Travelling the New South Wales South Coast

Like ducks in winter, generations of Sydney families have faced a sliding-doors decision when embarking on their annual holiday. Go north or go south?

Most chose to travel up the Pacific Highway, seeking waves and warmth, so the NSW South Coast largely remained a sleeper cell for longtime locals, rat-race escapees, fishing enthusiasts and the odd stricken Sydney Hobart crew.

Then came the post-Covid evacuation from Sydney, thrusting southern hamlets into the spotlight. Shops and cafés opened to cater for the new WFH crowd and, suddenly, holidaymakers too began to realise the error of their ways.

The once well-kept secret is now fully exposed. Cross the Wollongong region’s majestic Sea Cliff Bridge - setting for many a car commercial - and you’re teleported to a land of waterways, wilderness and olde-world charm. 

The hustle of Wollongong and bustle of Port Kembla soon give way to Lake Illawarra, a sheltered estuary for sailing, fishing, paddling and watersports. Next stop is Kiama, two hours from Sydney - the main curiosity has long been the spray-breathing ocean blowhole, but there’s much more to like and learn about this affable, tranquil, history-soaked town. 

Really, it’s where a South Coast sojourn starts. Thus, it’s also where this story begins, focusing on the 100nm (185km) stretch down to Narooma. There are three ‘coasts’ within this span - Illawarra, Shoalhaven and Eurobodalla. Each is beautiful, bountiful and subtly different, making it the perfect trailerboat trail.

Take a prosperous country town and plonk it by the sea, in the lee of a mountain named Saddleback, and you have Kiama the jewel of Illawarra. Its colonial roots are reflected in the town’s graceful sandstone buildings residing among Norfolk pines and grassy parks, overlooking a natural harbour where a lighthouse has stood sentry since 1887. 

Years ago, ships visiting Kiama had to grapple for a chain anchored to the sea floor in order to hit the brakes. Today, boats pick up a mooring line and sit stern-first to the seawall, with gangway access.

Trailerboats can use the town’s main twin-lane boat ramp located at the harbour. There’s another at the Minnamurra River mouth that’s suitable for small vessels in calm conditions, and an ocean ramp slightly farther south at Cooke Park, Gerringong. 

There are year-round reef fishing opportunities within 15km of Kiama’s harbour, while May to September is the peak time to catch blue-eye trevalla, gemfish and other deepwater species 30km out at the continental shelf.

If you come in empty-handed, I can heartily recommend the Grand Hotel Kiama’s fish pie with southern blue whiting and prawns, topped with buttered peas.

There are few nicer-sounding place names than Shoalhaven, and it truly befits the attributes of a coastal locale boasting 100 beaches and 49 towns, all entwined by the Grand Pacific Drive.

From Kiama, you literally must stop at Berry to sample its cooked treats, from Milkwood Bakery pies to hot cinnamon donuts from an iconic van. The highway then wends towards Nowra, the region’s major commercial centre that crosses Shoalhaven River.

If time allows, take a left to explore Shoalhaven Heads, which offers a couple of wineries and some notable flathead and jewfish spots. 

A little south, the river meets with Crookhaven River and a second estuary mouth. Crookhaven Heads has one of the region’s best boat ramps, and the Holiday Haven Culburra Beach cabins are close by. 

Jervis Bay is another worthwhile detour. While foodies head to Huskisson, Hyams Beach is reputed to have the world’s whitest sand - that’s disputed, but it consistently ranks on ‘Best Beaches in the World’ lists. 

St Georges Basin is ideal for cruising trailerboats. The tree-fringed saltwater lake spans 41sq km and harbours giant dusky flathead. Bream are also worth targeting with lures. Sandy beaches, coves and creeks provide sheltered anchorages, or there are a plethora of accommodation options as the basin spills out to sea at Sussex Inlet.

Lakes come thick and fast after this – Lake Conjola, Burrill, Tabourie, Termeil, Meroo, Willinga, and finally Durras. The coast, meanwhile, is spoiled for choice between Pretty Beach, Pebbly Beach and Depot Beach. Ramps are scarce along this beach stretch, although I’ve seen boats use a natural rock platform on Depot Beach. Nearest ramps are at South Durras and Maria Avenue on Burrill Lake.

Eurobodalla begins with Batemans Bay, on the Clyde River. Home to around 8500 residents, the town is busy by South Coast standards and also the go-to for fresh oysters and prawns. Head to d’Albora Batemans Bay Marina for boat repairs and supplies.

Moruya Heads and Tuross Head are quieter destinations farther south. Beyond those, the lower region will need no introduction to devotees of River Cottage Australia. Central Tilba, star of the former TV series, is an impossibly quaint National Trust village with a cheese shop, bakery, 130-year-old weatherboard pub and growers’ market.

The Wagonga Inlet, upon which Narooma sits, is stunningly clean but the channel leading to the ocean is subject to sand movement. A habitat protection zone applies and there’s a full sanctuary zone a little way south and on the southeastern side of nearby Montague Island - check with the NSW FishSmart app if unsure.

Montague has large colonies of penguins and seals, along with shearwaters and about 90 other seabird species. You can take a guided tour to visit the island and there’s accommodation in two lighthouse cottages.

There are five boat ramps feeding into Wagonga. That’s not surprising, as Narooma abounds with bream, flathead, whiting, tailor and jewfish. Offshore, particularly around Montague Island, the target species are kingfish, tuna, marlin, wahoo and snapper.

Apex Park has a popular twin-lane concrete ramp, two floating walkways, 50 trailer parking spaces and a fish cleaning station. Taylors Boat Ramp, near Narooma Marina on Riverside Drive, provides one lane and 21 parking spaces. Mill Bay, Forster’s Bay and North Narooma are also one-lane facilities.

I must say, spending our last evening watching a blood orange moon rise over Montague from our mainland digs was a sight to behold … a sanguine reminder that being lost in time, albeit temporarily, was the best thing that could’ve happened to this southern paradise.

Visit NSW: visitnsw.com/destinations/south-coast

Destination Kiama: kiama.com.au

Shoalhaven: shoalhaven.com

Eurobodalla: eurobodalla.com.au

Montague Island: montagueisland.com.au

Kiama stay: kiamakove.com.au

Narooma stay: amooran.com.au