Welcome to The Wanderbug, a travel blog written for humans, by a human. I'm Genevieve, and every guide is personally written by me and based on my firsthand travel experiences.

The South Coast of New South Wales (NSW) is one of the best stretches of coastline in Australia for a road trip, especially for travellers looking to escape the crowds.

It takes a little more effort to reach the South Coast of NSW than it does the popular and heavily populated North Coast, but you’ll be richly rewarded with tranquil beach towns, dramatic coastlines and beaches that you’ll have all to yourself!

From the stunning turquoise inlets and fresh oysters in Narooma to the dazzling white sands of Hyams Beach in Jervis Bay, to the feat of engineering which is the Seacliff Bridge outside Wollongong, there is so much to discover on the South Coast of NSW.

I’ve road-tripped along the entire coastline of New South Wales, and while there is lots to love about the North Coast, it was the South Coast that was full of the greatest surprises. Read on for my personal recommendations to the best places on the South Coast to visit, perfect for your next Aussie road trip!

Related: 10 Best Places to Visit in New South Wales

Narooma

Narooma is one of my absolute favourite places in all of New South Wales, and is a must-visit for experiencing the best of South Coast NSW. Best-known for its sought-after Narooma oysters, Narooma is the perfect destination on the South Coast for unwinding for a few days. 

Feast on fresh oysters from the banks of the pristine Wagonga Inlet at the Oyster Farmers Daughter, spot seals sunbaking and splashing around at Seal Rocks and take an excursion into quaint Central Tilba, while enjoying the slow pace.

Narooma is a 5-hour drive from Sydney or a 3-hour drive from Canberra.

Guide: 10 Best Things to Do in Narooma, NSW

Jervis Bay

Jervis Bay is one of the most famous beach destinations in Australia. The powdery white sands of Hyam’s Beach is the major drawcard to Jervis Bay, but there are actually 16 white-sand beaches to discover! 

Hyam’s Beach is a must-visit, as one of the largest, and most dazzling beaches, but Greenfield Beach, Chinaman’s Beach and Little Hyam’s Beach are also very worth visiting. There is plenty of accommodation around Jervis Bay, and the main village, Huskission, has won the Tiny Town Tourism award several times.

Jervis Bay is approximately a 2 hr 45 min drive from both Sydney and Canberra.

Check rates & availability in Huskisson

Merimbula

Merimbula is the largest coastal town on the spectacular Sapphire Coast, which is a sub-region of South Coast NSW, spanning from the southern state border to Bermagui. Merimbula has beautiful beaches and a vibrant town centre, with a number of small restaurants, bars & cafes to choose from.

Merimbula is the best place to stay while on the Sapphire Coast, and is a great base for exploring other nearby, smaller beach towns like Eden, Tathra and Bermagui, and inland country villages like charming Candelo.

It was one of my favourite places that we stayed on our coastal NSW road trip! We visited in May, and the town had already entered the “off season”, making it very sleepy despite still enjoying clear, crisp weather. 

I loved our stay in a “safari tent” at the NRMA Merimbula Beach Holiday Resort, which had ocean views from a private deck, complete with BBQ & outdoor bathtub.

Merimbula is a 3-hour drive from Canberra.

Check rates & availability at NRMA Merimbula Beach Holiday Resort

Kiama

Kiama is best-known for the amazing Kiama Blowhole, which is the largest natural blowhole in the Southern Hemisphere. Natural rock formations and the tides create a spectacular  natural show, with jets of water spurting out of the blowhole at regular intervals throughout the day, and drawing large crowds. The frequency and size of the sprays depends on the weather and the tides, but generally autumn and afternoons are best – we got lucky as this was exactly when we visited!

Beyond the famous blowhole, Kiama is a beautiful beach town on the South Coast of NSW, which would make a great place to spend a few days by the beach, with all the amenities of a thriving little beach town.

