The Fingal Bay Rockpool is one of Port Stephens unsung treasures. The setting is stunning; with a deep purple rock wall on one side giving it a dramatic feel, it’s hard to believe it’s just 150m from the road! The water is clear and shimmers blue in the sunshine - the perfect natural swimming pool. You can hear the waves crashing against the rocks from the pool, but it’s perfectly cut off from the ocean, so it remains calm and serene.
All this and it’s less than a five minute walk from the nearest car park.
The walk to Fingal Bay Rockpool
The stats
Distance: 300m return
Elevation gain: 15m
Difficulty: Easy
Trailhead: Barry Park, Pacific Drive
The walk
From the Barry Park car park, you head along the gravel path and keep left at the fork, it’s signposted as ‘stairs’.
The first 67m are all on a gravel path which heads gently downhill. You will then come to a well maintained staircase which takes you down to a rocky area and you’ll be able to see the rockpool ahead, to your right.
The last couple of minutes involve a bit of rock hopping, but the rocks are perfectly grippy (when dry) and even enough that you could walk barefoot - though you may be more comfortable in shoes.
You’ll reach the rockpool 150m after leaving the car park.
Tides and weather conditions
We visited the rockpool at low tide which was perfect, but the pool is a fair distance from the ocean and I believe it would be fine on a mid tide and possibly even a high tide. However, it’s worth timing your visit for low to mid tide just to be sure!
The swell has less impact here than most rockpools due to the fact it’s set so far back from the sea, well into the rocks. The tide was moderate when we visited and no waves even came close to the pool, or anywhere surrounding it.
However, as with the tides, it’s probably best to avoid large swells just incase.
The water is a gorgeous shade of blue under the full sun, the higher the sun is in the sky, the better the water colour will be, around midday is perfect.
If you visit on a cloudy day, or when sun is not directly on the pool, the water appears green - we know this as the mother of all clouds rolled in partway through our visit and it changed before our eyes!
It’s still lovely when green, but a bright sunny sky and blue water is hard to beat!
Swimming at the Fingal Bay Rockpool
The pool is only small, but it’s deep enough to actually swim, unlike many rockpools we visit!
There are a few small rocks to walk over to get into the water and those around the edge and in the shallows are a bit mossy and slippery, however, it’s really just a few steps and fine when taken carefully.
Once in the main part of the pool, even at low tide, the water was well above my head and clear all the way through to the bottom.
It’s a gorgeous spot to swim and I can imagine if I lived in Port Stephens I’d be a regular for morning dips!
There are some large rocks around the edge of the pool where you could sit and relax, but it’s not really a great spot for lazing around, as much of the area is covered in small rocks.
It’s definitely more about having a swim and a float in the pool.
Keep them wild
Please remember to take all rubbish with you and keep these places wild and pristine - as with anywhere in the outdoors. It’s important to leave them exactly as you found them so they will remain beautiful for generations to come.
Litter tends to breed litter, so if you do spot any and are able to pick it up and dispose of it outside the park, it will go a long way to keeping the area clean.
The Barry Park Lookout
If you’re visiting between May and October, it’s worth heading to the lookout for a chance to see migrating Humpback whales. We’ve seen quite a few at various lookouts around Port Stephens, including this one!
Barry Park car park fee
If you’re parking in the designated car park right beside the trailhead, you’ll need to pay the parking fee. At time of writing that’s $3 for an hour, which is more than enough for a swim at the rockpool as the walk is less than five minutes.
Getting to Fingal Bay Rockpool
Barry Park is located at the southern end of Fingal Beach, roughly a 10 minute drive from Nelson Bay and 20 minutes from Anna Bay.
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