South Coast (New South Wales)

From World travel guide

The South Coast region of New South Wales is an interesting mix. The area is rich in rural charm, having a strong dairy industry (and cheese-making in Bega). Most of the coastal areas are popular tourist destinations, especially with weekend visitors from Sydney.

Contents 1 Towns 2 Other destinations 3 Understand 4 Get in 4.1 By car 4.2 By train 5 Get around 6 See 7 Do 8 Drives

Towns

• Nowra
• Batehaven
• Batemans Bay
• Bega
• Bermagui
• Berry
• Bodalla
• Central Tilba
• Eden
• Jervis Bay
• Kangaroo Valley
• Merimbula
• Milton (New South Wales)
• Mollymook
• Moruya
• Narooma
• Tathra
• Ulladulla

Other destinations

• Jervis Bay, one of the most beautiful spots on the south coast.
• Booderee National Park
• Ben Boyd National Park

Understand

The south coast of New South Wales is a major local holiday destination and in peak holiday periods the population swells to between more than three times the number of long-term residents.

Two major local government areas administer the region: Eurobodalla Shire to the south and the Shoalhaven Municipality to the north including Nowra. Jervis Bay is a territory of the Commonwealth Government administered separately and housing a naval base.

80% of the Eurobodalla shire is national park or state forest with extensive stands of spotted gum forest.

Get in

You can get to the South Coast by car or train.

By car

If travelling from the Illawarra or Sydney, travel to Wollongong and join the Princes Highway. It will get you to any part of the South Coast or even deposit you in Melbourne if you go far enough.

Be aware that the traffic can be very slow around Kiama at the start and end of long weekends or school holidays.

By train

You can catch a Cityrail train from Sydney Central platforms 4-15, or at Hurstville or Sutherland. You can catch a train as far as Nowra (Bomaderry to be precise, just over the river). Two interesting places the train will take you to are Kiama and Berry.

Get around

The best way to get around is to drive. The Princes Highway travels the length of the South Coast and most places aren't far from it.

See

• Before you drive down Mount Ousley pass, stop to look out over Wollongong and the ocean from the top of the Escarpment
• Hanging Rock lookout in Nowra
• Bega Valley Lookout

Do

• Canoeing in Kangaroo Valley
• Art Galleries in Berry
• Dolphin Cruise in Jervis Bay
• Jambaroo Recreation Park
• Bega Cheese Factory
• Mogo Zoo
• Feed the birds at Green Patch
• Minamurra Rainforest

Drives

• Kangaroo Valley