Southern Highlands / Coast, Sydney

Jervis Bay is famous for the whitest sand in the world, and its crystal clear waters. Discover the tranquil bush settings within the National Parks. The centre of the Jervis Bay tourist haven is Huskisson, and one must stop and have a beer at this icon, basic accommodation is also available. Jervis bay from Sydney takes approx 2 hours driving time.

Jervis Bay is a naturalist delight, bounded with pristine beaches within the Booderee National Park, it is ideal for all activities, hiking, rock climbing, diving, snorkeling, fishing, swimming, kayaking and canoeing. The bay is 15km long and 10kim wide with little villages scattered around like Vincentia, Hyams Beach, Calla Bay, Myola, and Currarong.

There are bay beaches such as Green Patch, Murray’s Beach, Hole in the Wall and surf beaches like Caves, Wreck Bay and Bherewerre. This area is a MUST to do and one really needs two to three days to explore this amazing destination. If time is limited at least do a bay cruise at Huskisson www.dolphincruises.com.au to see the resident blue nose dolphins.

Is a little gem of a village, discovered by George Bass in 1797, the Aboriginal name means" place where sea makes noise".It is surrounded by beautiful beaches, harbour and two rivers. Kiama is famous for the “Blow Hole”, which spouts water high into the air. You could spend a whole day in this area exploring the Minnamurra rainforest, Seven Mile Beach, Jamberoo action Park, Bombo Headland and the Carrington Falls and Cathedral Rocks.

Kiama has plenty of accommodation available for all types of budgets and needs. The best kept secret is the East Beach Holiday Park which sits on 35 acres on absolute beachfront. Choose from waterfront units, villas and cabins. www.eastvanparks.com.au or www.kiama.com.au for info on other accommodation available. I highly recommend staying a day in this area if time permits.

From Kiama take a detour via Gerringong and Gerroa to Nowra. Look for the sign post on your left saying "Gerringong Tourist Drive", which crosses a railway line. It hooks back onto the highway at the beginning of the bridge at Nowra. Alternatively, you can continue on the highway and visit the cute historical town of Berry.

Driving time approx one hour south of Sydney. - make sure you do the coastal road from Sydney National Park.

You can also catch a train from Central Railway Station to Kiama.

Drive down South to Wollongong from Sydney and stop off at the Scenic Pitstops dotted along the way for views such as the one shown in the Photos. I took lots of great photos from this lookout point, it is so high up that the photos look like they are being taken out of a plane. Its a shame i cant post more !

We went to a small cafe in that location, Sublime Point lookout (one of four lookout points at Bulli Lookout) and continued onto Thirroul Beach.

For tourist going in tours, you will most likely be going into the Jenolan Caves and nothing else... quite a boring journey I would say...

Though it is interesting to see how the caves were formed... but for a more nature seeking person like me, I prefer to take another path..

There is a path beside the caves which its a hiking path for abt 3km... where you can walk and climb to see a bird's-eye view of the formation of the caves....

Both Bass and Flinders were born in England. Bass joined the Royal Navy as a surgeon's mate, when he was eighteen.
Flinders joined the Royal Navy in 1790, at about the same time as Bass, and served training as a navigator.

Bass and Flinders later sailed together in 1795, on the voyage to New South Wales.
Both were in their early twenties. Together, they explored the coastline adjacent to the Port Jackson settlement using two small boats, both of which were named "Tom Thumb."

In 1797, Bass was then given command of a whaleboat with a crew of six to explore the coastline south of Sydney.

Bass later spent a few years in trading ventures to the New South Wales colony, around the Pacific Islands and to South America. His ship, "Venus" disappeared on one such voyage in 1803.

On Flinders' return to England in 1800 he was appointed to command a scientific expedition, to carefully map the south-west coast of Australia and the Great Barrier Reef.
In 1803 Flinders was captured by the French on the Island of Mauritius. The French held him until 1810, claiming he was a spy, after which time he returned to England.

2 hours drive out into the country down south near Wollongong you be transported to a different world to Sydney. Lovely pasture land, farmland, national parks, and many villages with lots of potteries, craft shops, and interesting small eateries worth visitng.

It is really much different to Sydney - which many people come for the Harbour Bridge, Opera House, Bondi Beach - I highly recommend the southern Highlands.

Jervis Bay is only 2.5 hours from Sydney but it seems a different planet. It has the world's whitest beach, some nice villages and natural parks and the way to Jervis Bay is pretty as well. Stop at one of the wineries in Berry, chill out on Seven Mile Beach and check out the blowwhole in Kiara.

Go to Kangaroo Valley, kyaking. Its excellent. You go off in your kyak, loaded with your tent and bbq and stop wherever you see a nice little secluded beach, its cheap too, about $130 for two people over night hire of the Kyak and tents

The South Coast from Sydney... most people head north but the coast south of Sydney is my personal favourite... Quiet, clean and and untouristy. Must-sees include Kiama, Seven Mile Beach National Park, see pic, (1.5hrs from Sydney), Minamurra Rainforest,Jervis Bay National Park and Pebbly Beach where you can see kangaroos playing in the surf... The Train runs to Kiama for a nice day trip but you really see a lot more with a car.

North,South,East and West of Sydney is surrounded with lush green scenery and hills,can it get greener than this?