3 Must-visit South Coast destinations

What to visit in New South Wales, Australia, among so many options?

Anxious to break your quarantine with a trip to the South Coast? If so, New South Wales has everything you’re looking for: lush gardens, friendly people, and endless sandy beaches. The hardest part will be picking only one or two destinations.

So, which spots should you plan your holiday around? Read on when you’re ready to discover which three locations will take your holiday from dreary to delightful.

Road on a cliff and the sea in South Coast Australia
Australian South Coast has one of the most breathtaking landscapes on Earth

Wollongong Botanic Garden

About 85 Km south of Sydney sits Wollongong, home of Mount Keira and the University of Wollongong. It’s also home to one of the most beautiful gardens on the East coast of Australia, Wollongong Botanic Garden. The gardens sit on 27 hectares, only a short walk from the city center.

The grounds contain an amphitheater for music and other performances. It rests on the slope under Gleniffer Brae, within the rainforest plant life.

  • Turpentine trees
  • Melaleuca trees
  • Illawarra Escarpment
  • Illawarra Socketwood
  • Australian Red Cedar

The garden contains other noteworthy features, such as the duck pond, insect hotel, and Japanese Tea House. You’ll also find necessary amenities, such as picnic areas, a cafe, and public toilets. And the Rose Garden Collection might even be more striking than the Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney.

Jervis Bay Beaches

If you’re dying to get out of the house, travel south along the 140km Sydney to Melbourne Coastal Drive. You’ll see all that NSW South Coast has to offer: clear blue waters, white sandy beaches, notoriously nosy dolphins. Jervis Bay is known for its dolphin watching.

White sandy beach and sea in Jervis Bay, Australia
Jervis Bay, region famous for white sandy beaches in New South Wales, Australia

Before you begin, your beach hunt, check-in with the Beachsafe, Surf Life Saving Australia website. It gives you up-to-the-minute information about tides, rips currents, and shark sightings. In other words, it’ll tell you which beaches to visit and which to avoid on your next South Coast road trip.

While you’re in Jervis Bay, you might also catch a glimpse of other common aquatic tourists.

  • Fur seals
  • Little penguins
  • Sea dragons
  • Bottlenose dolphins
  • Humpback whales

Don’t forget to pack a lunch but be sure it’s only for yourself. You will incur heavy fines for feeding the wildlife.

Shoalhaven Coast Wineries

If you’re craving a good shiraz, head over to our friends from Ingenia Holidays to look at their NSW South Coast luxury accommodation in the Shoalhaven region.

Cupitt’s Winery and Brewery makes a beautiful chardonnay. The small winery sits in a small valley between Ulladulla and Milton. They’re known not only for their wines but also for microbrews and a small cheesemaking operation.

Other can’t miss wineries include Silos Estate (in Berry), and Two Figs Winery (near Shoalhaven Heads). Silos Estate offers not only wine but also alpacas! No, you can’t take them home, but employees will let you pet them if you ask nicely.

Other South Coast Destinations

The South Coast offers everything a tourist could want: nature, food, culture, and adventure. If you’re looking for something to satisfy your culture bug, try the Wollongong Art Gallery or Monaroo Bobberrer Keeping Place. If it’s the food you’re after, try Jim Wild’s Oysters or the Eden Smokehouse.

Whatever your NSW destination, choose your travel dates wisely. Early spring and late summer will give you the fewest tourists and warmest temperatures. If you’re interested in more information on the best spots to travel, pop over to our vast library full of other epic travel ideas.


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