the house, the stone circular driveway, a wishing chair and other decorative stone structures on the property plus the elaborate gates at what were then the north and south entrances to the town. The stone for these structures was quarried locally from . The northern gates are known as the water gates as they were designed to welcome visitors approaching from the water. Due to expansion the gates now stand inside the what were originally the suburb limits. In 1950's it became a guest house and riding school. The property was saved from demolition by the Oberland family who purchased the property in the 1960s. In 1980 the state government placed a permanent conservation order. Helen Taylor lived in the property for the 1980s until her death in 2015. She staged exhibitions, plays, poetry reading and concerts as well as opening the house to the public as a museum. In 1989, as part of the Margaret Henry oral history, was an interview about Tanilba House and its first owners. In 2017 the current owners Glenn Short and Deirdre Hall purchased the property and started to restore it. The main beach The main beach in Tanilba Bay is located on the southern side of Port Stephens and runs from east to west. The eastern part of the beach accessed along a board walk with steps down to small inlets that provide access to the beach under the protection of native trees that are known for their koala population. The centre and western parts of the beach are flanked by various picnic areas and parks and boat ramps with the westernmost end having a wide stretch of sandy beach. At very low tide the sandy flats are exposed and on occasions during the high tide the water covers all the sand. The bay is protected from southerly winds which makes it a popular place for water sports such as skiing. Notes References External links Suburbs of Port Stephens Council Towns in the Hunter Region Bays of New South Wales New South Wales State Heritage Register