New South Wales’ lesser-visited southern coastline is rich in beauty and wildlife.
Stretching from Sydney down to the Victorian border, the South Coast of New South Wales is a laid-back, unpretentious year-round destination filled with uncrowded white-sand beaches, crystal-blue bays, whale-watching opportunities, and wildlife-filled national parks. Adventurous travelers will find plenty of opportunities for surfing, diving, and bushwalking while those who just want to relax can set up camp beachside and take in the natural beauty. As this region is far less-visited than the north coast, you might even feel like you have the place all to yourself.
On the Illawara Coast, Shellharbour is home to the National Surfing Reserve of Killalea and the area is also a favorite of snorkelers and divers who can explore the many shipwrecks and marine life-filled underwater cliffs. Beachfront and just a short walk from the center, Shellharbour Beachside Tourist Park offers a range of accommodation including powered sites, ensuite cabins, and self-contained beachside cottages. A little farther south, Killalea State Park has a secluded camping area in the park’s grassy meadows with access to facilities including toilets, hot showers, and an undercover electric barbeque area.
Another favorite destination among surfers and divers, the Shoalhaven Coast is also known as a wine-growing region and for the powder-white sands, crystalline waters, and whale- and dolphin-spotting opportunities of Jervis Bay. Within Booderee National Park at Jervis Bay, the Cave Beach camping area offers some of Australia’s best secluded beach camping with access to cold showers and barbecues. Farther south, beachfront caravan sites and campgrounds in Murramarang National Park include Durras Lake North Holiday Park and Pebbly Beach, where you can camp alongside resident kangaroos.
The Eurobodalla Coast is home to the seaside town of Batemans Bay, famed for its fresh seafood, particularly oysters, as well as the Clyde River National Park where you can go bushwalking, kayaking, and fishing. Just south of town, Clyde View Holiday Park offers villas as well as powered sites with access to laundry facilities and a bbq area. Farther south, Tuross Head is perched on a headland between two tidal lakes, making it the perfect spot for kayaking, fishing, boating, and swimming. Peaceful Tuross Beach Cabins & Campsites offers holiday units and powered and unpowered caravan and camping sites with ocean views and easy access to the beach and lake.
At the southern end of the New South Wales coast, the tranquil Sapphire Coast is home to the small town of Eden, one of the best places in Australia to spot humpback whales on their annual migration from May through September. Just outside town, the waterfront Reflections Holiday Parks Eden offers large powered and unpowered RV and caravan sites, as well as a range of cabins, with access to camp kitchens. Forty minutes north, rustic Hobart Beach Campground in Bournda National Park has unpowered sites that make a perfect base for swimming, hiking, and exploring nearby secluded beaches.