Kiama is a 1 hr 45 min drive from Sydney

Eden

Eden is the southernmost coastal town on the South Coast of NSW, just over the New South Wales-Victoria border. It’s the start of the Sapphire Coast region, and is a beautiful, sleepy beach town with dramatic coastlines, beaches and rock pools. Don’t miss The Pinnacles, which are dramatic orange & white cliffs just north of Eden, accessible via a short walk.

In the 19th century, Eden grew around the whaling industry, and had a unique “Law of the Tongue” relationship with local orcas, which would assist whaling ships in hunting baleen whales. Whaling ended in 1930, and today visitors can learn about the town’s unusual whaling history at the Killer Whale Museum.

Instead, today visitors are drawn to Eden for whale watching cruises. Eden is one of the best places on the Sapphire Coast for humpback whale watching, between May-July and September-November. 

Eden is a 3 hr 20 minute drive from Canberra

Central Tilba

Central Tilba is a picturesque, National Trust-classified country village in the rolling hills of South Coast NSW. Part of the Eurobodalla region, Central Tilba is a short drive inland from Narooma, and a great destination for a morning or afternoon excursion.

The well-preserved historic village is one main street, anchored by the Tilba Dairy, which is one of the few remaining working dairies in the region. Stop in to stock up on Tilba Dairy’s huge range of local cheeses and a bottle of delicious jersey milk, which is richer, more nutritious and more flavourful than regular cow’s milk, and comes only from jersey cows. A milkshake from Tilba Dairy is a great way to enjoy the local produce!

Central Tilba is a 12 minute drive from Narooma, through quiet, rolling farmland.

The Shoalhaven 

The Shoalhaven is a coastal region of South Coast NSW, spanning between Kiama to the north and the Eurobodalla to the south. It’s a well-populated region, with over 100 beaches and dozens of small towns, including drawcards like Jervis Bay, Ulladulla and Mollymook on the coast, country towns and villages like charming Berry and Milton, and remote, secluded beaches like North Durras Beach and Depot Beach. 

We stayed in The Shoalhaven during our NSW coastal road trip, at Bannisters By The Sea Mollymook. This was the biggest splurge stay of our trip, by a significant margin, but it was well worth it. Between the ocean views from the infinity pool and the on-site restaurants, and lunch at nearby Cuppitt’s Estate winery, it was a perfect couple of days of luxury R&R.

Check availability & rates at Bannisters by the Sea

The Sea Cliff Bridge

The Sea Cliff Bridge is an engineering marvel, curving out away from the cliffs over the ocean on the Grand Pacific Drive. The 665 metre bridge starts just north of Wollongong, and has a pedestrian footpath along one side, making it well worth a stop to take in the stunning views.

The Sea Cliff Bridge is between Wollongong and Royal National Park, just south of Sydney.

Tathra 

Tathra is a tiny fishing town on the South Coast of NSW, part of the Sapphire Coast region. Its historic wharf is a local icon and dates back to 1862, and is one of the most beautiful historic fishing wharves in the country. There’s a cafe on the wharf, as well as a local pub in Tathra, the Tathra Hotel, which has a contemporary dining room and 270 degree water views.

When we visited, the cafe wasn’t open but we took the short trail from behind the wharf up around the headland, which was dotted with plaques about Tathra’s history, and included a few beautiful lookouts along the way. It’s a great stop between Merimbula and Narooma.

Bermagui

Bermagui is a sleepy beach town on the South Coast of NSW, best known for the Bermagui Blue Pools, beautiful Horseshoe Bay Beach, natural rock formations like Camel Rock, and deep sea game fishing. 

The major beach, Horseshoe Bay Beach, is a stunning curved beach, backed by a small string of shops.

Horse Head Rock is also a local drawcard, but when we visited, we could not for the life of us find a trail to reach it – it seemed like the trail had been closed, so we just visited Camel Rock.

Bermagui is the northernmost beach town on the Sapphire Coast, and is a 3.5 hr drive from Canberra

Further Reading

• 10 Best Places to Visit in New South Wales
• 25 Best Places to Visit in Australia
• 10 Best Things to do in Narooma

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