Park at the Door, Walk to the Shops, Fly Out in the Morning
Step outside your room at the Bull and Bush and you are already where most travellers to Medowie want to be: a few minutes' walk from the Coles and Woolworths shops, and only about a 13-minute drive from Newcastle Airport for an early flight or a late landing. You park a few steps from your door, off Ferodale Road, behind the town's long-standing pub-with-rooms, a single-storey block of ten recently renovated motel units sitting quietly beside a busy local tavern, bistro and bottle shop. Every room is on the ground floor, so there are no stairs between the car park and your bed.
What keeps guests coming back is the welcome and the convenience rather than any resort polish. The staff are the standout in the reviews, and you check in at the main bar, which sounds unusual until you realise it means a friendly face and a late arrival sorted with a quick phone call. Rooms are clean, carpeted and freshly done out, with air conditioning, a flat-screen TV, a fridge and tea and coffee on hand. With two restaurants and a bar a few steps across the car park, dinner is never a drive away.
Recently Renovated Rooms, All on One Level
The rooms are honest, comfortable and freshly refurbished rather than designer: pale walls, timber bed-heads with reading lamps, dark patterned carpet and a window or sliding door that opens onto the leafy gum trees around the property. Reviewers keep using the same words, clean and tidy, and several note how recently the rooms have been done up. Each unit has its own private bathroom with a glass shower, plus air conditioning and heating, a flat-screen TV, a fridge, a kettle, a work desk and free Wi-Fi that guests find reliable.
Be clear with yourself about what these rooms are and are not. They are no-cooking motel rooms, so there is no microwave and no kitchen, though a toaster is available on request when you check in. The most common gripes in the reviews are weekend light and noise from the adjacent pub and bottle shop, and the odd soft bed. The simple fix is to ask for a quieter room towards the rear when you book. In return you get a tidy, well-kept room in a pub-motel that reviews consistently well.
A Pub, a Pool and a Town You Can Walk
The real bonus of staying behind a working country pub is that everything is on site. The Bull 'n' Bush Bistro serves lunch and dinner every day, Medowie Chinese is the second kitchen, and there is a bar and a drive-through bottle shop without leaving the grounds. In the warmer months a seasonal outdoor pool, fenced and open until 8pm, gives families somewhere to cool off after a day at the dunes or the beach. There is also an outdoor beer garden and a function space if you are travelling for a group occasion.
Step outside the gate and Medowie's leafy, semi-rural township is yours on foot: the supermarkets, cafes and takeaways are a few minutes away, and the local sports fields at Yulong Oval and the Ferodale complex are just up the road. It is a genuine meet-in-the-middle base, with Newcastle, the Port Stephens beaches and the Hunter Valley wine country all an easy drive. For more on the area, see our companion Bull and Bush Medowie guide, or browse our other stays in Australia.
Why Book Bull and Bush Hotel?
Bull and Bush Hotel is strongest for travellers who want a clean, friendly, well-located room with parking at the door, near the airport and the shops, and who value convenience and a warm welcome over resort facilities or a designer fit-out.
Near the airport and shops
Walking distance to the Coles and Woolworths precinct and about a 13-minute drive from Newcastle Airport, ideal for an early flight or a late landing.
Ground-floor rooms, free parking
Ten recently renovated rooms, all on one level with no stairs, free on-site parking and air conditioning as standard.
Friendly, good value
Consistently well-reviewed for its friendly staff; check-in at the bar, two restaurants and a seasonal pool on site.
Best-fit guests
Best for air travellers, families and Port Stephens or Hunter Valley road-trippers who want a central, no-fuss room with parking and don't need a pool that's heated or a soft mattress.
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Interesting Points About Bull and Bush Hotel
- Reception is the main bar, not a separate desk, so arriving late is easy: the pub trades into the early hours, but phone ahead on (02) 4982 8802 so payment and ID can be sorted before you turn up
- Every one of the ten rooms is on the ground floor in a single-storey block, so there are no stairs or lifts between the car park and your door, a genuine plus with heavy luggage or an early start
- An A$50 deposit is taken at booking and is fully refundable if you cancel more than 24 hours before arrival; cash is not accepted at the property, only cards and Eftpos
- Two kitchens sit a few steps from your room: the Bull 'n' Bush Bistro for lunch and dinner daily, and Medowie Chinese, plus a drive-through bottle shop on the same site
Rooms & Accommodation at Bull and Bush Hotel
Queen Room
Sleeps 2 · 20 m² · Ground floor · A/C · Free Wi-Fi
The entry-level room and the right pick for a couple or a solo traveller. About 20 m² on the ground floor with one queen bed, a private bathroom, air conditioning, a flat-screen TV, fridge, tea and coffee, a work desk and free Wi-Fi. Choose this if you want the lowest rate and a tidy, central base for two with parking at the door.
