48 hours in CRONULLA

Make the most of a WEEKEND GETAWAY to Sydney’s SUTHERLAND SHIRE, which includes a SPECTACULAR stretch of coastline and top places to shop, wine, dine and unwind.

The broader Sutherland Shire has 19 beaches – from in the north to in the south. Stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking, foil boarding, kitesurfing, boating, fishing and swimming are all on offer in the Sutherland Shire, which includes five kilometres of pristine beaches and some 200 kilometres of sparkling waterways.

Expect excellent coffee and fantastic food at which is provisioned, in part, by its own gardens on the South Cronulla peninsula. Hang ten with at Wanda or Elouera or glide across the mirrored waters of Port Hacking on a stand-up paddleboard. Sutherland Shire is bordered by

DAY TWO: PLACES TO SWIM, WINE, DINE AND SHOP

Convene for coffee: It’s worth catching the MV ferry to and from to better appreciate its jewel-like setting. Fuel up on caffeine before or after at

Curranulla

The suburb’s pulse also quickens at BABCOQ,

C.C. SALT MEATS CHEESE, STREET, SEALEVEL, ALPHABET

, SAWA, GIRO OSTERIA YALLA QUEEN SAVOY, 1908, MARGHERITA OF HENRYS and BEAR.

THE BLIND

visitsutherlandshire.com.au

your own weekend escape to Cronulla including two nights’ accommodation at , beach kayaking with , a surf lesson with

The crown jewel of Cronulla swims.

TYPE OF SWIM DISTANCE FROM CBD ADDRESS

COST OF ENTRY KID FRIENDLY DOG FRIENDLY IDEAL TIDE OPEN HOURS FACILITIES

Beach 28km/40 min drive 58 Glaisher Pde Free

Yes

On leash only

Any tide

24 hours

Toilets and outdoor shower

Catch the T4 train to Cronulla station and walk 2.5km along Nicholson Pde or the Esplanade Walking Track. Get the 971 bus from Cronulla station to Ewos Pde and walk 100m to the beach.

SOUTH CRONULLA IS THE best-kept secret in Sydney. The tight-knit village is contained within the Cronulla peninsula, surrounded by Port Hacking and the Pacific Ocean. You don’t need a car, or even a bicycle here, as everything is within a couple of minutes’ walk. Life runs on a constant supply of swimming, surfing and boating. People are friendly and welcoming, a pride of place evident in their warmth and willingness to share their knowledge. No matter who you ask, Salmon Haul is a unanimous favourite among locals. Anyone that grew up in The Shire has spent countless summer days here – and we feel like we have to make up for lost time.

You’ll find this sheltered beach and foreshore area at the southernmost tip of Cronulla. Far from the bustle of Main Beach, it feels like a hidden secret as you round the Esplanade walking track or descend the stairs from Cowra Place. It’s protected from the east and north, making it an ideal refuge when the summer winds whip across the coast. Cabbage tree palms shade the shoreline and the calm, clear water of Port Hacking stretches across to Bundeena and Royal National Park like a sheet of glass. The only disturbance in the water comes from swimmers below, or else the wake of a passing dinghy in the distance.

The beach slopes gently from the shore like a sandy ramp. It’s perfect for wading and easy to calibrate the ideal depth to any person. Only once you are standing in the water and looking back to shore can you fully appreciate the grandeur of the Apollo Gate. This iconic 1970s home looms large over Salmon Haul and is a useful landmark. Its organic form sprawls across the point, like an overgrown chambered nautilus.

At high tide, the water comes right up to the footpath, covering the mix of rock and sand with just enough depth for snorkelling. We haven’t seen the namesake fish but there are plenty of brightly coloured reef species and the odd octopus. As the tide drops, beaches and rocky perches emerge. Like a 19th-century land grab, people are quick to stake their claim as they spread towels and goggles in anticipation of friends that are yet to arrive. It’s the kind of place where you will want to stay all day, yet even at the peak of summer it is quiet and respectful. A cross-section of ages and people enjoy this little haven, engrossed in unbroken conversation as they cycle from towel to water and back again. We join this easy rhythm and time quickly slips away. Were it not for the steady march of the incoming tide, we might never leave.

This is an edited extract from by Caroline Clements & Dillon SeitchikReardon, published by Hardie Grant Travel, RRP and available in stores nationally.

We Swim Sydney

Places

and

FOOD & DRINK

Fine places to dine:

By Burleigh Pavilion head bartender Todd Grevsmuhl.

Shake all ingredients with ice and double strain into a coupe. Garnish with an edible flower.