Stretching over 100km north from the Victorian border, the Sapphire Coast of NSW has a lot to see and do. Here are simply seven to offer you a style of this excellent area.
From its well-known Oyster Trail and excellent vary of eating places to a very gorgeous shoreline, the Sapphire Coast—so named for the fantastic color of its waters moderately than the gemstone—has a lot to supply.
Our current journey to this under-valued area confirmed us that even inside Australia’s most populous state, there are nonetheless locations many people have by no means been to or maybe even heard of.
Check out our video of the superb issues you are able to do on the Sapphire Coast:
And even with well-known cities like Bega (of Aussie cheese fame) or Eden (the favored coastal city and cruise port) throughout the Sapphire Coast’s realm, this precise halfway level between Melbourne and Sydney will get neglected.
And let’s not neglect the oysters.
The Sapphire Coast is house to the good focus of the best Sydney Sydney rock oyster farms within the nation. Reason in itself to get to the Sapphire Coast by itself!
But listed here are some extra:
1. Fresh oysters straight from the lease
Did you realize Sydney rock oysters are Australia’s solely native rock oyster? They’re additionally underneath risk of being out-competed by different species just like the Pacific oyster—an launched selection from Japan.
Visiting locations like Broadwater Oysters in Pambula provides the distinctive expertise of studying to shuck your individual oysters proper on the shores of Pambula Lake the place they develop in abundance.
You can discover out extra right here.
2. Dining
All the meals within the Sapphire Coast is unbelievable. Even the native curry home is value visiting; the Cafe Tandoori Indian restaurant in Pambula is so good it’s ignited a aspect mission in me to discover extra regional curry spots!
– Right on the waters of Merimbula Lake, Valentina serves stunning predominantly seafood dishes and sometimes does particular occasions like their ‘Eau de Terroir’ oysters and wine degustation. You can learn extra about that right here.
– Wheeler’s Seafood Restaurant in Pambula, which has been right here in a single kind or one other for over 100 years and likewise has its personal oyster farm, is a must-visit. Our full evaluation right here of Wheeler’s explains why, however basically the meals, service and atmosphere right here is great.
– High above the historic Merimbula Wharf, which seems out throughout the Merimbula Lake inlet and the city’s foremost seashore, the Wharf Restaurant & Aquarium matches its unparalleled views with flawlessly healthful and hearty seafood dishes.
And when you’re sated, a mooch by the adjoining aquarium downstairs exhibits you a few of what’s swimming in your view (however by no means on the menu!) upstairs.
Check out our write-up right here.
– A particular point out also needs to go to Dulcie’s Cottage and Kitty’s Bar, each in Merimbula. We didn’t handle to go to these two as a result of they had been underneath refurb, however everybody’s been telling us how good they’re.
3. Pubs, breweries and distilleries
– Longstocking Brewery and Oyster Bar in Pambula not solely makes its personal beers on-site (I might drink their pale ale all day!) but additionally tasty wood-fired pizzas. This chill venue usually has stay music and is a part of Oaklands Barn, a co-operative with retailers, bakeries, cafes, a barber’s in an outdated double decker bus.
Here’s extra about Longstocking and Oaklands.
– Half an hour north is the Tathra Hotel and Brewery, a ravishing outdated constructing perched on the cliffs looking on the ocean from its headland. Service right here is great, as is the meals and beer.
– Northwest of Tathra within the little village of Stony Creek is North of Eden Distillery. Famous for its ground-breaking Oyster Shell Gin, this craft distillery does have a small cellar door you possibly can go to for a tasting. Make positive you ebook forward although.
4. Pinnacles Loop Walk, Pambula
With such a ravishing, rugged shoreline, this area is made for bushwalks with a view. The beach-line between Pambula and Eden is a part of the Beowa National Park and has some nice strolling trails.
The Pinnacles Loop Walk is a reasonably simple 1.1km loop that takes you all the way down to the Pinnacles—a hanging cliff face of white sand and purple gravel clay.
5. Long Point Lookout, Bar Beach and Middle Beach in Merimbula
Thanks to its advanced shoreline, Merimbula has numerous peninsulas and promontories value exploring.
Long Point Lookout is a stunning stroll that takes you thru a tea tree forest out to the top of the headland. It’s a simple 2km return stroll that’s additionally appropriate for wheelchair customers with some help.
From the lookout, you possibly can see all the way down to Middle Beach and as you go, you possibly can see throughout to Main Beach too. This is the right alternative to stroll off a giant lunch on the Wharf Restaurant simply up the highway and close to stunning Bar Beach.
6. Eden’s sea pool
Aslings Beach Rock Pool, on the southernmost level of Aslings Beach fairly near city, is presumably essentially the most stunning sea pool we’ve ever seen. Yes, that features Icebergs, sorry Bondi.
Shallow, secluded and butted in opposition to the purple layers of the traditional cliff rock face, the pool ripples gently with every wave that washes recent seawater in.
I’m positive there’s a neater option to get to it, however with the tide nonetheless excessive, we needed to scramble up and over a craggy rock to the pool. Well value it although.
7. Pamboola Wetlands
Just off the primary drag by city (really the Princes Highway), the Pamboola Wetlands is a 202-acre sanctuary the place paths and fowl hides thread by ponds, billabongs, swamps and mangroves.
Once an historical floodplain and a favorite searching floor of the Thaua People of the Yuin Nation, the Wetlands had been become farmlands, then the unique web site of Pambula city, then from 1897-1997 it was a racecourse.
It’s now an enormous expanse of estuarine and freshwater wetlands, house to endangered birds, mammals and marine life you can discover at will with as a lot or as little time as it’s important to hand. And you possibly can simply spend all day right here.
