Port Stephens at a glance
Big and spread out
The council area covers 979 square kilometres and had 75,276 residents at the 2021 Census. Raymond Terrace is the largest town, and the bays include Nelson Bay, Shoal Bay, Corlette, Soldiers Point and Tanilba Bay.
Empty part of the year
Of 35,649 private dwellings, 15.4% were unoccupied on census night, and 41.2% of occupied homes were owned outright.
Fires and powerlines
On 13 October 2013 the Salt Ash fire, started by powerlines arcing in high winds, destroyed four houses. In late November 2018 the Campvale and Salt Ash fire burnt 1969 hectares.
Wet on the peninsula
Nelson Bay's exposed position brings 1,343.2 mm of rain a year on 132.1 rain days.
Ausgrid region
Port Stephens is one of the regions in Ausgrid's service provider guidelines. Outages: 13 13 88.
What that means for electrical work
Holiday homes. A house that sits empty for weeks needs things that work without anyone there: smoke alarms that are in date, safety switches that have been tested, and outdoor lights on sensors or timers. If it's a long-term rental, NSW's landlord smoke alarm rules apply.
Private poles on bush blocks. On rural and semi-rural blocks, the pole and line from the street can belong to you. Ausgrid patrols private poles and lines in bushfire prone areas, and a defect notice needs a response within 30 days. A Level 2 Accredited Service Provider does that work. See private power poles.
After storms and fires. Anything that may have been damaged gets tested before it's used again.
Raymond Terrace and Medowie have their own pages.
Where we would start in Port Stephens
If you own a holiday place, get one licensed electrician to check the smoke alarms, safety switches and outdoor circuits in a single visit before the busy season. On a bush block, have them look at the private pole and service line too, and bring in a Level 2 provider if it needs work.
Want a specialist to sort it?
Tell us the job and your postcode. We match the licence-checked local electrician who does this kind of work, and they call you. No ring-around, and your number goes to them alone.