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Batemans Bay
A delightful small holiday/fishing town on the Clyde River it was named by Captain Cook in 1770 for the captain of one of his previous ships. Being the closest coastal town to Canberra it attracts many visitors and is renowned for its crayfish and oysters.
BATEMANS BAY, at the mouth of the Clyde River and the end of the highway from Canberra, is a favourite escape for the landlocked residents of the capital, just 152km away. Its not the most exciting place on the coast, but since its a fair-sized resort, theres plenty to do.
Batemans Bay Tourist Information is on Princes Highway, at the corner of Beach Road (daily 9am5pm). As youd expect of a resort, accommodation consists mainly of motels and a wide range of holiday units; most of the latter require a minimum weeks booking during peak summer times. Try Bay Surfside, 7km out of town at 662 Beach Rd, whose units sleep up to six and have all mod cons. Theres camping at eight caravan parks including the Coachhouse Marina Resort, by the beach on Beach Road 1km south of town, with a pool and tennis court; and Batemans Bay Tourist Park, close to town (but not the beach) and with a YHA hostel section attached. Mogendoura Farm, on Hawdons Road, 8km west of Moruya on the Moruya River, offers cottage farmstays with horse-riding, canoeing and bushwalking opportunities; minimum booking is two nights.
Theres a range of restaurants in Batemans Bay, mainly with fish and seafood-based menus.
Old Mogo Town Museum
Old Mogo Town Museum is a reconstruction of a mid-nineteenth-century goldrush town near an old gold mine. The best time to come, however, is Sunday morning when theres a bric-a-brac market held here. Twenty-five kilometres south of Batemans Bay, just before Moruya, a small, unsealed road turns off the highway to the west, heading through a pretty valley and then up over hills at the edge of the remote Deua National Park to the former goldrush town of Araluen where, between 1868 and 1872, about fifteen thousand prospectors congegrated in the hope of striking it lucky.
Murramarang National Park
One of the main features of this park are the kangaroos at Pebbly Beach. With wonderful beaches, stunning headlands, cliffs and rock platforms the park is popular for swimming and fishing. Located 10km north of Batemans Bay. Camping areas are available at Pebbly Beach, South Durras and Merry Beach.
Murramarang National Park
Murramarang National Park is a small coastal strip just north of town, there are campsites at Pretty Beach, Pebbly Beach and Durras Beach popular not only with campers but also with kangaroos, which come here at dawn or dusk to frolic on the beach. Rumour has it that they even enjoy body surfing.
Bega
A town famous for its cheese which has been made here as far back as the late 19th century. The town was first established on the banks of the river back in the 1830s but moved to higher ground after being washed out by flood waters. The Bega Co-Operative Creamery Company was officially formed in 1899 by the farmers of the Bega Valley who wanted to control their own industry and the original butter factory began production in early 1900, in 1944 it changed its name to become The Bega Co-Operative Society Limited and over the years expanded into milk receival, town milk deliveries and milk powder production.
Lush green meadows, munching cows, wide valleys and mountains in the background you could almost mistake this pastoral scenery for somewhere in the foothills of the Swiss Alps. Certainly the area around BEGA is prime dairy country: at the Bega Cheese Factory & Heritage Centre, Lagoon Street, North Bega (daily 9am5pm), you can watch the famous local cheese being made, and try a few samples.
Scenery and cheese apart, theres no great reason to come here, but its a convenient stopover, handy for the junction of the Princes Highway with the Snowy Mountains Highway. In town, the Historical Museum, on the corner of Bega and Auckland streets (MonFri 10.30am4pm, holidays also Sat 10amnoon), has regional memorabilia and photos. For more on local attractions, including the Grevillea Winery, check out the Bega Tourist Information Centre, 91 Gipps St (MonFri 9am5pm, Sat & Sun 10am2pm)
The small, pleasant Bega YHA on Kirkland Crescent is built from mud bricks. Less earthy accommodation can be found at the Grand Hotel, 236 Carp St, which has motel-style pub accommodation, as well as counter meals during the week. Campers can head for Bega Caravan Park on the Princes Highway.
