With no sunrise to chase in Ben Boyd National Park we stayed in bed and saved Quondola Beach at sunrise for a future trip. It was time to head north, next stop Bermagui but with some stops along the way to enjoy the scenery.
Bournda National Park
Our first stop was Bournda National Park to visit the Environmental Education Centre. Corina works at an EEC and it is a tradition when travelling near another EEC to drop in and take a selfie. As we drove in we were greeted by the local grey kangaroo family grazing in a clearing. They were obviously used to visitors as they didn’t move when I got out of the car to take photos. I did keep a safe distance as the male would have been protective of his wives and babies if I got too close. If you look closely you will see some joeys in the pouch.
After having a bit of a look around we found a nice clear and isolated spot to try out my drone. You can read more about that in my blog post “Maiden Voyage of the DJI Mini 2“. There was a beautiful big lake hidden behind tall trees which was revealed when I got the drone up above them. After trying out the drone we had a bit more of a look around the park and visited one of the beautiful beaches with the pristine white sand and clear blue water which are the signature vista of the sapphire coast.
Tathra
As we headed south on the way down to Merimbula and then again as we headed north we travelled through the pretty seaside town of Tathra set on the Saphire Coast of NSW. As you drive through town you will see Thong Pole, where locals nail up thongs left behind on the beach. As you leave Tathra and head north you travel along quiet country roads, across timber bridges with interesting sites along the way such as these letter boxes at the end of a long driveway.
Cuttagee Beach
We made our next stop Cuttagee Beach for a quick look and to take a few photos with plans to return the next day which we did. There is the cutest timber one lane bridge over the clearest blue water.
The shallow clear water makes it a popular spot for for families with young kids. The current is gentle and it is only a short walk from the road. On warm days it is hard to find a park as there is no parking area, only street parking. There are also no bathroom facilities nearby.
Bermagui
Of all the places we went on this road trip Bermagui was my favourite. It is a town on the South Coast of NSW about 5 hours drive south of Sydney. Bermagui is in Yuin country and its name is thought to mean canoe with paddles.
We stayed at the Harbour View Motel and true to its name it was right across the road from the Harbour. In addition, it was walking distance to the beach, shops, restaurants and the fish co-op. The room was very comfortable and clean with a kitchenette and a back verandah including a BBQ. It was on the first floor which meant carrying the bags upstairs but the trade off was a shaded parking spot under the building. The only down side to the room was that the single bed was uncomfortable for an adult and Corina was glad to only spend two nights in it.
We arrived in Bermagui a little too early to check into our accommodation and as it was lunch time we headed to the co-op to get ourselves some fresh tiger prawns. To make lunch on the road easier we carried a tub with plates and bowls and a few other essentials. These came in handy many times on our road trip for breakfast, lunches and dinners. What could be better than fresh prawns next to this amazing view.
After checking into our room we unpacked and then headed to Camel Rock to check out possible sunset and sunrise locations. We took some photos and chatted to some locals about how to get out to Horsehead Rock. Corina did a bit of a reconnaissance which included climbing over rocks meaning she was going alone. My foot has healed quite well but it is still not up to climbing over rocks. You can read and see more about Camel Rock in my next blog post.
Lunch with a view was so good we decided on dinner with a view as well. There were storms predicted for around sunset so cocktails and dinner next to the harbour sounded much more appealing. We went to Harbar for a quiet cocktail and ordered fish and chips from Blue Wave Seafood and took them up to the bar to eat. As the bar only did bar snacks they let you bring in take away as long as you take your rubbish away. The fish and chips were very yummy and possibly the best fish and chips in Bermagui as promised on Trip Adviser.
We enjoyed our cocktails and fish and chips and then headed back to our room to make plans for our second day in Bermagui. We were very lucky with our timing as it started to sprinkle as we walked home arriving back inside just as the downpour started.
The next day we had an early start to try and capture sunrise at Camel Rock and Horsehead Rock. We missed a few photo opportunities in Bermagui so will need to come back on another trip to see those.
Amazing blog Liz