An extraordinary weather event was captured on a mobile phone, passing over Stockton Beach behind Fern Bay on Friday afternoon as storms lashed across the Hunter coast.
Resident Shikira Lee filmed a waterspout trailing towards Fullerton Cove at about 1pm.
Jayden Laing also witnessed the impressive offshore twister and told the Newcastle Herald it hit the Stockton sand dunes before falling a part.
The Bureau of Meteorology say a waterspout is a spinning column of air that sucks up water from the ocean to make a twisting funnel of water and cloud - connecting the sea and sky.
While they're spectacular to watch they are often short-lived, lasting no more than between five and 10 minutes and are a danger to marine vessels on the water.
To see more stories and read today's paper download the Newcastle Herald news app here.