Lake George Winery, Lake GeorgeCredit: Destination NSW
From Canberra to the South Coast there are many vineyards to visit, like Lake George Winery.
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The scenic route from Canberra to the South Coast, through farmland, towns and a coastal mountain range, offers plenty of great food and drink experiences. There are oyster-sampling kayak tours, award-winning cellar doors, one-of-a-kind producers and surprising brunch items (carrot cake oats, anyone?) you’ll want to try when visiting this region.
Around Lake George
Lake George Winery, a three-hour drive from Sydney, is one of the oldest grape-growing estates in the region. Located 700 metres above sea level, it boasts the perfect cool climate for its impressive vegan-friendly wines, which you can taste at the cellar door or on a Vine to Wine tour with owner Sarah McDougall.
Make a sweet detour to Robyn Rowe in Murrumbateman for award-winning Belgian chocolates that are crafted by hand. For an elegant lunch, Grazing in Gundaroo, just half an hour from Canberra, offers local produce like pork belly with braised sugarloaf cabbage. It’s housed in a rustic 1830s building, formerly a traveller’s inn. Check in at Tallagandra Hill Cottages, to stay at a small family-owned winery, and head to Gundaroo Colonial Inn for casual pub fare.
Around Murrumbateman
Enjoy lunch on the deck of Smokehouse Restaurant at the family-run Poachers Pantry estate in Springrange, just a half hour drive from Canberra. Here, meats are cured and smoked in-house, organic produce is grown in the kitchen garden and wines are made in the Bruce family’s surrounding vineyards. Or head to the idyllic Four Winds Vineyard in nearby Murrumbateman, where you can build your own grazing platter from the deli fridge and match it with wine from the cellar door.
Also worth visiting in this wine district: the acclaimed Clonakilla estate (don’t miss its shiraz viognier, which has won countless awards) and Shaw Wines, with its appealing cool-climate wines, hill views and acclaimed Olleyville restaurant.
Braidwood to Batemans Bay
Set out for the coast and start the two-hour drive to Batemans Bay, stopping halfway in heritage-listed town Braidwood. Here you can have coffee and cake at the lush, plant-filled cafe Deadwood or a freshly made bakery lunch at artisan bakehouse Dojo Bread.
After you’ve navigated the road through the mountains to Batemans Bay, take a kayaking tour with Region X. You’ll see the town’s famed oyster farms along the Clyde River Estuary. You’re also welcome to load your kayak with as many oysters as you like during your riverside journey. Drive south to the pristine beaches of Mossy Point and refuel with a coffee at eclectic The Mossy Cafe, which uses beans blended specifically for the cafe by local roastery Guerilla Roasters. Make plans for a seafood dinner at JJ’s at the Marina, which is situated right on the glittering waterfront.
Clonakilla, Murrumbateman Credit: Destination NSW
Please replace with this caption: Clonakilla is an award-winning vineyard in Murrumbateman, in the Canberra District wine region.
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Clonakilla, Murrumbateman Credit: Destination NSW
Please replace with this caption: Clonakilla is an award-winning vineyard in Murrumbateman, in the Canberra District wine region.
Poachers Pantry, Springrange Credit: Destination NSW
Food and drink at Poachers Pantry, Springrange.
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Poachers Pantry, Springrange Credit: Destination NSW
Food and drink at Poachers Pantry, Springrange.
Batemans Bay to Narooma
Pick up breakfast in the centre of Batemans Bay: Deli on Perry is a popular spot for coffee, light brunches and overflowing platters of gourmet cheeses, charcuterie and desserts. At the Bodalla Dairy Shed, taste a range of unique cheeses, which are flavoured with bush foods like saltbush and smoked gum leaf. Or order a milkshake or scoop of ice-cream (berry cheesecake or Kakadu plum, anyone?) made from the farm’s non-homogenised ‘living’ milk.
Leave room for a late lunch at Quarterdeck in Narooma — the quirky tiki bar offers American-style barbecue ribs from its grill, locally harvested oysters, themed cocktails and pretty ocean panoramas, all to a soundtrack of atmospheric live music. Surfer-turned-chef Matthew Hoar heads the kitchen at The Whale’s restaurant, which serves ultra-local produce (including ingredients from its own ‘Whale Garden’) while also featuring breathtaking hilltop views.
Narooma, Tilba and Bermagui
From Narooma, drive 30 minutes south to the preserved heritage village of Central Tilba, at the base of the spectacular Gulaga mountain. Pick up mountain-ash camembert, vintage smoked cheddar and pecorino at the award-winning Tilba Real Dairy, and watch the artisan cheese-making process from behind the factory’s large glass windows.
Stop for a lakeside lunch at family-run Tilba Valley Winery & Ale House — and make sure to sample a glass of the vineyard’s semillon, riesling, shiraz and other in-house wines before you go. Or head further south for a locavore lunch by another family business: Mimosa Wines. This vineyard, restaurant and cellar door is located on a picturesque hilltop in Murrah.
In the Sapphire Coast town of Bermagui, you can spend the morning surfing, snorkelling or spotting the animal-shaped landmark that formed over millions of years ago at Camel Rock — then pick up mango and coconut cheesecake or savoury beetroot feta danishes from the beloved Neighbourhood café, or stock up your pantry with its bourbon molasses barbecue sauce or chipotle ketchup. Or grab a next-level pastry or a loaf of sourdough bread at Honorbread. After vegetarian fare? Boneless Cafe serves up rainbow noodle salads, carrot cake oats and hemp smoothies.
Clyde River Bridge, Batemans Bay Credit: Destination NSW
The Clyde River Bridge over the scenic Clyde River, Batemans Bay
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Clyde River Bridge, Batemans Bay Credit: Destination NSW
The Clyde River Bridge over the scenic Clyde River, Batemans Bay
Blue Pool, Bermagui Credit: Destination NSW
The picturesque Blue Pool situated along the Bermagui coastline.
