Stand Up Paddleboarding, Lake IllawarraCredit: Destination NSW
Stand up paddle boarding on Lake Illawarra is a must-do activity on the NSW South Coast.
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The first stretches of the New South Wales South Coast beyond Sydney are blessed with white sand beaches and sapphire-hued waters, but there’s also magnificent bushland, charming towns and plenty of little luxuries to find along the way. Driving south from Sydney, you’ll encounter the little beachside town of Shellharbour, followed by Kiama and Gerringong. Further down the coast, past the inland city of Nowra, you’ll come to Jervis Bay and then the neighbouring towns of Milton, Mollymook and Ulladulla. Here’s how to make the most of your journey through this most northerly section of the South Coast.
Where to eat and drink
In Shellharbour, grab some classic pub grub at the Shellharbour Club or sample local South Coast oysters and a glass of Coolangatta Estate chardonnay at local favourite Relish on Addison.
Try Silica Restaurant and Bar in Kiama, dining on the best local produce and ingredients sourced from a community farm. The restaurant is nestled on the beachfront at Kiama Surf Beach with impressive views over the coastline.
Coffee aficionados can get their fix at Hyper Hyper Coffee in Nowra or Maverick Coffee in Ulladulla, while those with a sweet tooth should make a bee line for Il Locale Gelato in the charming inland town of Berry.
Taste oysters straight from the farm at Jim Wild’s Oysters Service near Nowra. This is one of the top spots in the region to sample rock and Pacific oysters, opened while you wait, as well as fresh Australian prawns.
Visit Cupitt’s Estate, nestled in the countryside between Milton and Ulladulla. There’s a restaurant, bar, winery, brewery and fromagerie on site, as well as lovely boutique accommodation Cupitt’s Cottage. You can also sample local wines at Two Figs Winery in Berry and Coolangatta Estate.
In Milton, farm-to-table café Milk Haus is housed within an old cheese factory with an incredible kitchen garden and team of local producers that inspires its creative, seasonal cuisine.
Cupitt's Winery, Ulladulla Credit: Destination NSW
Enjoy food and drink with scenic views across Cupitt's Winery in Ulladulla.
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Cupitt's Winery, Ulladulla Credit: Destination NSW
Enjoy food and drink with scenic views across Cupitt's Winery in Ulladulla.
Jim Wild's Oysters, Greenwell Point Credit: Destination NSW
Enjoy fresh south coast oysters at Jim Wild's Oysters.
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Jim Wild's Oysters, Greenwell Point Credit: Destination NSW
Enjoy fresh south coast oysters at Jim Wild's Oysters.
Must-do activities
On Lake Illawarra, you can try stand-up paddle boarding with Stand Up Paddle Boarding Shellharbour, or do a self-guided cycling tour on one of the many lake circuits. Bikes are available to rent at Simple Cycles at Shellharbour.
Follow the 2km Cascades Walk in Macquarie Pass National Park, inland from Shellharbour, through shaded rainforest and eucalypt forest to a beautiful waterfall and natural pool.
For history buffs, take a tour of the HARS Aviation Museum in Shellharbour and join the Wing Walk tour — a stroll out onto the wing of an aircraft.
Stock up on local produce, arts and crafts at various markets on the South Coast. Drop into the Kiama Seaside Markets (third Sunday of the month), Berry Farmer’s Market (each Thursday) and Huskisson Markets (second Sunday of the month).
Hike along the spectacular Kiama Coast Walk, with its unspoilt beaches, incredible rock formations and breathtaking ocean views. Once you’ve seen the natural wonder of the Kiama Blowhole, do visit its little sister, the Little Blowhole, on Tingira Crescent.
Test your fitness by joining a bespoke rock-climbing experience with Outdoor Raw. You’ll climb above and abseil down some of the most breathtaking locations in the Shoalhaven.
Learn to surf on Mollymook, Narrawallee or Bendalong beaches with workshops run by former world champion Pam Burridge. Group and private lessons are available.
Where to stay
In Shellharbour, Escape 778 offers spacious accommodation with room for up to eight guests. A pleasant retreat for families or groups of friends, this house has all the creature comforts of home and breathtaking ocean views.
Also in the Shellharbour area, Ravensthorpe is a grand 19th-century manor house restored for contemporary stays, celebrations and dining. Stay overnight in one of its elegant suites with an open fireplace, private sitting room and French-inspired décor.
A 10-minute drive south of Kiama you’ll find a new bespoke guesthouse, Soul of Gerringong. There’s a farmhouse sleeping 14 to 16 guests and a three-bedroom cottage, all decked out in a coast meets country style.
For resort-style accommodation, the Sebel Kiama Harbourside offers premium accommodation overlooking Kiama Harbour and the Pacific Ocean. It is located a short stroll from the Kiama Blowhole, shops and cafés.
Offering luxury couple’s accommodation, Heavens Mountain Escape in Kangaroo Valley provides a private, self-contained getaway with unparallel views across the valley and pastures below. Stay in a one-bedroom cottage and enjoy log fires, double spa baths and the option of an in-house massage.
Perched on the clifftop at Mollymook, Bannisters By The Sea is a gorgeous coastal retreat with a solar-heated infinity pool, day spa and restaurant by celebrated chef Rick Stein.
Right on the beach at Shoalhaven Heads, Bangalay Luxury Villas is relaxed seaside luxury at its best. The stylish villas have garden or golf course views, as well as a fireplace and a private sunny deck, and in-house restaurant Bangalay Dining showcases local produce and native ingredients.
If you prefer the simplicity of pitching a tent, there are some family-friendly spots in beautiful Booderee National Park at Jervis Bay. Camp footsteps to the sand at Cave Beach and Green Patch, or try glamping at peaceful bush retreat Paperbark Camp.
Outdoor Raw, Nowra Credit: Destination NSW
Abseil off a clifftop in the Shoalhaven region near Nowra.
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Outdoor Raw, Nowra Credit: Destination NSW
Abseil off a clifftop in the Shoalhaven region near Nowra.
Bannisters by the Sea, Mollymook Beach Credit: Destination NSW
Take in ocean views from the swimming pool at Bannisters by the Sea.
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Bannisters by the Sea, Mollymook Beach Credit: Destination NSW
Take in ocean views from the swimming pool at Bannisters by the Sea.
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.