Sapphire Coast
Whales, lighthouses, oysters, cheese – all the good stuff
COMPARED TO THE many tried-and-tested summer staycations found on the Central Coast, Hunter Valley or Blue Mountains, the road to the Sapphire Coast is far less travelled. But should you find yourself on one of its pristine beaches – golden sand between your toes, salty spray on your face with barely another soul in sight – you’ll probably want to keep it that way.
Located nearly 500 kilometres from central Sydney on New
South Wales’ southeastern border, this quiet corner of the state is something of a hidden gem, seemingly under the radar of mass-tourism franchises or resort juggernauts who might overwhelm the area’s untouched charm. In part, this is because it’s not the easiest place to reach; only the minute regional airport at Merimbula offers a faster alternative than driving here. However, if you’re willing to go those extra miles, nature is your playground along this rugged stretch of sea from Bermagui to Disaster Bay, a place of otherworldly crimson cliffs, dramatic waves and vibrant, shifting landscapes.
You can, of course, seek out one of the area’s many secluded beachfronts, perhaps Saltwater Creek or Nullica Bay, and simply stretch out by the surf. However, if you want to truly immerse yourself in this dynamic wilderness, exploring the ‘Light to Light’ hiking trail through Ben Boyd National Park, between the Boyd Whaling Tower and the Green Cape Light Station, is the way to do it. There are several campsites along this 30-kilometre route, so you can take a more leisurely pace over several days while you trek through primeval coves of rust-red rock, dense teatree thickets, fauna-filled forests and coastal heaths fringed with wildflowers and sandy crescents. While perfectly manageable for most reasonably fit walkers, the saw-tooth terrain is not always the easiest amble, and lugging a pack full of camping clobber can quickly turn into a gruelling mission. If you’d rather leave the tent-pitching to professionals, the team at Light 2 Light Coastal Walks ( light2light. com.au, $895) are happy to do the heavy lifting for you. While not quite glamping, there’s a lot more luxury on offer than your average
campground bunk-down. On this three-day guided and fully catered walking holiday, you’ll arrive back at a carefully prepared campsite, complete with spacious tents, comfy camp beds and pop-up shower facilities. Your guide will not only show you the way, but also share insights on the abundant wildlife, as well as the area’s fascinating history, including the practices of the local Indigenous communities, the Thaua and Bidawahal people of the Yuin Nation. Much of this coastline is untouched by modern civilisation, so it’s possible to stand on these shores and gaze upon a vista that looks exactly as it must have to the ancestors of the Yuins, the custodians of the land here for thousands of generations.
Once back at camp, gourmet-calibre meals hero the wealth of culinary producers and makers who call this part of NSW home. Expect succulent seafood caught off the docks at Eden, cheeses galore from Bega and Tilba’s famous dairies, and beef and lamb reared on the grassy slopes near Pambula. Nothing rounds out a day spent marvelling at the monster breakers of Pulpit Rock or discovering the intricate nests of bowerbirds by Bittangabee Bay like an ice-cold glass of Murrah River region wine or a craft beer brewed with locally cultivated hops. Except, perhaps, a platter of fat, briny Sydney rock oysters, the area’s most famous export. Some of the most fertile and high-yield oyster estuaries anywhere in the country can be found here, and the six-farm Oyster Trail between Bermagui and Wonboyn, including a jaunt on Captain Sponge’s Magical Oyster Tour, is a must ( sapphirecoast.com.au/localproduce/oyster-trail).
Should these top-shelf delicacies put you in the mood for more upmarket digs, you can remain in the thick of nature with added creature comforts at the Green Cape Lighthouse ( Green Cape Rd, Green Cape 255. 02 6495
5000. nationalparks.nsw.gov. au. $120-$370). During the season, September to late November, the lookout here offers unbeatable whale watching, as huge pods of orcas and humpbacks migrate south. But any time of year, the plush, heritage-listed accommodations of the converted lighthouse cottages boast stunning panoramas of the Pacific and unspoilt coastline, all the way to the horizon.
■ Maxim Boon travelled courtesy of Destination NSW.