Bournda National Park
This park has outstanding conversation value, containing beaches, fresh and saltwater lakes, lagoon and creeks and a variety of birds and wildlife. Activities to be enjoyed include swimming, fishing canoeing or watching the wildlife. Located 20km south-east of Bega. Camping area is located at Hobart Beach. (Bookings:-PO Box 186, Eden 2551)
Mimosa Rocks National Park
Situated 22km north-east of Bega this park features jagged coastline with natural rock formations, caves cliffs and headlands and is a favorite for surfers, fishermen, divers and birdwatchers.
Bermagui
Theres a delightful scenic detour along the south coast: turn off the highway just after Tilba Tilba and after 8km you reach BERMAGUI, on both the Bermagui River and sheltered Horseshoe Bay. Bermagui attracts quite a few game-fishing fanatics, thanks to its associations with Zane Grey, the American writer of Westerns and a legendary marlin fisherman.
Bermagui is definitely the major southern Australian game fish port, marlin, tuna of all description, blue shark and so on. It is also a tag and release conscious port and most fish are released, except suspected class records. There are several big-game fishing tournaments annually, and charter boats offer trips to catch black marlin, yellow fin tuna and other big fish.
Umbara Aboriginal Cultural Centre
Umbara Aboriginal Cultural Centre is a marvelous example of koori culture presented by kooris. It provides cultural tours to significant local sites, bush tucker experiences, educational activities and a guided cruise of Wallaga Lake and Gulaga, a mountain named Mt. Dromaderry by one James Cook. Naturally Bermagui is surrounded by huge tracts of forest, raw coastline and to the west the escarpment of the Monaro plains. A good place. We also have accomodation and eateries of various grades.
In addition to several motels, theres the pleasant old Bermagui Hotel, Lamont Street, serving decent meals; Elite Holiday Flats, 84 Murrah S; or the central Zane Grey Caravan Park on Lamont Street.
The Bermagui Information Centre
The Bermagui Information Centre is part of the BP Service Station at 8 Coluga St (daily 7am7pm). Theres no bank in town but you can get money from EFTPOS at the supermarket and an ATM machine in the Country Club, which also serves meals. Besides the club and pub, eating choices include a Thai restaurant and a pizzeria, but Rolys Wharf Restaurant is the best place to try Bermaguis legendary fish catches.
Mimosa Rocks National Park
Unsealed tracks branch off the coast road to Mimosa Rocks National Park, where there are opportunities for bushwalking and swimming. There are NPWS campsites at Middle Beach, Picnic Point and Argannu Beach.
Wallaga National Park
Located 10km north of Bermagui access to the park is by walking from the Princess Hwy or by boat from Regatta point or Beauty point. Middens are still found on the shore, relics of the aboriginals who inhabited the area.
Berry
The beautiful township of Berry is nestled between Kangaroo Valley and Seven Mile Beach. Located on Princes Highway, Berry is 15km north of Nowra. It is also easily accessible from Kangaroo Valley via Kangaroo Valley Road.
The rustic and friendly charm of Berry is not to be missed. The historic town (Broughton Creek Village) was settled in 1875 and was part of Alexandra Berry’s Coolangatta Estate.
Many of its enchanting buildings have been renovated and now house cafes, antiques, crafts, nursery, hotels, indigenous arts, galleries and a museum. One of the popular attractions is The Berry Stores (Wilson’s Stores, 1892).
Candelo
CANDELO, reached by a country road off the highway 11km south of Bega, is a pretty village where you can browse in the galleries and craft shops, have a cream tea at one of the tearooms, or a drink in the preserved Candelo Hotel on Sharp Street, which also has rooms and good counter meals. Other accommodation options include the self-contained units at Bumblebrook Farm, Kemps Lane, 4km northwest of Candelo, although you can also take advantage of room service or dine in the homestead.