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Family Room
Sleeps 4 · 20 m² · Ground floor · A/C · Free Wi-Fi
The room for a family or a small group, sleeping four with one queen plus two single beds in a fixed layout. Same 20 m² ground-floor unit with a private bathroom, air conditioning, a flat-screen TV, fridge, tea and coffee and free Wi-Fi. Choose this if you want everyone in one room on a single booking, with the shops and the pool a short walk away.
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Basic Triple Room
Sleeps 3 · 20 m² · Ground floor · A/C · Free Wi-Fi
A 20 m² ground-floor room set up to sleep three, with a private bathroom, air conditioning, a flat-screen TV, fridge, tea and coffee, a work desk and free Wi-Fi. Choose this if you are three sharing and want everyone on one level with parking at the door; like all the rooms it has no kitchen, though a toaster is on request at check-in.
Check PricesIs Bull and Bush Hotel Right for You?
Best Suited For
- Air travellers: about a 13-minute drive from Newcastle Airport, with free parking and a late check-in arranged by phone for early or odd-hour flights
- Families and groups: a 20 m² Family Room sleeps four on one booking, with a seasonal pool and the sports fields a short walk away
- Convenience seekers: walking distance to the Coles and Woolworths precinct, with a bistro, bar and bottle shop on the same site
- Guests who want no stairs: every room is on the ground floor in a single-storey block, handy with heavy luggage or limited mobility
- Port Stephens and Hunter Valley road-trippers: a central, fair-value base with the dunes, beaches and wine country all an easy drive
- Guests who value a welcome: the friendly staff are the consistent standout, with repeat praise for the check-in at the bar
Worth Considering Alternatives If
- You're a light sleeper at weekends: some rooms back onto the pub and bottle shop, so ask for a quieter rear room or visit midweek
- You want a soft mattress: a few guests find the beds firm or a little saggy, the most common gripe
- You need to cook in your room: the motel rooms have no kitchen or microwave, though a toaster is available on request
- You want to pay cash: the property takes cards and Eftpos only, so bring a card
- You need a heated or year-round pool: the outdoor pool is seasonal and unheated, and closes at 8pm
Amenities & Facilities
In-Room
- Air conditioning and heating
- Private bathroom with shower, towels and toiletries
- Flat-screen TV
- Fridge
- Tea and coffee facilities (kettle)
- Work desk
- Toaster on request at check-in
- Not available: Microwave or in-room cooking
Food & Drink
- Bull 'n' Bush Bistro, lunch and dinner daily
- Medowie Chinese restaurant on site
- Bar
- Drive-through bottle shop
- Outdoor beer garden and function space
Property & Pool
- Seasonal outdoor swimming pool, open until 8pm (not heated)
- All rooms on the ground floor in a single-storey block
- Daily housekeeping
- Full-day security
- Not available: Gym or spa
Connectivity & Parking
- Free Wi-Fi in every room
- Free on-site parking, no reservation needed
- Newcastle Airport about 7.4 km, roughly a 13-minute drive
- Not available: Airport shuttle
- Not available: EV charging
Policies & House Rules
- Check-in at the main bar, from 14:00; check-out by 10:00
- A$50 deposit at booking, refundable if cancelled more than 24 hours ahead
- Payment by card or Eftpos (Amex, Visa, Mastercard)
- Minimum check-in age 18
- Not available: Cash payment
- Not available: Pets
- Not available: Smoking indoors
Walk to the Shops, 13 Minutes from Newcastle Airport
Bull and Bush Hotel sits on Ferodale Road in the heart of Medowie, a fast-growing, leafy township in the Port Stephens area about 25 km north-east of Newcastle. The major draw is sheer convenience: the Coles and Woolworths shopping precinct is a few minutes' walk next door, and Yulong Oval and the Ferodale sports complex are just up the road, which makes this a popular base for families and visitors to local fixtures.
The single biggest reason people book is the airport. Newcastle Airport at Williamtown is about 7.4 km away, roughly a 13-minute drive, so the motel works well for an early departure or a late landing. Taxis and rideshare both cover the run; a couple of guests have flagged that pre-booked taxis can be unreliable, so rideshare is a sensible backup. There is no shuttle, but free parking on site means leaving the car is easy if you would rather drive yourself.
Beyond the town, this is prime Port Stephens country. The Stockton Bight Sand Dunes, the largest moving coastal dunes in the Southern Hemisphere, are a 20 to 25-minute drive for 4WD, sandboarding and camel tours; Tilligerry National Park is about 10 minutes away; and the beaches and dolphin cruises around Nelson Bay are roughly 30 minutes on. Inland, the Hunter Valley wine country is about an hour's drive west, making Medowie a genuine meet-in-the-middle base.
