In late December JJ and I packed the camping gear and drove south of Sydney to one of our fave parts of New South Wales. Now, I know what you’re thinking….. Yes, the south coast of NSW has been impacted by bushfires. However, now more than ever these small communities need our tourism $$$ so that they can recover quickly. Hopefully, I’ll convince you that the Eurobodalla region, is worth visiting ASAP.

GETTING THERE

Eurobodalla stretches from South Durras in the north to Tilba Tilba in the south. The regional tourism tagline is ‘all kinds of natural’. If uncrowded beaches, rivers, forests, farmland, charming villages, playing with seals and scoffing all the seafood are your thing, you’ll love it, keep reading.

JJ and I drove to the southernmost part of the region first, which usually takes 5 hours if you travel straight down the coast. We went the long way around via Canberra and the Snowy Mountains – a beautiful drive if you have the time. Alternatively, Regional Express (REX) operates daily flights from Sydney to Moruya.

If you’re going to take a break on your way down the south coast of New South Wales, Nowra is about halfway. Surrounded by farms and vineyards, this town has plenty of delicious fresh produce. I can recommend Hunt & Gather in Nowra’s town centre for a healthy lunch, they serve good coffee too.

CENTRAL TILBA

After an overnight stay in Cooma in the Snowy Mountains, we drove out of the alpine region onto the south coast highway. For the next couple of nights, we’d be camping in Narooma and on the way, a stop in lovely Central Tilba was necessary.

The National Trust listed villages of Tilba Tilba and Central Tilba are nestled in the foothills of Mount Gulaga, an extinct volcano. If you make it to Tilba Tilba there’s a track up to the summit of Mount Gulaga that starts near La Galette restaurant.

There are loads of cutesy cafes, boutique shops and galleries in colonial-style timber cabins. You can buy things like traditional crafts, contemporary art, jewellery and of course fooood. Australia’s version of The River Cottage cooking series was filmed here, so you know Tilba has plenty of yum things to eat.

NAROOMA

Narooma is a water-lovers wonderland: beautiful beaches, swimming, surfing, snorkelling, diving and kayaking. It’s also the gateway to Montague Island, home to a colony of fur seals and more than 90 bird species. There’s a good chance of seeing whales here during the annual migration as well.

Our campsite was only a 10-minute drive north from Central Tilba and 5-minutes south of Narooma’s town centre. JJ and I stayed at Island View Beach Resort on Handkerchief Beach. From the beach, it’s an easy walk to Glasshouse Rocks. We camped on an unpowered site at Island View, there are powered sites and cabins available too, it’s a great spot.

Australia Rock is a popular photo opportunity in Narooma. Viewed at just the right angle, the hole in the rock at Wagonga Head has a remarkable resemblance to a map of Australia. No one really knows how Australia Rock came to be, the general consensus is erosion over thousands of years. Pretty cool!

Obviously, we had to go swimming with the fur seals at Montague Island. This is a MUST when you’re down here, it’s the best fun ever and they’re super interactive like playful puppy dogs. We booked a morning guided snorkel with Island Charters Narooma. It was my second trip to the island even though the water there is absolutely bloody freezing, that’s how much I ❤️ those seals.

MORUYA

I’m certain that there are loads of great things to see and do in Moruya, however everything we did was food-related. Basically, just lunch and supermarket shopping. Whether you’re into hiking, cycling, fishing, kayaking, skydiving, seaplanes or birdwatching Moruya has options. Now on to the food…..

On our way from Narooma up to our next campsite in Tomakin, we stopped for lunch at The River Moruya. This restaurant is situated on the river (duh) and overlooks Deua National Park, it’s quite the scenic venue. While JJ and I were there we saw a few different bird and butterfly species flitting around in the garden which added to the tranquil vibes.

Produce at The River is sourced locally, mostly organic and everything is made in house. I guess the concept could be described as modern Australian with some French influence in the mix? It’s a bit of a ‘treat yo self’ place, but you won’t regret it. This meal was legit amazing, so so tasty.

TOMAKIN

Only half an hour north of Moruya (or just under an hour from Narooma) is the village of Tomakin. Again you’ll find unspoilt beaches, awesome snorkelling, and scenic walks all around the area. JJ and I camped at Barlings Beach Holiday Park which was another excellent location. The sky was a bit overcast during our first couple of days there so we didn’t spend much time in the water. It was nice weather for just wandering along the beach and exploring rock pools.

For New Year’s Eve, we’d planned to have dinner at Tomakin Sports & Social Club, then watch their fireworks. However, our campsite was evacuated on the morning of 31 December due to the close proximity of bushfires. Power across the region went out so all local businesses had to close. Roads were blocked in every direction. From then on we focussed on getting back to Sydney quickly and safely, but we’ll be returning for sure!

BUSHFIRE APPEAL

Right now Australia is experiencing it’s worst bushfire season on record. More than 60 fires are still burning in the states of New South Wales and Victoria. To date, around 100,000 sq km of land has burned (that’s an area equivalent to the countries of England or Austria or Greece). Approximately 2000 homes and 30 human lives have been lost. It’s estimated that 1 billion animals have been killed as well. Devastating stuff.

How can you help?

As soon as it’s safe to do so, please visit fire-affected areas and support their local businesses. AND/OR donate to the following organisations:

+ Australian Red Cross Disaster Relief

+ NSW Rural Fire Service

+ Wildlife Information Rescue and Education Service (WIRES)

Thanks legends!

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