securely or can be fastened, so it doesn’t go whale watching on its own.

Yes. Cameras and phones are very popular on our tours. Keep your gear secure and be ready – wildlife can appear quickly on any side of the boat.

Not at all. Modern phones capture excellent memories, especially from a boat with unobstructed views. And sometimes simply watching the moment is even better than trying to photograph it.

Binoculars are optional. Our boats already put you right in the marine environment, but binoculars can be useful for spotting distant whales, seabirds or coastal landmarks.

Yes. These are marine adventures, and wind, spray or rain can occasionally make things a little damp. Weatherproof jackets are available, but dress appropriately for being on the water.

Light rain doesn’t automatically cancel a tour. Our crew assesses conditions for safety and comfort, and we may alter, postpone or cancel a departure if conditions are unsuitable.

If we cancel a tour, our team will work with you to reschedule. If rescheduling isn’t possible, our current terms provide options including a refund or gift certificate, subject to the booking conditions.

Our experienced vessel masters assess the actual marine and weather conditions. Forecasts are useful, but live conditions and passenger safety always have the final say.

Yes. Routes and experiences may be adapted when needed for weather, sea conditions, operational reasons or safety. Mother Nature is the real tour director.

Motion sickness varies greatly from person to person. Our boats are designed for a fast, comfortable ride, but if you know you’re susceptible, it’s worth taking appropriate precautions.

If you’re considering medication, speak with a pharmacist or healthcare professional about what’s appropriate for you and when to take it.

Conditions change from day to day, so no operator can promise a motion-free offshore experience. Contact us before booking if motion sickness is a big concern.

Yes. Our vessels operate as commercial passenger boats with all required safety equipment. Please follow the instructions given during the pre-departure briefing and throughout the experience. Our founder even sits on the Australian Maritime Safety Authority’s technical advisory panel for marine adventure tourism – we take safety seriously.

We can’t guarantee a particular seat, but our crew will do their best to accommodate individual needs while keeping the vessel operating safely.

The feel of the ride can vary depending on where you sit and the conditions – the front tends to be a little livelier! If you have a comfort concern, mention it to the crew before departure. Our boats are designed so every seat has great views.

Passengers seated in the front two rows on applicable experiences are required to wear the provided lap sashes while underway.

No. Smoking is not permitted on any CoastXP experience.

For safety reasons, guests showing signs of intoxication or drug use may be refused participation. No refund is provided where participation is refused on those grounds.

Tours leave at their scheduled departure times (the whales won’t wait!), so arriving at least 15 minutes early is essential. Under our current booking conditions, no-shows are not eligible for a refund.

Yes! We love welcoming families, subject to minimum ages for different vessels and experiences. Our small-group format is particularly engaging for kids who are wild about wildlife and the ocean.

The minimum age is three years for offshore Newcastle experiences aboard Atmos, and five years for offshore Lake Macquarie experiences aboard Hydro.

No. Our offshore experiences have minimum age requirements, so infants and children below the relevant minimum age can’t participate – we’ll look forward to meeting them when they’re a bit older!

Yes. All children on CoastXP experiences must be accompanied by an adult.

The minimum age for the Lake Cruise & Nature Walk is eight years, as the walk involves physical activity and uneven terrain.

Many older guests enjoy our tours. However, offshore boating is a physical experience and guests need to be able to safely board, disembark and participate. Get in touch if you have any questions or concerns.

We actively work to accommodate guests with different access requirements. Some guests who can transfer into the vessel with assistance may participate, and wheelchairs can be stored during certain Newcastle experiences. Please contact the team before booking.

We can store wheelchairs and walkers during some Newcastle experiences for guests able to board and disembark with assistance. Contact us beforehand so we can talk through arrangements.

Boarding a small adventure vessel can involve a step between the wharf and boat, and this can vary with tides and departure locations. Contact us to discuss your individual mobility requirements.

Accessible parking options are included in our pre-departure and access information, and on our Getting Here page. Contact the team if you’d like help finding the most suitable spot.

Yes. An interpreter or support person accompanying a Companion Card holder can travel free of charge. Contact the team before booking to arrange this.

Yes. A written transcript of our tour commentary is available on request, for guests who find written information more accessible.

