Drive south to serenity
Australia’s extensive coastline is hallowed ground for road-trippers, with NSW’s beach-strewn, seafood-rich South Coast an enduring favourite. Pack that empty esky and be part of the post-bushfire resurgence that’s revitalising one of our favourite playgrounds.
START SYDNEY
The drive from Sydney to Eden takes a little over six hours but is best enjoyed with all the stops and stays along the way.
STOP BERRY
Stretch your legs in the hamlet of Berry, where quiet streets are lined with heritage buildings and charming bric-a-brac shops. You’ll easily find the quaint Milkwood Bakery (berrysourdoughcafe.com.au/ milkwood-bakery), thanks to a nearconstant (and well-deserved) queue, so hop in line – you’ll need the extra time for pastry selection. Don’t forget to pop into the town’s stores; Moss Nest (69 Queen Street; 02 4464 2203) and Amara Home (83 Queen Street; 02 4464 2910) are veritable Aladdin’s caves of characterful homewares.
STOP/STAY MOLLYMOOK
Bannisters by the Sea (hotel.qantas. com.au/bannistersbythesea), perched on a headland in the coastal suburb of Mollymook, offers the comforts of a luxury boutique hotel – indulgent spa, sprawling pool, delicious in-house dining – with the warm hospitality of a family-run property. In-between treatments, have a meal in the surrounding villages. There’s cute farmhouse café Milk Haus in Woodstock (170 Woodstock Road; 02 4455 7293), which populates its menu with produce grown onsite; cosy Milton diner Small Town (smalltownmilton.com.au), which also leans local; and picnicperfect Cupitt’s Estate in Ulladulla (cupitt.com.au), a hillside winery overlooking the vines and farmland.
BEFORE YOU GO
Don’t hit the road without downloading the Qantas Wellbeing App. It enables you to earn Qantas Points* by logging tasks such as checking your breaks and tyre pressure.
STOP/STAY BATEMANS BAY
Beachside holidays are synonymous with Batemans Bay, an idyllic seaside spot that attracts both families and oyster enthusiasts. Drop your bags at Lincoln Downs Resort (lincolndowns.com.au), a lakeside retreat that manages to keep both energetic and solitude-seeking couples happy with onsite activities such as tennis, a heated pool and in-room spa baths. Then indulge in lunchtime oysters from the adorable Farm Gate waterfront kiosk (5 Wray Street; 02 4472 6771), before combing the shores of the area’s beaches; the pretty curl of Broulee Beach boasts glistening seas and icing-sugar sand. Got your heart set on a long, languid lunch? Try The River Moruya (therivermoruya.com.au) – a relaxed fine-dining eatery, 20 minutes’ drive from town, which coaxes local seafood into fantastic French dishes.
STOP/STAY NAROOMA
Swimsuits are a suitcase necessity for a visit to Narooma, a town surrounded by beautiful beaches and the Wagonga Inlet. Days here revolve around the water, whether you’re snorkelling, diving, fishing or sampling the stellar local oysters. Make time for a swim between hikes to the edges of Eurobodalla National Park, a half-hour drive north, or the looming peak of Mount Dromedary to the south. Recharge at Mountain View Farm (mountainviewfarm. com.au) in nearby Tilba Tilba, where the emerald-green countryside makes for a soothing backdrop.
STOP/STAY MERIMBULA
Move onto Merimbula, where the oyster farm tours continue and the walks divert into the lush rainforest surrounds. Make your base the Coast Resort (hotel. qantas.com.au/coastresortmerimbula), whose contemporary self-catering accommodation updates the idea of a do-it-yourself family holiday. Great food here isn’t in short supply. Nosh (noshmerimbula.com) serves up brunches of a big-city standard, while the backyard of Dulcie’s Cottage (dulcies.com.au) – a residential-home-turned-pizza-restaurant that dates back to 1925 – is a magnet for locals farewelling the day.
NEED HELP ON THE ROAD?
Flat battery? Engine trouble? For an extra $79.95 on top of any Qantas Car Insurance policy, Roadside Assistance offers you peace of mind knowing help is at hand should you need it.
STOP/STAY EDEN
Every season in Eden, just shy of the Victorian border, heralds a new outdoor adventure. Although the region’s beaches and ocean-edged walking tracks are most tempting in the warmer months, humpback whales heave past Twofold Bay between May and early November, confirming Eden as a year-round destination. Before retiring to your room at the Seahorse Inn (seahorseinnhotel.com.au), a boutique hotel on the banks of the harbour, stop into Stony Creek Farm – home of the family-run North of Eden distillery (northofeden.com.au) – and pick up an award-winning London Dry gin for later.