- Medowie town centre (Coles & Woolworths): ~850 yd · a few minutes' walk. The town's main shopping precinct, with supermarkets, cafes and takeaways, immediately next door.
- Yulong Oval & Ferodale sports complex: a few minutes' walk. Community sports fields and courts just up the road, handy for weekend fixtures.
- Newcastle Airport (Williamtown): ~7.4 km · ~13 min drive. The regional airport at Williamtown, the main reason many guests use the motel as an overnight base.
- Tilligerry National Park: ~10 min drive. A quiet coastal bushland reserve of walking tracks and protected native habitat.
- Medowie Macadamias: short drive. A working macadamia farm with a cafe and farm shop on the edge of town.
- Stockton Bight Sand Dunes: ~20–25 min drive. The largest moving coastal sand dunes in the Southern Hemisphere, with 4WD, sandboarding and camel tours on the Worimi Conservation Lands.
- Nelson Bay, Port Stephens: ~30 min drive. The waterfront hub of Port Stephens for beaches, marinas and dolphin and whale-watching cruises.
- Hunter Valley wine country: ~1 hr drive. Australia's oldest wine region, an easy day trip west for cellar doors and vineyard lunches.
Getting to Key Locations
Stockton Bight Sand Dunes
25 min drive
About a 20 to 25-minute drive from the motel, the Stockton Bight dunes are the largest moving coastal sand dunes in the Southern Hemisphere, set within the Worimi Conservation Lands. It is the spot for 4WD tours, sandboarding and camel rides, a half-day adventure that suits families and first-time visitors alike.
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Photo: Kanwar Plaha, CC BY-SA 4.0
Nelson Bay, Port Stephens
Roughly 30 minutes on, Nelson Bay is the waterfront heart of Port Stephens, a wide blue bay ringed by 26 beaches and forested headlands. Boats leave the marina for dolphin-watching year-round and whale-watching in season, and the town is the obvious base for a day on the coast before heading back to a quiet room in Medowie.
View on Map
Photo: F Delventhal, CC BY 2.0
Hunter Valley
About an hour's drive west, the Hunter Valley is Australia's oldest wine region, known for its Semillon and Shiraz, cellar doors and long vineyard lunches. It makes an easy day trip from Medowie, which sits roughly halfway between the wine country and the Port Stephens coast.
View on MapMedowie & Port Stephens Area Guide
Medowie sits at the gateway to Port Stephens, a coastal region known for 26 beaches, a sheltered blue-water bay and the Stockton Bight Sand Dunes, the largest moving coastal dunes in the Southern Hemisphere, set within the culturally significant Worimi Conservation Lands. From a base in town you can reach quad-bike, sandboarding and camel tours on the dunes, dolphin and whale-watching cruises out of Nelson Bay, and the surf and snorkelling spots around Anna Bay and Shoal Bay. The township itself is leafy and semi-rural, with larger blocks and bushland reserves, yet it keeps urban convenience close: a supermarket precinct, cafes and takeaways are a short walk from the motel.
The best months are spring to autumn for beach days and the seasonal pool, with the Port Stephens whale-watching season running roughly May to November; winter is the quietest and cheapest time to visit. The local calendar leans on community markets and the annual Sustainable Living Festival on Ferodale Road, alongside weekend sports fixtures. For food, Medowie has more on offer than the on-site bistro and Chinese restaurant: there are Asian and pizza takeaways, a couple of cafes and the Medowie Macadamias farm cafe a short drive away. Two first-time tips stand out: bring a card, as cash is not accepted, and plan to drive or pre-arrange transfers, because public transport here is limited.
Is Bull and Bush Hotel worth it?
Yes, if you want a clean, friendly, recently renovated pub-motel in the centre of Medowie, all rooms on the ground floor, a few minutes' walk from the shops and about 13 minutes from Newcastle Airport, with free parking and a seasonal pool: the friendly staff and the walk-everywhere location are the standouts, and the convenience is the real draw. Skip it if you need a soft mattress, total quiet at weekends, in-room cooking, a heated pool or the option to pay cash, as there's none of those.
What Guests Say About Bull and Bush Hotel
Scores and review counts are aggregated from verified guest bookings on major travel platforms.
Good
Guests consistently rate Bull and Bush Hotel a clean, friendly, well-run pub-motel that delivers strong value for its location, with the staff the standout of the whole stay and the central, walk-everywhere position close behind. Reviewers return again and again to the recently renovated rooms, the friendly check-in at the bar and the convenience of the airport and shops. The honest trade-offs are weekend noise from the adjacent pub and bottle shop and the deliberately basic, no-cooking rooms.
Loved that you check in at the bar with such friendly staff. The rooms have been recently renovated and are well equipped, with everything in walking distance. Quiet and comfortable, and we would happily stay again.