Please contact us before booking if you have a medical condition, injury or other potential health risk. Offshore boating can involve movement and physical demands that need to be considered individually. You may be asked to check with your healthcare professional before joining the experience.

Generally, offshore boat tours are not recommended during pregnancy. Offshore boat travel involves movement and changing sea conditions, so please contact the team before booking to discuss your circumstances. You may be asked to check with your healthcare professional before joining the experience.

Yes. We welcome people of all abilities, cultures, backgrounds, gender identities and sexual orientations, and we aim to create a respectful and welcoming experience for everyone on board.

Yes! From approximately November to May, our Adventure Tour explores the Hunter Coast from Newcastle to spectacular spots including Caves Beach and Catherine Hill Bay.

The Adventure Tour is approximately 2.5 hours of coastal fun.

The Adventure Tour explores around 30 kilometres of coastline and travels approximately 60 kilometres over the full experience.

Highlights can include Newcastle Harbour, the ANZAC Memorial Walk, Bogey Hole, Glenrock, Redhead, Moon Island, Pinney’s Headland, Caves Beach, Catherine Hill Bay and plenty of other coastal landmarks.

Yes. The sea caves around Caves Beach and Pinney’s Headland are a highlight when conditions allow. How close we can get always depends on sea conditions and the skipper’s safety assessment.

Yes. Catherine Hill Bay and its historic jetty are among the signature sights on our coastal experiences, when conditions and the tour route allow.

Possible encounters include bottlenose dolphins, common dolphins, long-nosed fur seals, turtles, penguins, sharks and a variety of seabirds. They’re all wild, so every tour is a little different.

Yes. Our Ocean Explorer Tour departs from Swansea and explores Swansea Channel and the spectacular coastline around Moon Island, Caves Beach, Pinney’s Headland, Catherine Hill Bay, Wybung Head and Bird Island Nature Reserve.

The Ocean Explorer Tour is approximately 75 minutes – short, sharp and full of scenery.

The experience covers around 15–20 kilometres of the Lake Macquarie channel and coastline, travelling approximately 25 kilometres during the tour.

The minimum age for our offshore experiences aboard Hydro is five years.

The Adventure Tour departs Newcastle aboard Atmos and is a longer coastal journey. The Ocean Explorer departs Swansea aboard the smaller Hydro and is a shorter, fast-paced exploration of the Lake Macquarie coastline.

Yes. Our guides bring the coastline to life as you travel, sharing stories about wildlife, Aboriginal heritage, geology, maritime history and important landmarks.

Yes. Bottlenose dolphins live along the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie coastline year-round, and we’re lucky to see common dolphins regularly on our coastal experiences too. Sightings are entirely up to the dolphins themselves.

Our schedule changes to make the most of the annual migration. Between May and November, whale watching takes centre stage, while dedicated coastal adventure tours generally operate during the warmer months. See our tour schedule for details.

We sure can get you there! CoastXP offers both on-water transfers and tours around Lake Macquarie. One of our most popular runs is to and from 8 at Trinity Point – also check out our Trinity Point Dining Experience. To make an enquiry, get in touch with our team.

Yes – looking after our coast is at the heart of everything we do. We hold Quality and Sustainable Tourism Accreditation, EcoStar Accreditation (recognising the highest level of environmental management) and Marine Tourism Accreditation, all through the Australian Tourism Industry Council. Read more on our Sustainability page.

Yes. We’re a licensed NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service Eco Pass operator, which means we adhere to stringent environmental guidelines when operating in applicable national park areas.

Very, and we’re always working to do better. We scored 88% overall on Ecotourism Australia’s Strive 4 Sustainability Scorecard, which assesses environmental, socio-economic and cultural impacts along with sustainable management. Our team also holds EarthCheck credentials in sustainable tourism, and we helped pilot the Sustainable Tourism Toolkit now published on business.gov.au. See the full picture on our Sustainability page.

Yes! Every tour includes an optional Individual Carbon Project Contribution. In partnership with Regenerate Australia, your contribution funds native tree-planting through regional projects and urban community pocket forests across Australia — sequestering carbon as they grow while backing biodiversity and landscape restoration. Find out more on our Environment page.