Jervis Bay
Just southeast of Nowra, the sheltered waters of Jervis Bay, (pronounced Jarvis) by a political quirk, are technically part of the ACT, in order to provide Canberra with access to the sea. The beautiful coast of the Jervis Bay National Park, at the southeast arm of the bay, is very popular, with its rugged cliffs facing the pounding ocean and tranquil beaches of dazzling white sand and clear water within the confines of the bay, while inland heaths, wetlands and forests offer strolls and bushwalks; details are available from the visitor centre as you enter the park.
There are a couple of campsites: the more secluded and small Cave Beach on Wreck Bay is the most sought-after site, despite its cold showers; the larger, more expensive Greenpatch, on a creek by Jervis Bay, has the benefit of hot showers, and cars can be parked at each tent site. Holiday-unit accommodation, sleeping up to six, is available on Ellmoos Road, at Kullindi, and at Lumeah, with weekly-only rates in summer.
The Wreck Bay Aboriginal Community, which has land in the middle section of the park, organizes a summer cultural interpretation programme, Wreck Bay Walkabouts (bookings and information), which covers diet and medicines, archeology and wildlife; plus theres the recommended Barrys Bushtucker Tours.
Jervis Bay Botanic Gardens (MonFri 8am4pm, Sun 10am5pm, closed Sat except DecApril 10am5pm; free), on Cave Beach Road, is an annexe of Canberras Australian National Botanic Gardens and has specimens of plants from around Australia, including a pleasantly cool rainforest gully. Heading south from Sydney to Jervis Bay, 10km south of Nowra, down the turn-off for Huskisson takes you to Marayong Park Emu Farm, 132 Jervis Bay Rd, (WedSun 10am4pm: guided tours and emu feeding sessions 10.30am, 11.30am, 1.30pm & 2.30pm)
On the western shores of Jervis Bay, 21km southeast of Nowra, HUSKISSON is an old town thats a popular tourist spot, with several beachside campsites: the council-run Huskisson Beach Tourist Park, Beach Street, has a playground and tennis courts; or try Huskisson White Sands Tourist Park, corner of Nowra and Beach streets.
Merimbula
This flourishing resort/fishing town is situated on the picturesque Lake Merimbula at the entrance to the Merimbula River. It is a haven for relaxing by the sea or enjoying its many attractions which include excellent surfing , fishing, boating, a fantastic golf course and delicious fresh seafoods.
The pretty township of MERIMBULA attracts a lot of holiday-makers from Victoria because of its accessibility, year-round temperate climate and good beaches. Between tanning sessions, you can cruise Merimbula Lake (actually the wide mouth of the Merimbula River) and Pambula Lake with several different companies for around $20 for two hours: Sinbad Cruises (book at the tourist centre) are recommended for their interesting commentary on Aboriginal history and oyster cultivation.
By bus, you can get to Merimbula from Canberra, Cooma or Eden with Countrylink, from Sydney or Melbourne with Greyhound Pioneer, and from Sydney or Eden.
Kalorama Caravan Park, Millingandi Rd, Pambula. Swimming pool, toddlers pool and tennis court.
Mandeni Resort, Sapphire Coast Drive, 7km north. Fully equipped timber cottages in a bushland setting, sleeping a maximum of six. Facilities include tennis courts, two swimming pools, a golf course and many walking trails. Weekly bookings only.
South Haven Caravan Park, Elizabeth St, between Merimbula Lake and the beach. Sauna, heated pool, tennis and squash courts.
Narooma
A small fishing village surrounded by beautiful beaches, bays and coastal lakes, NAROOMA lies at the heart of an area famous for its succulent mud oysters. You can canoe and windsurf on the Wagonga Inlet or sail to Montague Island an offshore sanctuary for sea birds, seals and penguins. If you actually want to disembark at the island, youll have to join a tour organized by the NPWS in Narooma (tours daily winter 3.30pm, summer 6.30pm though morning tours are sometimes available; 3hr), since its a protected wildlife reserve.
