Why winter is the best season to explore the Shoalhaven
With its world-class WHALE WATCHING and cosy CELLAR DOORS, the Shoalhaven offers a TANTALISING winter ESCAPE, two hours’ drive from Sydney and Canberra.
Whale Watching
The Shoalhaven is located at the halfway point of the annual East Coast whale migration, affectionately known as ‘The Humpback Highway’ between May and November. Its unique coastline combining Jervis Bay’s translucent, still waters with dramatic headlands jutting into the deep ocean delivers a wonderful diversity of whale-watching opportunities. Jervis Bay is the best spot in NSW to watch for whales in calm waters as it’s where mothers and their babies play on the return leg of the migration (September to October). You’ll also see resident dolphins, the northernmost colony of Australian fur seals, little penguins, white-bellied sea eagles and albatross. and DIVE JERVIS BAY WOEBEGONE offer invigorating swim-withwhales FREEDIVE experiences, which operate under strict guidelines. and JERVIS BAY WILD DOLPHIN offer eco cruises during WATCH the entire migration from May to November. There are also many viewpoints along the Shoalhaven coastline that offer premium whale-watching experiences such as Penguin Head Lookout in Culburra Beach, Point Perpendicular Lighthouse in Currarong, Cape St George Lighthouse in Booderee National Park and Warden Head Lighthouse, Ulladulla.
Wineries
With its mild, maritime climate, the Shoalhaven Wine Coast is one of Australia’s key emerging wine regions, growing a diverse array of varietals including chambourcin, shiraz, merlot, semillon, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc. Most of the nine cellar doors are family owned, so you’re likely to meet the producers when you visit. offers CUPITT’S ESTATE the complete gourmet experience, with awardwinning wines, craft beers, artisanal cheese, a farm-totable restaurant and new pod accommodation in the Ulladulla hinterland. Taste the Wollstonecraft semillon among the many wines at COOLANGATTA ESTATE, the first European settlement on the NSW South Coast. Dine on local produce and stay in one of the convict-built cottages. Try chambourcin on a wine and cheese picnic at the off-grid LYREBIRD RIDGE WINERY; admire views of the ORGANIC Shoalhaven River while tasting shiraz at TWO WINERY; and savour high tea and rosé on FIGS the lawn at in the CAMBEWARRA ESTATE foothills of Kangaroo Valley. Popular with families are ESTATE, near Berry, with its SILOS engaging cellar door experience, casual eatery and alpaca farm, and for BAWLEY VALE ESTATE its farm animals. Sample spirits at trailblazer TARA and taste great beers at DISTILLERY FLAMIN CO, and GALAH BREWING HUSKY BREWING and at old faves such SOUTH YEAST BREWING as and BREWING. DANGEROUS ALES JERVIS BAY