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Published: September 8th 2013
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I had a few days off but had decided on a staycation, to explore a bit more of Sydney. However it seems like the travelbug can't keep me still, so with a couple of days up my sleeve I headed beyond Sydney to the South Coast and Southern Highlands, all highly recommended by locals.
It's a very pretty drive down the south coast. My first stop was Berry, a very sweet little country town filled with cafes and homeware stores stuffed with knick knacks for cluttering up your house. It's a mystery to me - who is buying all this stuff? However my destination for the night was Huskisson, in Jervis Bay. It's a cute little coastal town on the edge of the national park. I was staying in a little B&B, run by a very friendly couple, Louise and Stuart, who gave me all sorts of tips and ideas of things to do.
First stop was the famous Hyams Beach, renowned for its brilliant white sand, which according to the Guinness book of records is the whitest in the world. Who's to quibble as to whether or not this is true, it is a truly stunning beach. Although
in theory it was the first day of spring, it was like a summer's day, very warm with lots of people swimming and sunbathing. What a lovely walk up that beach, and what a way to truly relax. I also stopped in at the nearby Chinamans Beach, which is a little smaller, but equally idyllic.
There's a walk, which unfortunately I didn't have time to do in full, which hugs the coast line starting from a beach closer to Huskisson, and heading down beyond Hyams Beach. Appropriately, it's called the White Sands walk, and although it doesn't take too long my time was otherwise booked, so I could only sample a small part of it. The next morning I was up early, walking from Greenfields beach over to Blenheim beach. Yet more beautiful beaches, more white sand, more turquoise water...... Wow.
However Louise had told me about some of the wineries in the Shoalhaven area, in particular she mentioned a small boutique vineyard called Two Figs, which also had amazing 360 degree views over the river. I don't drive past many wineries, and I love a good view so of course I pulled in, and well, it would've
been rude not to try the wine as well. Needless to say I have a couple more bottles for the collection from a different region. The view was pretty good, too!
From there I headed to Kangaroo Valley, which is as picturesque as it sounds. Nestled at the foot of a deep descent through windy roads, with beautiful bushland either side, Kangaroo Valley is a cutesy little village at the bottom. Like Berry it was amply stocked with homeware stores and little antique shops. I had nearly reached my quota but one, a french-themed store, lured me in. They stocked some really gorgeous vintage french linen tea towels, which sounds a bit odd, but I hadn't seen them anywhere before, and the fabric was absolutely beautiful. Slightly oversize, I thought they would do just nicely as a table runner, however the practical side of me needed to check with the owner that in need they could still dry dishes, even though I did get rather an odd look. So yes, I finally fell victim to the homeware stores.
I asked about a good local cafe and the nice lady who sold me the overpriced tea-towels said that being
a Monday, all the best ones were likely closed. "To be honest, just keep driving to Bowral". It was only a half hour drive, so my stomach could cope with that, and it turned out to be a good suggestion. I consulted my Good Food Guide and stopped at a little art gallery and cafe, and ate a delicious chicken caesar salad surrounded by art, and lapping up the sunshine. This was my one and only stop in Bowral - my quota of twee towns was up, and I couldn't bear the thought of viewing yet another homewares store.
From Bowral it's not far to Sydney, so I zipped along the highway, homeward bound. Jervis Bay is stunning, what a great discovery - I will be back to those white sands as soon as I can.
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D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley
A staycation and bit of wine
Sounds lovely and the beaches look inviting!