We operate in a stunning marine environment. When they’re not out on tour, our boats rest in a Marinescapes dry berth – an air-lift berthing system that keeps hulls out of the water. That means no toxic antifouling chemicals, no spreading of invasive marine species and a longer life for our vessels. Win-win-win.

We follow NSW and federal marine-mammal regulations, give wildlife plenty of space and avoid interfering with natural behaviour. We ask our guests to do the same and follow crew instructions – happy whales make for the best whale watching.

Yes. We proudly support ORRCA (the Organisation for the Rescue and Research of Cetaceans in Australia), a 100% volunteer organisation, and take part in their annual humpback whale census. Our team includes trained marine mammal researchers, and we contribute whale fluke photos to Happywhale to help researchers track individual whales. More on our Sustainability page.

Yes. We work with Dolphin Research Australia, a marine conservation charity protecting dolphins, whales and their ocean habitats, and were proud contributors to the inaugural NSW Dolphin Census.

Absolutely. We’re a tourism partner of Take 3 for the Sea and an inaugural participant in their Ground Swell Program. We remove plastic litter as we go and encourage guests to join in by taking three pieces of rubbish with them whenever they leave the beach, waterway or anywhere else.

Yes. We acknowledge the Worimi, Awabakal and Darkinjung peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the lands and waters we explore. Our interpretation of Aboriginal heritage and place names has been carefully created in partnership with Miromaa Aboriginal Language & Technology Centre, alongside natural and maritime history.

Yes. We’ve made the Green and Gold Promise, committing to Tourism Australia’s five guiding principles for sustainable tourism: Celebrate Community, Embrace Culture, Preserve Place, Respect Wildlife and Take Care.

We sure do. We support Camp Quality by providing experiences for families of kids living with cancer, and the Mirabel Foundation by providing guided boat tours and bushwalks for vulnerable children and young people. Our founder also chairs the Newcastle Tourism Industry Group, helping champion the local visitor economy.

Yes – we love sharing what we’ve learnt. We host University of Newcastle work-integrated learning students and deliver guest lectures (and were named a Gold Nugget partner in the University’s career-ready placement program in 2025). We also support TAFE NSW tourism and maritime courses and school-based apprenticeships, and visit local schools through presentations and the Startups @ School program.

A few! Highlights include the 2025 Tourism Star Award at the NSW Tourism Awards, multiple Outstanding Visitor Experience wins at the Lake Macquarie Business Excellence Awards (2023 and 2024) and Business Hunter Awards (2024), and a TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Award. See the full list on our Sustainability page.

The Hunter Coast is a geology lover’s dream, with dramatic sandstone formations, cliffs, coal seams, volcanic rocks, headlands and sea caves. Seeing them from the ocean gives you a perspective that’s hard to get from land.

Yes. Depending on the experience, commentary can include Newcastle Harbour, shipping, historic coastal infrastructure, shipwrecks, World War II sites and the region’s long love affair with the sea.

Our tours are fast, fun and informative! We combine small-group adventure boating with wildlife, local stories and insider knowledge – all aboard our custom-built, modern, safe and comfortable boats. Rather than simply getting from A to B, the journey itself is the experience.

Standard bookings can currently be rescheduled up to 48 hours before departure. Cancellations made more than 48 hours out are generally refundable, while bookings cancelled within 48 hours are non-refundable. A separate policy applies to private charters. Full details are in our terms and conditions.

We’ll normally offer to reschedule your experience. If that’s not possible, our current terms allow for a refund or a gift certificate of equivalent value, subject to applicable conditions.

Yes – and they make a brilliant present! We offer gift cards for a variety of Newcastle and Lake Macquarie experiences, perfect for birthdays, Christmas, anniversaries or anyone who has “everything”.

Our gift cards are valid for three years from the date of purchase, giving the lucky recipient plenty of time to choose their experience and date.

Yes. Our gift cards can be used across our experiences, so the recipient can choose from available tours, subject to the card value and booking conditions.

Yes. Private and bespoke boat charters are available in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie for families, groups, celebrations, corporate events and any other excuse for a day on the water. We can cater for groups of up to 32 people per trip.

Yes – adventure and a good feed! We offer packages combining boating with local food and hospitality, including the TINTA Lunch Tour Package, the Tour and Tasting with Earp Distilling Co and the Trinity Point Dining Experience. Availability varies by season and package.