South Cronulla Beach, Southern SydneyCredit: Monde Photo
South Cronulla Beach, one of four patrolled surf beaches in Cronulla in Southern Sydney.
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In Cronulla, a 50-minute drive south of the city centre, you’ll feel like you’re a million miles away on a coastal retreat. This beachside suburb is renowned for its waterfront eateries and its relaxed vibe. With four kilometres of coastline and four beaches one after the other – Wanda, Elouera, North Cronulla and South Cronulla – this is the perfect place for a beachside holiday.
Highlights:
- Having a dip in the ocean followed by a tasty breakfast
- Taking a peaceful walk on sandy beaches or along the coastal headland
- Enjoying a long lunch while watching locals promenade past
Greet the morning
Start your morning off on a yoga mat by the seaside with the effervescent, energetic yogi Ying Bean. Let Ying take you through your paces on the grass overlooking the water at Shelly Beach Park on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday mornings, weather permitting. Ying also offers yoga and mindfulness classes for the little ones on Wednesday afternoons.
If you’ve brought a four-legged friend with you, head up to the northernmost car park above Wanda Beach and follow the trail of dog owners taking their pets to Greenhills Beach to the north. Here your dog is allowed off-leash from 3pm to 10am (from 4pm during daylight savings).
After yoga or a dip at the beach, have a hearty breakfast at Zimzala. Perched on the edge of the ocean on the Esplanade at South Cronulla Beach, this casual eatery has amazing beach views and serves up traditional café breakfast favourites. Or head to Blackwood Pantry on Surf Lane, a quick walk through the palm tree-dotted park from Zimzala, for seasonal fare such as soft-boiled egg with tandoori sweet potato.
Shop for some new holiday outfits
Scattered around this beachside suburb are hip boutiques offering everything from beach-to-bar sundresses to sustainable homewares and swimwear. On Surf Road in Cronulla, drop into Roar for statement pieces and bespoke accessories from its curated collection of Aussie and international designers. Put Zaliah on your boutique list for designer leather, linen and knitwear. Fur bomber jackets and pastel blazers are a highlight at Meet That Store, while family-owned fashion store Dutchee Dutchee stocks cute sundresses, jumpsuits and delicate necklaces.
Take a long lunch
For a leisurely lunch by the water, head to Sealevel Restaurant & Bar, which occupies a great ground-floor spot overlooking North Cronulla Beach. There’s a focus on fresh local seafood here, and with floor-to-ceiling glass bringing the beach views in, it’s a great place for people watching, with a steady stream of locals walking by. Or seek out Summer Salt Restaurant, at Eloura Surf Life Saving Club overlooking Eloura Beach, for a sublime seafood platter and modern Australian fare with an Asian twist.
Prefer to keep on the move? Grab a great sandwich and locally roasted coffee from Loaf Sandwiches, on Cronulla Mall near Surf Road, and hit the Cronulla Beach Walk to find a bench overlooking the waves. This 4km coastal walk runs from South Cronulla Beach to Bass and Flinders Point overlooking Bundeena and the Royal National Park. You’ll stroll past ocean pools, cafés, playgrounds and lavish homes overlooking the water. The entire walk is about an hour one way.
If you’ve opted for a long walk after lunch, reward yourself with an ice-cream cone from Ice Creamery & Espresso Bar. With more than 70 flavours to choose from, there’s a flavour to suit all tastes.
Blackwood Pantry, Cronulla Credit: Blackwood Pantry
Blackwood Pantry, on Surf Lane in Cronulla.
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Blackwood Pantry, Cronulla Credit: Blackwood Pantry
Blackwood Pantry, on Surf Lane in Cronulla.
The Cronulla Beach Walk, Southern Sydney Credit: Monde Photo
The Cronulla Beach Walk is a 6km return walk from the beaches of Cronulla to a headland facing Royal National Park.
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The Cronulla Beach Walk, Southern Sydney Credit: Monde Photo
The Cronulla Beach Walk is a 6km return walk from the beaches of Cronulla to a headland facing Royal National Park.
Ease into the evening
After a day at the beach or walking along the coast, it’s time to dress up and dive into Cronulla’s nightlife. Have a pre-dinner drink at Croydon Lane Wine & Tapas Bar, a hidden gem with an intimate atmosphere and pretty wine garden near the intersection of the Cronulla Street pedestrian mall and Kingsway, the main road leading down to the beach. The bar often hosts live music and there are colourful share plates along with an impressive wine list.
Or enjoy sunset drinks at Next Door Cafe, a bright and open-air bar, café and restaurant overlooking North Cronulla Beach that’s the ideal spot for an afternoon cocktail or wine. Children are most welcome and there’s a kids’ menu if you’d like to grab them an early dinner.
Dine in style
A great option for an afternoon drink is an aperitif at the Aprés Beach Bar at The Pines, a Hamptons-esque restaurant overlooking a row of Norfolk pines between North and South Cronulla beaches. Then settle in for sustainably grown Humpty Doo barramundi and Milly Hill lamb on a menu created by executive chef James Metcalfe, a veteran of Michelin-starred London restaurants.
Giro Osteria is another one of a string of innovative eateries in Cronulla making this southside beach suburb a hot foodie destination. The menu at Giro is faithfully Italian, with an edited menu of traditional Italian dishes that change frequently, depending on the seasonal produce available. The bonus? The view of North Cronulla Beach is stunning.
The chic and fun eatery C.C. Babcoq is all about contemporary comfort food with big, bold flavours. On the menu expect smoked meats, tasty rotisserie chickens and spiced vegetables, all designed to be shared with family and friends. And at bright and breezy Henry’s, Japanese-inspired dishes such as the chicken karaage and Tajima wagyu steak are meant to be shared, while you may want to keep the cocktail you’ve ordered all to yourself.
