NSW South Coast

Now: NSW South Coast – Kangaroo Valley, Ulladulla, Narooma, Eden

We actually got up early to travel through Sydney and then south to Kangaroo Valley. Our biggest travel day with the temperature topping 40 degrees – thank goodness for air conditioning! When we arrived at Bendeela Campground the mist was settling in the valley after a really hot day. Bendeela is a free camp managed by Sydney Water just a few kilometres from the village of Kangaroo Valley. We swam in the Yarrunga River and really enjoyed the lush green grass.

On our first night the Tvan was rocked by one of the resident wombats as he scratched his back on our suspension. We caught him with the camera the next night as he escaped under the fence.

Despite the high temperatures the mornings were cool and misty. I had to find my jumper when we visited Fitzroy Falls which was shrouded in mist. I often seem to be at lookouts and waterfalls when it’s difficult to see the view. This area was the first gazetted Conservation Area in Australia and still covered in native bush with clear streams.

When we left Kangaroo Valley we took the winding mountain road into Berry in search of wood fired Sourdough Bread. I think you can have coffee here in at least 50 different shops! We continued on to Nowra with a detour to Culburra Beach where my family had a holiday house about 30 years ago. It’s still there and looks just as I remember but Lake Wollumboola is no longer open to the sea and not such an attractive swimming spot.

On our way to Ulladulla the rain showers kept nipping at our heels as we stopped in at Huskisson, Vincentia and St Georges Basin. We camped overlooking Ulladulla Harbour and enjoyed fresh caught flathead from the local trawlers. David even surrendered a beer for the batter!

Down the coast we passed through Burrill Lakes and Lake Tabourie where we could see the fish in the clear water. We tasted the cheese at Bodalla Dairy before setting up camp at Mystery Bay Primitive Campground just south of Narooma. We travelled 9 kms out to sea to Montague Island where we went snorkelling with the fur seals and climbed the lighthouse with a National Parks Guide. Our wetsuits, mine was my retirement gift, got their first dunking here and kept us warm while we watched the seals at eye level for over an hour.

Further down the coast we visited the Tilba Cheese Shop, Bermagui, Tathra and on to Eden. Australian salmon were being caught on the restored wharf at Tathra but David really enjoyed the Eden mussels in homemade tomato sauce in Eden. Each mussel was as big my hand but not to my taste.

Eden was originally a whaling town where the watch tower built by Ben Boyd still stands. The walls were built from blocks of Sydney sandstone which were delivered by ship and placed three deep to build a multi floored tower. The lookout fired a shot from the tower to alert the boat crews when a whale was sighted. One of the three whaling stations still stands in the bay as well.

NEXT: Victoria’s North East Coast – Mallacoota, Thurra River (Croajingalong National Park), Lakes Entrance.

On The Emu Track,

Cheryl and David