Weekends Away
South coast weekends away are now closer than ever
For a long time, Sydneysiders have made their way to the south coast for weekends away. It’s easy to see why. A 2-3-hour drive from Sydney, after work on a Friday, can take you to popular and picturesque tourist towns like Kiama, Berry, and Culburra Beach.
If you’re headed off from Forest Reach though, just 18kms south-west of Wollongong, the same driving time gives you even more spectacular south coast options to ensnare your senses and relax the soul.
Here are our top three south coast weekender picks from Forest Reach.
1. Jervis Bay in 1 ½ hours
Image courtesy: Jordan Robins Photography
For such a beautiful town like Jervis Bay, you’ll feel spoilt that it hardly takes 1.5 hours to get there from Forest Reach. Jervis Bay is most famous for having the whitest sand in the world. The soft glow of the sand skirts clear turquoise water, where dolphins play in the bay all year round.
After some sunbathing and perhaps a kayak, you might like to set out on a peaceful bushwalk to clifftop lookouts within the hinterland of Jervis Bay National Park. Teeming with wildlife, you can expect to spot a kangaroo or two, plenty of birdlife, and maybe even an echidna.
The coastal and country villages of the area boast world-class cafés, restaurants, boutique shops, markets, art galleries, and a burgeoning music scene.
2. Mollymook in 1 ¾ hours
Mollymook is a sleepy little area of the south coast where the pace is just right to calm the nerves from a busy week. Yet it still has enough to entertain the family.
Famous English chef & restaurateur Rick Stein fell so in love with the area and its local produce that he opened Bannisters By the Sea, which is now a renowned restaurant and luxury hotel by Mollymook Beach.
One of Mollymook’s most popular natural wonders is ‘Bogey Hole’, a large tidal rock pool at Mollymook Headland. It’s a favourite snorkelling spot for families. Bring a picnic too. It’s easy to relax and stay a while.
3. Bateman’s Bay in 2 ¼ hours
A bustling centre that still enjoys the same relaxed vibe of this coastal region, Bateman’s Bay is surrounded by welcoming villages, national parks, and beaches.
Bateman’s Bay hugs the mouth of the meandering Clyde River, which spills out into the bay. Be sure to stop by the Oyster Shed, a rustic café close by with a menu that couldn’t be fresher, harvested from their river farm just metres away.
There’s plenty to do here. If you have your bikes, you’ll enjoy exploring the area on the path that weaves past the marina, golf club, and the large Corrigan’s Reserve parkland. To break up the journey, the kids will enjoy the quaint Birdland Animal Park, where you might even get to hold a wombat.
A place where family memories are made
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