Call it a night
For two quirky drinking holes in one, tucked away inside American-style whisky saloon The Blind Bear on the pedestrian mall end of Cronulla Street, you’ll find hidden gem Happy Panda, an edgy Asian fusion cocktail bar lined with Chinese wallpaper. Have a nightcap here before returning to your room at Rydges Cronulla Beachside, a two-minute walk from Blind Bear on Kingsway. This resort-style hotel with a breezy decor overlooks North Cronulla Beach — check out the great views from your ocean-facing room, or grab a complimentary bike in the morning and continue exploring this beachside haven.
The Pines Cronulla Credit: Rachel Kara
The Pines restaurant in Cronulla, south of Sydney.
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The Pines Cronulla Credit: Rachel Kara
The Pines restaurant in Cronulla, south of Sydney.
Rydges Cronulla Beachside, Cronulla Credit: Rydges Cronulla Beachside
Looking out over North Cronulla, Elouera and Wanda beaches from Rydges Cronulla Beachside in Cronulla.
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Rydges Cronulla Beachside, Cronulla Credit: Rydges Cronulla Beachside
Looking out over North Cronulla, Elouera and Wanda beaches from Rydges Cronulla Beachside in Cronulla.
Blue Pool, BermaguiCredit: Destination NSW
The scenic Blue Pool on the Bermagui coastline.
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You’ll find spectacular ocean pools dotted along the southern coastline of New South Wales. These handmade pools, fed by the ocean’s waves, are often built into the rocks near beautiful sandy beaches, can be hidden away along the coastline and are enjoyed mostly by locals. Ocean pools are great for kids learning how to swim, lap swimming and for a dip on the days when the waves are a little too big for your liking. Here’s where to find an ocean pool on the coast south of Sydney.
In the Illawarra
You’ll find many spectacular ocean pools in the Illawarra area, from south of the Royal National Park all the way through to the popular seaside town of Kiama. These include lovely pools at Coledale, Bulli, Towradgi, Port Kembla and North Wollongong.
Take the road through the Royal National Park to Stanwell Park and onto Coalcliff Beach, where the ocean pool is set against a dramatic backdrop of the escarpment.
Nuns Pool, at Flagstaff Point in Wollongong, is one of the oldest in the state, dating back to the 1830s. (The title of oldest ocean pool goes to the Bogey Hole in Newcastle, north of Sydney. It was built by convicts in 1819.) Located below the lighthouse, the Nuns Pool (formerly known as Chain Baths and used by the nuns of St Mary’s convent) sits in a small, sheltered cove and is accessed via a narrow path chiselled into the sandstone.
Further south at Kiama, the Blowhole Point Ocean Pool offers a safe swimming spot near the area’s famous blowhole, the largest in the world, on a headland near the town centre. This beautiful, hand-cut pool is an irregular shape and has a varied depth and rock bottom – it was also once a men-only bath. You can also take the 15-minute walk around Kiama Harbour from the blowhole to Black Beach Reserve. Here you can do 50-metre laps in the Olympic-size Continental Ocean Pool.
A 15-minute drive south of Kiama is the tiny coastal town of Gerringong. Head down to Gerringong’s Werri Beach for a swim at Ourie Ocean Pool, at the southern end of the beach. This rectangular pool, carved into a flat rock shelf, has a smooth concrete bottom and is perfect for a summer’s day dip.
Bulli Rockpool, Bulli Credit: Destination NSW
Sun setting over Bulli Rockpool, Bulli.
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Bulli Rockpool, Bulli Credit: Destination NSW
Sun setting over Bulli Rockpool, Bulli.
Ourie Pool, Gerringong Credit: Destination NSW
Scenic aerial over Ourie Pool off Werri Beach, Gerringong.
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Ourie Pool, Gerringong Credit: Destination NSW
Scenic aerial over Ourie Pool off Werri Beach, Gerringong.
From the Illawarra to the Shoalhaven
Drive an hour further south into the Shoalhaven region and seek out Huskisson Sea Pool at Huskisson. This coastal town has a rich shipbuilding heritage, which you can explore at the Jervis Bay Maritime Museum after your swim.
A 45-minute drive south of Huskisson brings you to Mollymook, where you’ll find the South Coast’s famous Bogey Hole, a natural rock pool on the headland south of the beach. There’s also a lovely ocean pool at Ulladulla, a five-minute drive further down the coast.
On the Sapphire Coast
One of the state’s most famous ocean pools is found at Bermagui, a little over five hours by car from Sydney, on the Sapphire Coast. Bermagui’s Blue Pool is revered as one of the prettiest, filled with azure-hued water fading to turquoise and green. At 50 metres long it makes for a great lap-swimming pool and there’s also a shallow wading pool, ideal for kids, just next to the pool.
One of the southernmost ocean pools on the NSW coastline is the Aslings Beach Rock Pool, a hidden gem carved into the pink-and-white cliffs at Aslings Beach in Eden, a six-hour drive from Sydney. It’s only a short walk from town, but its low profile makes it hard to spot from further down the beach. Make your way over the rocks from the beach and take a dip at low tide before the waves have a chance to deposit any seaweed.
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.
Aslings Beach Rock Pool, Eden Credit: Destination NSW
Aerial overlooking Aslings Beach Rock Pool in Eden.
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Aslings Beach Rock Pool, Eden Credit: Destination NSW
Aerial overlooking Aslings Beach Rock Pool in Eden.