SOUTH COAST NEW SOUTH WALES
South Coast New South Wales - Luxury Travel Magazine
 | |||||
Where The Rainforest Meets The Sea | |||||
| By: Madeleine Stratton, Issue 43 – Winter 2010 | |||||
| (South Coast New South Wales, Australia) | |||||
| WALKING NOVICE MADELEINE STRATTON SET OUT TO EXPLORE NSW’S SOUTH COAST, DISCOVERING THERE’S MORE TO KIAMA THAN BEACHES AND BLOWHOLES. | |||||
| South coast New South Wales is home to diverse scenery, from dramatic coastal landscapes and lush green pastures to verdant rainforest, and the best way to explore it all is to simply take a walk. Hugging the coast 90 minutes south of Sydney is Kiama, of the blowhole fame. But there’s more on offer in this seaside town, and it’s a newly opened section of the Kiama Coast Walk that should grab your attention. The Kiama Coast Walk clings to the coast, running from Minnamurra Headland in the north to Gerringong, the walk’s different sections passing through coast to urban backdrops with paved track and beach terrains. The new six-kilometre section from Love’s Bay to Werri Lagoon gives public access for the first time to a striking stretch of Kiama coastline with uninterrupted ocean views from rising and falling green hills. By no means a hike, you still have to work a bit to earn your view, the track has deliberately been kept rough to minimise the impact of walkers on the coastal landscape. An early start is best as this section takes a couple of hours depending on your speed and if you get through it by lunchtime there’s some nice places to wind down and enjoy a meal in Kiama, and if you haven’t had the chance before, do check out the blowhole and the Kiama Lighthouse. Or jump in the car and head north to bustling Shellharbour for lunch and an afternoon of shopping in the historic town centre. If you’re up for more walking after tackling the coast, look west to Budderoo National Park for a change in scenery. Minnamurra Rainforest is a rare example of both subtropical and warm temperate rainforest, and as you stroll along the boardwalk under its lush canopy keep your eyes peeled for lyrebirds darting between antique trees. With a choice of a one or two hour route, the latter culminates at Minnamurra Falls. With all this natural green beauty so close to the coast, the perfect vantage point and remarkable views are found from the top of the Illawarra Fly Tree Top Walk. The 500 metre steel canopy walk averages a height of 25 metres above the forest floor, and you can peer over the rails for a birdseye view of the tree ferns and other fauna below. The highest point of the walk is the 45-metre Knights Tower, which affords a view of the forest’s emergent layer and then extends as far north as Shellharbour and out to the ocean. | |||||
| Details: | |||||
| STAY: | |||||
| Bellachara: A luxury boutique hotel in Gerringong, its 52 king rooms feature modern décor and furnishings. Contemporary dining is available at the Bellachara restaurant & wine lounge, and pampering is available at the day spa. | |||||
| Ravensthorpe: This beautifully restored 19th century grand manor house in Albion Park comprises two suites and one queen room in the house, and offering a bit more privacy, a separate suite housed in what was once a doctor’s surgery. Ravensthorpe’s award-winning restaurant offers classic cuisine with French influence, as well as high tea, and this combined with elegant furnishings and grounds create a timeless setting for either a function or a weekend away. | |||||
| Spring Creek Retreat: Overlooking Kiama on 20 acres of green hills is Spring Creek Retreat. The boutique country house is AAA Tourism five-star rated, with five suites to choose from (as well as three self-contained cottages on the property). Gourmet breakfast and afternoon teas are provided from home grown produce, and in-house dinners with a private chef and massages can be arranged. | |||||
|