Sue
Loved that you check in at the bar with such friendly staff. The rooms have been recently renovated and are well equipped, with everything in walking distance. Quiet and comfortable, and we would happily stay again.
2026-05-18Perfect. Liked everything about the stay, nothing at all to fault.
2026-05-28Great location and easy to get to. The only gripe was the bright outside lights and no blackout curtains, which made sleeping a little harder.
2026-06-10Very good overall, and the friendly staff really stood out for our group.
2026-05-14Very clean and comfortable, and close to the shops and the pub. The beds were a little saggy and it would likely be noisy on a weekend as pub patrons head home.
2026-05-20Clean and tidy with friendly staff. A pre-booked airport taxi didn't turn up, but a rideshare arrived within about ten minutes, so it was easily sorted.
2026-06-13Good location and close to the shops. The main downside was the noise, as the bottle shop sits opposite.
2026-06-07Good to Know Before You Book
Check-in is at the main bar
Reception here is the pub bar, not a separate desk, so a friendly face greets you on arrival. Arriving late is fine because the pub trades into the early hours, but phone ahead on (02) 4982 8802 so payment and ID can be sorted in advance.
Cards only, no cash
Payment at the property is by card or Eftpos, not cash, so plan to bring a card. Amex, Visa and Mastercard are all accepted, and an A$50 deposit is taken at booking.
The deposit is refundable with notice
The A$50 deposit is fully refundable if you cancel more than 24 hours before arrival, and forfeited within 24 hours. Cancellation and prepayment terms otherwise vary by rate, so check the conditions for your chosen room before you book. To cancel, call the property directly.
Pool is seasonal, and rooms vary for noise
The outdoor pool is seasonal and unheated, and closes at 8pm. Some rooms back onto the pub and bottle shop, so weekend light and noise can carry. Ask for a quieter room towards the rear when you book if you are a light sleeper. The two-bedroom apartment occasionally listed is best confirmed with the property before you rely on it.
Call Bull and Bush Hotel
Want to ask about a family room, a late arrival or the deposit? Call the property directly.
+61 2 4982 8802Photos of Bull and Bush Hotel
Frequently Asked Questions
Newcastle Airport at Williamtown is about 7.4 km away, roughly a 13-minute drive, which makes the motel a handy base for an early flight or a late landing. Taxis and rideshare both serve the run; a few guests have found pre-booked taxis unreliable, so rideshare is a good backup. There is no shuttle, but free parking on site means driving yourself is easy.
You can arrive from 14:00, with departure by 10:00 the next morning, and you check in at the main bar rather than a separate reception desk. Late arrivals are fine because the pub trades into the early hours, but phone ahead on (02) 4982 8802 so payment and ID can be completed before you arrive.
Yes. There is free on-site parking with no reservation needed, including a larger car park at the front of the pub. There is no overnight or outside power for vans or EVs, and no EV charging on site.
The Family Room sleeps four with one queen and two single beds on a single booking, and all rooms are on the ground floor with air conditioning, a private bathroom, a flat-screen TV, a fridge and tea and coffee. The motel rooms have no kitchen or microwave and no in-room cooking, though a toaster is available on request at check-in.
The outdoor swimming pool is seasonal and not heated, and it closes at 8pm. It is popular with families in the warmer months, but plan for it to be unavailable outside the season.
No, pets are not allowed at the property. Smoking is also not permitted indoors.
An A$50 deposit is taken at booking and is fully refundable if you cancel more than 24 hours before arrival, or forfeited within 24 hours. Payment at the property is by card or Eftpos only, with Amex, Visa and Mastercard accepted; cash is not accepted, so bring a card.
Guests consistently praise the friendly check-in at the bar, the recently renovated rooms and the walk-everywhere convenience, with staff and location the clear standout strengths. The most common criticisms are weekend noise from the adjacent pub and the basic, no-cooking rooms.
More on Medowie & Australia
Mandurah Motel and Apartments, Western Australia
Pick Mandurah Motel and Apartments when your trip runs down the west coast instead: the same independent, family-run motel formula south of Perth, on the far side of the country, adding a year-round outdoor pool and self-contained one- and two-bedroom apartments 200 m from Silver Sands Beach, though you swap the Bull and Bush's on-site tavern, bistro and bottle shop for Mandurah's town-centre dining.
More Stays in Australia
Browse our other Australian hotels and guides when you are planning a wider trip beyond Medowie and the Port Stephens coast.
Ready to Book Bull and Bush Hotel?
Ground-floor rooms behind a friendly Medowie pub, a few minutes' walk from the shops and about 13 minutes from Newcastle Airport, with free parking and a seasonal pool. Friendly staff and walk-everywhere convenience are the consistent standouts.
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