NSW’s South Coast offers diverse activities, from surfing and hiking to wine tasting and gourmet dining. Photo / Destination NSW
NSW’s South Coast is the state’s premier, albeit often overlooked coastline, where travellers can easily tailor their holiday to their favourite hobby, writes Michelle Tchea.
As a born-and-bred Melbourne girl who grew up with the friendly rivalry between Victoria and New South Wales, there’s no denying we never want to seem inferior to our sister state.
New South Wales, however, has something Victoria does not – the South Coast. Stretching south from Sydney and to the border of Victoria, the South Coast is filled with national parks, beaches, lagoons and rainforests – this is a gem not many people know about, and it starts just 1.5 hours by car from Sydney International Airport.
If we can judge a destination by its name, there is romanticism in the area. Kiama, Berry, Narooma, Mollymook and Eden – paradise can be found in all these cute towns and dreamy beachside resorts that make up the South Coast.
With everything from gnarly waves and golf courses to family-run estates producing some ripper chamboucin, you really can build your holiday to suit your favourite pastime.
Chowhounds
If you love oysters, you are in for a treat when in New South Wales’ South Coast region. The stretch running from Nowra and all the way down to the Victoria border offers delicious Sydney rock, Pacifics and even native Angasi flat oysters – all freshly harvested from the pristinely clear waters off New South Wales’ coastline. For those who want to do more than just slurp oysters, there are different farms and activities in various regions to be enjoyed, too. Jim Wild’s Oysters is a working oyster farm where you can see the oyster harvesting process first-hand before slurping down a dozen, kayakers will love the two-hour tour along Clyde River in Bateman’s Bay and if you’re not afraid of heights, the most thrilling is jumping on a seaplane where dolphins and whales may just make an appearance before a gourmet oyster lunch.
Beyond oysters, great dining experiences can be found in a van, like the famous Berry donuts which locals rave about and there’s even British chef Rick Stein’s first Aussie restaurant of the same name and located in the super chill Bannister Mollymook. Self-professed gastronomes will appreciate how all the family-run restaurants in the area proudly support local farmers and fishermen. Arlo in Oak’s Ranch, Bangalay Dining overlooking the Seven Miles Beach and Culpitt’s Estate are just some of the top dining experiences in the area with a strong focus on seasonal, hyperlocal cuisine under the guidance of a competent chef.
Wine lovers
The Hunter Valley, Southern Highlands and also Orange are well-known for producing some stellar NSW wines, but if you want something a little under the radar, check out Shoalhaven instead. Rather than housing big-name estates, the Shoalhaven Coast is mainly made up of boutique and family-run vineyards.
Located in between beaches and mountainsides, the temperate climate and soil produces some of the region’s award-winning coastal wines like chardonnay, verdelho and chamboucin. At the top of the list is Cupitt’s Estate. Founders Rosie and Griff Cupitt have transformed a former cattle farm into an award-winning vineyard that produces excellent Italian-style wines. Barbera, Fiano and Nebbiolo are excellent and best enjoyed over a long lunch in the estate’s farm-to-table restaurant.
Other great wineries in the region include Coolangatta Estate, Two Figs Winery and Cambewarra Estate. The best way to enjoy the wine is on a self-guided tour with Elux Rides as your designated driver. There is also the Shoalhaven Coast Winter Wine Festival in June, which can’t be missed.
Brewery and distillery seekers
You wouldn’t have a complete Aussie road trip if beer wasn’t on the itinerary and thankfully, the NSW South Coast proudly produces some excellent beer and spirits.
Jervis Bay Brewing Co stands as one of the most popular, with locals loving the Pilsner and Dark Lager. The brewery is also a social hub for locals and on Thursdays and Sundays there is trivia and live music with a monthly open mic night. Dangerous Ales and Flamin Galah are also good choices, with each producing both excellent beers and an award-winning elevated pub meal to boot.
Shoalhaven’s first craft distillery, Tara Distillery, started a micro-revolution in the area in terms of producing stellar spirits and is a great spot to sip cocktails. At Tara’s, anything from gin to vodka and whisky are produced using pure harvested Shoalhaven rainwater – but if fruity tonics are your thing, check out Old Salt Distillery down the road.
Golf-oholics
More than 350 courses can be found across New South Wales and some of the best are dotted along the South Coast. One of the most exclusive greens in the region is the nine-hole golf course at Oak’s Ranch. Located on a private estate attached to the boutique hotel, Oak’s Ranch, both guests and outsiders can practise their putts and swing on an immaculately groomed green with wildlife your closest neighbours.
Continue the Oak’s Ranch experience and chat among new friends about how you conquered the ninth hole (which has a huge fairway bunker) in the hotel’s restaurant, ALRO, with freshly shucked oysters, wagyu beef and a local sip of wine.
In Shoalhaven Heads and just minutes from Seven Miles Beach is another excellent golf course. The course here is bounded by Collangatta Mountain in the west and Pacific Ocean in the east, with 18 holes to tackle for both novice and semi-professional golfers.
Finish the outing at Bangalay Dining for a great lunch with a friendly young team and don’t forget to try the cocktails made with native ingredients. Other great golf courses in the area include the Mollymook Golf Club with 18 holes and panoramas of Mollymook Beach, as well as Worrigee Links Golf Course with perfectly manicured greens run by resident expert, Greg Drummond.
Outdoor enthusiasts
With more than 30 national parks and marine reserves to check out, there’s something for every avid hiker. Just outside Batemans Bay is Murramarang National Park, which includes beaches, clifftop aeries and more than 44km of coastline to take in. Don’t forget to check out Depot Beach and Pretty Beach if you want the best panoramas of the area. For those looking to stay cool while walking, nothing beats the Minnamurra Rainforest. Located 15 minutes from Kiama, the forest offers the chance to enjoy spotting lyrebirds, swamp wallabies and also take to the wheelchair-friendly boardwalk. Whale-spotting is also possible along the rocky coastline and headlands of Sapphire Coast. Located on the southern edge of NSW, Beorwa National Park is home to the Bundian Way Story trail, a 1.8km walk detailing the area’s indigenous history and featuring stellar views over Disaster Bay.
Swimmers and surfers
In Shoalhaven alone there are 100 beaches, so you are bound to find your own private piece of paradise where you can count dolphins or even navigate the crystal clear waters on kayak or surfboard.
Jervis Bay National Park has white-sand beaches for surfers to enjoy and there is also Batemans Marine Park where 85,000ha of estuaries, creeks, rivers and lakes can be enjoyed.
If you’re looking for waves, the southern end of Seven Mile Beach is reliable for beginner swells. However, if you’re looking for a more challenging start to your morning, Culbarra Surf Beach is the breeding ground for Aussie surf champion siblings Tyler, Owen and Mikey Wright.
Surf lessons are also available at various beaches. Check out Mollymook Beach Surf School, Culburra Beach Surf School, Walking on Water Surf Schools and even lessons with surf legend Pam Burridge are available.
The writer travelled at their own expense.