Southern right and humpback whales have begun to reappear in the bay between September and November, and tour operators also organize whale-watching tours in the event of any sightings; you can book at the visitors centre on the highway (daily 9am5pm).
Diving can be found off Montague Island all year, organized by Ocean Hut, 123 Princes Highway costing $45 for one dive and $60 for two (JanApr grey nurse sharks and tropical fish; AugDec mainly seal-spotting).
Naroomas nightlife doesnt extend much beyond the vast Golf Club on Balinga Street (daily 10am10pm), with pool tables and poker machines, serving the latest drink in town. If youre in need of a film fix, there is a delightfully preserved Kinema picture theatre worth visiting an original cinema from 1926 screening modern movies on Friday and Saturday evenings and Sunday matinees (daily showings, except Mondays, during school holidays and the Dec/Jan holiday season).
A thriving local Koorie community, run their own Umbarra Aboriginal Cultural Centre at Wallaga Lake, 25km south of Narooma. They operate tours to local sacred sites, including Gulaga (Mt Dromedary), with hands-on activities such as painting with ochres, building bark huts and sampling bush tucker and traditional medicine. (As some of their tours traverse aboriginal lands, special permits are required for external visitors planning on visiting these areas independently.) They also have a cruise with commentary on Wallaga Lake, one of the largest saltwater lakes on the Australian coast. The lakes black duck is the sacred totem for the local aboriginal community.
Nowra – Bomaderry
This busy and expanding agricultural and business centre, located just upstream from the mouth of the Shoalhaven River, is an extremely popular tourist resort because of its stunning beaches extending north and south of the town. Wreck Bay to the south is extremely popular spot for surfing (Australia’s Pipeline) and diving, while Jervis Bay is a favorite for the fishermen.
Straddling the wide Shoalhaven River, the twin town of NOWRABOMADERRY is the centre of the Shoalhaven holiday region: Bomaderry is situated north of the river, Nowra south. The river here is great for sailing, windsurfing and boating in general, while the coast, 13km away, is dotted with popular holiday settlements and numerous beaches.
Accommodation includes an abundance of motels, and two hostels/guesthouses. Rooms at Armstrongs Guesthouse, 30 Junction St, share bathrooms but theyre reasonably priced, plus theres a YHA hostel section in two cabins. Riverhaven Guesthouse Backpackers is on a riverfront landscaped property but only one block from the shops, by the bridge at 1 Scenic Drive; facilities include a kitchen and swimming pool.
Theres not much by way of restaurants or nightlife in Nowra but it does have one alternative hangout, the Tea Club, 46 Berry St (closed Sun & Mon) a veggie caf with a bohemian feel, artworks for sale, drumming workshops (Thurs eve) and bellydancing displays (Sat eve).
Shoalhaven Heads north of the river mouth, Greenwell Point in the south, Huskisson at Jervis Bay and Sussex Inlet are all easily accessible on good roads, although public transport doesnt run this far. Possible inland trips include a one-hour tour to the top of nearby Mount Coolangatta with Australian Bushmobile Tours.
Pambula
The township of Pambula is located 1km from Pambula Beach with a rich history dating back the 1850s . Gold was once discovered on the Pambula Goldfields where precious gems may still be found today. Dolphins may be seen chasing food up the Pambula River and middens over 2000 years old left by aborigines are still to be found.
