Shoalhaven

A majestic coastal area backed by forested hinterland, the Shoalhaven
is dotted with appealing villages and rustic country towns.

Must see and do

Hire a boat and spend the day sailing or fishing on the protected waters of St Georges Basin.

Browse in Milton’s craft galleries and antique shops, then head for Mollymook Beach, one of the region’s loveliest areas.

Explore the pristine heathlands and beaches of Booderee National Park

Discover Coolangatta’s fascinating convict-built heritage.

For more information, contact the Shoalhaven Visitor Information Centre, telephone: 1300 662 808, or visit our website: www.shoalhavenholidays.com.au

The lush 160-km arc of the Shoalhaven sweeps from the beaches and bays of a jewel-coloured coast to rich green, almost luminescent valleys inland. Nowra, Jervis Bay, Mollymook and Ulladulla are among the region’s coastal delights while Kangaroo Valley and Berry are some of the Shoalhaven’s hinterland gems.

Jervis Bay

Located on the southern shores of Jervis Bay, Hyams Beach has a lot going for it – from the caster-sugar whiteness of the sand and the sparkling clarity of the water to the Hyams Beach Store. As well as the vital necessities for a day at the beach – magazines, hats, beach toys – the café side of the store offers stylish and satisfying food and great coffee.

Sociable and playful, the dolphins who live within the sheltered embrace of Jervis Bay can often be seen displaying their ‘aquabatic’ skills close to shore – or even close to sea kayaks in the bay. Take a dolphin-viewing cruise from Huskisson and, between June and November, you may also see migrating whales.

Huskisson

At Huskisson, the Lady Denman Maritime Museum relates the fascinating history of Jervis Bay from the different perspectives of whalers, timber cutters and the local Aboriginal people. It’s all here – shipwrecks, lighthouses, some outstanding examples of the boatbuilder’s craft and the history of the bay’s naval base. The highlight of the museum is the magnificently restored Lady Denman, a Huskisson-built timber ferry that served on Sydney Harbour for many years.

Berry

Surrounded by rich dairy country at the foot of the coastal escarpment, Berry is a delightful village crammed with antique shops and cafés. Over the past decade ‘The Town of Trees’ – on the Princes Highway, two hours south of Sydney – has become a favourite refuge for Sydneysiders seeking country air and slick cafés. On the first Sunday of each month, Berry hosts a country market – complete with farm animals, toe-tapping music, homemade preserves, and rustic iron and timber furniture.

Just a short drive to the east of Berry, Seven Mile Beach national park has a pristine arc of sand and a wealth of bird and animal life.

Kangaroo Valley

Surrounded by wonderful scenery, the historic village of Kangaroo Valley is set against the dark curtain of the escarpment. There are more than 20 walking trails in the area, from genteel strolls to rugged rambles through Morton National Park – and there is no more delightful drive than the Kangaroo Valley road, which leaves Berry on its southern outskirts and spirals into the hills behind the town.

Nowra and surrounds

On the outskirts of Nowra, the Fleet Air Arm Museum has a wonderful display of military aircraft that date back to the early days of naval aviation.

Bundanon, on the Shoalhaven river, inland from Nowra, was the home of the celebrated painter Arthur Boyd for several years. He created some of his most provocative landscapes there, and on Sundays, the house and grounds, Boyd’s studio and a collection of his work are open to the public.

Milton and Ulladulla

The town of Milton is strung out along a ridge between the sea and the blue peaks of the Great Dividing Range. Over the past few years Milton has blossomed into a pocket-sized delight, blending smart cafés, boutiques and galleries with its farming roots.

At Ulladulla, the Princes Highway sweeps past the town’s pretty harbour, where fishing trawlers shelter behind the breakwater. It’s the perfect place to stop and grab some local fish and chips from the fishing co-op.

National Parks

Between Ulladulla and Batemans Bay, the wonderful Murramarang National Park offers coastal camping. At Pebbly Beach, you can get close to the friendly eastern grey kangaroos.

Straddling the Great Dividing Range inland from Nowra, Morton National Park is one of the State’s largest and most spectacular national parks, a wonderland of rust-coloured sandstone cliffs, rainforest gullies, wildflower heaths and waterfalls. The park is a maze of sandstone plateaus dissected by deep river valleys, the largest of which is the Shoalhaven River and its tributaries.

Despite the rugged terrain, there are some easy walks, but experienced bushwalkers can tackle some of the tougher hikes in places such as Monolith Valley. At the south-eastern corner of Morton National Park, to the west of Ulladulla, Pigeon House Mountain is a local landmark. It is possible to climb to the top of the 720-m peak, but it’s a tough scramble that involves ladders as you approach the summit.

Fresh Produce

Oysters, tuna, kingfish and mussels are just some of the local seafood dishes to savour in the Shoalhaven. The area also has an ever-growing number of talented chefs who showcase local produce – anything from olive oils to feta cheese.

The Seagrass Brasserie at Huskisson, the Berry Bakery, Bannisters Restaurant at Mollymook and the Gunyah at Paperbark Camp are among the local restaurants and cafés to try.

Did you know?

Hyams Beach in Jervis Bay has one of the whitest sand beaches in the world.

Point Perpendicular is the highest seacliff on the east coast of Australia.

Lieutenant James Cook named Pigeon House Mountain on 21 April 1770.

On 26 January 1995, Arthur Boyd, one of Australia’s most distinguished artists, gave his property Bundanon, just outside Nowra, to the nation.

In 1822 Alexander Berry settled at Coolangatta, the first European settlement on the South Coast.