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Blue Pool, Bermagui Credit: Destination NSW
The picturesque Blue Pool situated along the Bermagui coastline.
More Inspirational Stories
Horse Riding, Jindabyne, Snowy MountainsCredit: Destination NSW
Horse riding in Jindabyne, Snowy Mountains. For media use only in Australian markets to promote NSW.
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Set course for adventure in Jindabyne, a quaint lakeside town in the foothills of New South Wales’ Snowy Mountains, and a great base camp for an energising, nature-based holiday. Delight in a range of exciting seasonal experiences, from action-packed days on the snow to summertime hikes that will leave you feeling fresh.
Pick your own adventure
There's an array of activities on your doorstep in Jindabyne – a five-hour drive southwest of Sydney. In warm weather, get your blood pumping on a mountain bike ride, or try your hand at rock climbing with K7 Adventures. Travelling when the mercury drops? Relish in the wintry scenery on one of K7’s snow-shoe expeditions. Alternatively, get a natural high on a guided horse trek at Snowy Wilderness Resort, set on more than 6,500 acres of awe-inspiring alpine high country just south of Jindabyne.
There’s also a whole lot of adventure to uncover in Kosciuszko National Park during summer. Revel in the sense of achievement hiking the summit of Mount Kosciuszko, Australia’s highest point at 2,228m elevation – it’s an 18.6km return trail from Charlotte Pass, so plan on spending a full day (six to eight hours) out in nature. If you’d prefer a shorter walk, the serene Rainbow Lake walk is a 2.4km-return trail that boasts stunning wildflowers during springtime.
Post-activity, take a deep breath and calm your mind during a hatha yoga session at Jai Yoga. Then further reward your day’s efforts with a celebratory schnapps made at Wildbrumby, which has a distillery door and restaurant overlooking a sculpture garden. Prefer a beer? Jindabyne Brewing bar and tasting room has views across Lake Jindabyne – find a scenic perch and enjoy the ultimate taste of the region as you sip. Another option for a refreshing swig of beer is Kosciuszko Brewery. Located at Jindabyne’s Banjo Patterson Inn, it’s the perfect spot to unwind after an exhilarating day of adventure activities.
Jindabyne, Snowy Mountains Credit: Destination NSW
Hiking in Jindabyne, Snowy Mountains For media use only in Australian markets to promote NSW.
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Jindabyne, Snowy Mountains Credit: Destination NSW
Hiking in Jindabyne, Snowy Mountains For media use only in Australian markets to promote NSW.
Wildbrumby Schnapps Distillery, Crackenback Credit: Destination NSW
The Wildbrumby Distillery & Cafe is a unique, boutique schnapps distillery located on the Alpine Way in the picturesque Thredbo Valley,
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Wildbrumby Schnapps Distillery, Crackenback Credit: Destination NSW
The Wildbrumby Distillery & Cafe is a unique, boutique schnapps distillery located on the Alpine Way in the picturesque Thredbo Valley,
Try out the local dining scene
Follow your nose to the delectable range of oven-fresh breakfast pastries on offer at Nimmitabel Bakery. The aroma of freshly brewed Axis Roasters coffee is just as difficult to resist at Birchwood, where you can also fill up before a big day in the great outdoors on cheese toasties, muesli bowls, moreish breakfast salads and more.
Self-catering? Head to The Market. At this part café, part market, you can choose between sinking your teeth into wholesome dishes or grabbing organic fruit and veggies and specialty grocery items to take away.
Cosy up at the end of the day at Bacco Italian Restaurant, which has been preparing pizzas and pastas for more than 25 years; kids are well catered for with a dedicated menu of tasty bites. Or take your palate on its own adventure at much-loved Cafe Darya, which dishes up welcoming Persian favourites including dips, pastries and stews. Pair zingy tacos with lip-smacking margaritas at Cucina Grill & Cantina, and treat your travelling companion to an intimate Japanese dinner at Takayama; kick off a memorable meal with a serving of succulent pork gyoza with ponzu dipping sauce.
Stay in quintessential Snowies lodging
Lean into farm life at Avonside Alpine Estate, a dreamy off-grid farm stay with a vegetable garden, chickens, sheep and highland cattle. The two- and three-bedroom cottages unite Scandi style with sustainable design, and boast calming country vistas, too.
Be soothed by the snow gums surrounding Ecocrackenback, just outside of Jindabyne, as you warm up by the fire in one of its 18 self-contained cabins. Or soak up the similarly scenic setting at Moonbah Hut, which offers two charming timber cottages near Jindabyne that sleep four or five guests. With one hut set on a lake and the other by a river, you can begin or end a summer's day with an invigorating dip, while the stone fireplaces, underfloor heating and exposed beams make the cottages feel particularly snug during the winter months.
The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service manages a number of lodges throughout Kosciuszko National Park, including Creel Lodge. Here you can bask in serene Lake Jindabyne views from the breakfast table. As the moon rises over the lake, indulge in the nostalgic pastime of roasting marshmallows over the outdoor fireplace for dessert.
Lake Crackenback, Thredbo Credit: Destination NSW
Kangaroos at Lake Crackenback, Thredbo.
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Lake Crackenback, Thredbo Credit: Destination NSW
Kangaroos at Lake Crackenback, Thredbo.
Lake Jindabyne, Snowy Mountains Credit: Destination NSW
Scenic views of Lake Jindabyne in the Snowy Mountains.
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Lake Jindabyne, Snowy Mountains Credit: Destination NSW
Scenic views of Lake Jindabyne in the Snowy Mountains.