Mr Minns, alongside Member for Port Stephens Kate Washington and NSW Environment and Heritage Minister Penny Sharpe, joined with the team from the National Parks and Wildlife Service, local Worimi representatives and members of the community to open the Walk.

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The walk encompasses 27 kilometres of track that leads from Robinson Reserve at Anna Bay to Tomaree Headland.

The project, which cost around $6 million to complete, was started In 1994 and delivers cultural stories as told by the Worimi people along the walk.

The walk crosses through National Park, Crown Land, Council land, Hunter Water land and even includes some areas which are dog friendly, however dogs are not prohibited in the National Park section.

Construction has faced many challenges and a total of 1,100 heli-lifts were undertaken to deliver materials to locations.

Walkers on the track will be able to watch the annual whale migration, as well as observe migratory shore birds, turtles, fish, stingrays and a range of flora, including the spring wildflower display which is currently seeing its first flush.

“This is a beautiful, beautiful spot and the facts around this walk are important to put on record,” NSW Premier Chris Minns said after a moving Welcome to Country.

He went on to recognise the diligence of the local Indigenous custodians of the area and praised the former NSW Government for their work in progressing the project.

“It is really important to recognise the investment from the previous government – we’re happy to open it, but I think we should acknowledge that they put the money in.

“27 kilometres – that’s a decent walk; you can really get up a bit of a sweat.

“We anticipate about 300,000 people (per year) will come and see it as tourists and this is the seventh of thirteen great walks that National Parks and Wildlife are doing across NSW.

“It is a great opportunity for Australians to see the built environment, the natural landscape and get them to more closely understand how beautiful our country really is.

“I love this built structure,” Mr Minns said of the viewing platform at Robinson Reserve.

“It’s almost like a stadium for a play that will constantly change because the view will change at dusk and again at dawn and it will be different in winter and different again in summer.

“The key here is that you will just keep coming back and getting more and more out of this beautiful headland.”

Member for Port Stephens Kate Washington thanked everyone who contributed to the project for their involvement.

“To everyone who’s actually created this beautiful and coastal walk, I really want to thank you all so much on behalf of our community.

“What you’ve created here is one of the most special places in Port Stephens, and to be honest one of the special places on the planet.

“I have walked every step of this new coastal walk and it is so sensational because every turn you take it is stunning.

“All this amongst the cultural interpretation and connection that we are all going to now better understand.

“I know that locals and visitors alike are going to absolutely fall in love with Tomaree Coastal Walk.”

Stephen Keogh of Destination Port Stephens told News Of The Area, “The Tomaree Coastal Walk is a stunning addition to the already impressive inventory of incredible experiences in Port Stephens.

“We look forward to welcoming the many visitors who will come to enjoy the walk and be inspired by the landscape, views and stories that it offers,” he said.

Of note is the design of the walk which enables walkers to undertake the walk in sections.

Some sections are also fully accessible.

By Marian SAMPSON