Tathra
From Bega, an alternative route to Merimbula takes you along the coast road via the small holiday and fishing village of TATHRA. Tourist information is dispensed at the helpful Tathra Wharf Trading Post right on the wharf an all-purpose place which also rents out fishing, diving and surfing gear, and has a decent caf; theres a maritime museum upstairs (daily 8am5pm) Just to the south, coastal Bournda National Park features stunning beaches, brackish lagoons and freshwater lakes: there are NPWS campsites at Hobart Beach on the southern end of Wallagoot Lake
Accommodation ranges from the motel-style units at the Tathra Hotel Motel on Bega Street, to the Tathra Beach Tourist Park, right by the beach on Andy Poole Drive, 2km from the centre or try the timber cottages at Kianinny Park Cabins on the Snowy Mountains Highway, 2km west of town, a family place with a saltwater pool.
Tilba Tilba
In the picturesque mountain villages of TILBA TILBA and CENTRAL TILBA, 17km south of Narooma, time seems to have stood still and various craft shops and workshops are ready and willing to exploit the old world ambience.
Its an area famous for its cheeses, and is also a little-known wine-growing region: Central Tilbas hundred-year-old ABC Cheese Factory is open for visits and free tastings (daily 9am5pm), and you can follow this up with some wine tasting at Tilba Valley Winery, signposted off the Princes Highway, 5km north of town (MonSat 10am5pm, Sun 11am5pm).
Situated on Corunna Lake, the working family vineyard and winery is an idyllic spot for a ploughmans lunch on the terrace or a picnic on the grounds, overlooking a lake. Try the unusual local mead made at the winery.
The Dromedary Hotel, on Bates Street in Central Tilba, is a quaint, historic pub with open fires; counter meals are served and theres B&B accommodation. The nearby Rose & Sparrow Caf offers cream teas and light meals but is self-consciously twee.
If youre feeling energetic you can follow the walking trail which starts from Pams Store in Tilba Tilba and leads through a forest to the summit of Mount Dromedary, at almost 800m. The hike there and back is about 11km, and you should allow five to six hours or go for the lazy option, with a horse from Mount Dromedary Trail Rides.
Ulladulla
A small fishing/resort town it has some of the best surfing beaches on the south coast. The town is a holiday centre during the summer months with great fishing spots and a stunning golf course overlooking the ocean. The many caravan parks, motels and fresh seafood make it a perfect spot for a vacation.
In the 1930s many Italian fishermen settled in the small fishing village of ULLADULLA, and theyre still a strong influence on the atmosphere of this tranquil outpost: the traditional Blessing of the Fleet continues to be celebrated every Easter at the harbour breakwater.
Its a beautiful area, dominated by the sandstone plateau of the Morton National Park, rising steeply to the west of town. Mostly this is an inaccessible barrier, but theres a good bushwalk to the top of the 719-metre Pigeon House Mountain in the Budawang Range; the walk there and back takes about four hours and is accessed from the Princes Highway, via a turn-off 8km south of Ulladulla.
Along the coast in both directions are attractive river mouths, beaches and lakes: among those worth visiting are pretty Lake Conjola, 10km to the north; Lake Burrill, 5km to the south; and Lake Tabourie, 13km to the south all are popular with fishermen, canoeists and campers. Around Ulladulla there are also some quaint country towns worth visiting.
Mollymook, 3km to the north, has some sensational surfing sites and hiking trails and a few kilometres further on theres lots to see and do in the village of Milton, home to numerous antique shops, craft shops and cafs. This region provides a relaxing weekend escape from Sydney or a worthwhile stopover en route to or from Melbourne, but you really need your own transport to appreciate the area and to get off the main roads onto some of the scenic drives.
In terms of activities, theres swimming at the free sea-water pool by the wharf, or open-water scuba courses run by Ulladulla Divers Supplies, Watson Street. The local Aboriginal community has also constructed an interesting cultural trail, the Coomee Nulunga. Access is via Deering Street, opposite the Lighthouse Oval car park. The track meanders through eucalypts and heath flowers to a viewing platform over the ocean, and then on to a secluded beach. Guided tours are offered by local Aborigines, and include boomerang throwing, didgeridoo playing and dreaming stories.
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