The South Coast region of New South Wales (NSW) is such a special part of Australia stretching from Wollongong, about 80km south of Sydney, down to Eden, on the state border with Victoria, a route of over 400km.
The A1, the 14,500km highway that circumnavigates the country, runs along this part of the coast and is a perfect roadtrip destination with plenty of beaches, viewpoints, hikes and cute towns to visit along the way.
We're currently living full-time in our campervan, a 2018 Mercedes Sprinter, and exploring Australia, with a plan of "driving the lap" (completing the entire perimeter of the country). I first visited Australia in 2019, following the classic backpacker route, mostly visiting big cities, staying in hostels and traveling by public transport. This time, with the freedom of our campervan, we're trying to hit the lesser known spots and go slower.
For thousands of years, the Dharawal, Yuin and Bidwell people have lived on this land.
Captain Cook saw the South Coast from Endeavour in 1770, with the first Europeans to step foot here being whalers. The first European settlers arrived to the South Coast of NSW from the 1810s, bringing with them many diseases which wiped out about half of the Aboriginals of this region. Most of the survivors were displaced in order to make space for white immigrants and moved onto government-established settlements, which existed until as late as the 1960s.
Since the early 1800s and to present day, the main industries of the South Coast are timber, fishing and dairy farms. Historically, whaling and gold mining were also important in the area.
We roadtripped the South Coast of NSW at the end of December 2025 from Eden to Wollongong, which covers most of this blog post. When my parents came to visit us in Australia for two weeks, we visited this part of the country again. This blog post was first published on 30 December 2025 and updated to contain information from our second time on the South Coast; last updated 2 March 2026.
Every single spot (and more) that I mention in all my blog posts about Australia can be found in my Australia | Ultimate Map!
This is a digital map featuring hundreds of my favourite restaurants, campgrounds, accommodations, shops, photo spots, museums, beaches, lakes, animal spots, bridges, viewpoints, hikes and SO much more in Australia, including its three external territories.
Each pin includes exact locations, images, detailed information, the ability to open and save the spot in your Google Maps and a link to my relevant blog post to read more.
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Below is some useful information for preparing for your trip to the South Coast. In all cases, please be sure to check with the relevant local authorities for the latest and accurate information.
Language: The official language of Australia is English. Along the South Coast, the traditional languages of the Dharawal, Yuin and Bidwell people are in the Yuin Coastal group of languages including Tharawal, Yuin and Bidhawal.
→ Learn more about the languages of the Dharawal, Yuin and Bidwell people.
Currency: The currency used in Australia is the Australian dollar, denoted as AUD $. I use a Wise account when I travel which allows me to have a single, free account with multiple currencies. I only have to pay once to convert my money in the app and then I can pay in AUD $!
→ Check the latest currency conversion between AUD $ and your local currency.
Data: Before you arrive, I recommend purchasing an eSim on your phone so that you can access data the moment you land. eSims are much more convenient as it means you don't have to put a separate physical Sim into your phone. AirAlo offers great deals for eSims of various data sizes and time lengths with Optus.
→ Load an international eSim on your phone with AirAlo.
If you are visiting Australia long term, you might wish to put a physical Sim in your phone as AirAlo is geared more towards short term visitors on holiday. This way you can access a local phone plan. There are three main mobile phone network providers in Australia: Telstra, Optus and Vodafone. Telstra has the best coverage across the country whereas Optus and Vodafone are good within cities. I recommend Telstra as it means you have the best coverage while you travel around the country, especially in rural areas.
Visa: All passport holders except New Zealand require a visa to visit Australia. All arrivals must fill out an Australian arrival card before landing.
→ Check which visa you need for Australia.
Time of year to visit: Australia can be visited all year-round. The South Coast can get especially hot and busy in the summer months with school holidays in full swing and cooler in the winter. I recommend visiting in spring (September-November) or autumn (March-May) for pleasant, sunny days.
Length of stay: The South Coast stretches over 400km between Wollongong, just south of Sydney, and Eden, near the state border with Victoria. It can be done in a day but most travelers spend at least a few nights along the coast as there is so much to explore. Across two visits, we spent about five days along the South Coast stopping at different towns, viewpoints, beaches and hikes.
The Gantry at Bawley Beach
By car: The best way to experience the South Coast is with your own wheels. The most popular way of exploring Australia is by camping - whether with a motorhome, campervan, caravan or a roof tent on top of a car. This gives you the ultimate freedom of going as fast or as slow as you like.
If you have a car without camping options, there are plenty of accommodation options to sleep in along the way.
By public transport: You can explore the South Coast by train with regular departures from Sydney going down to Bomaderry, just north of Jervis Bay. From Bomaderry, you can catch buses further south along the South Coast as the train stops here. This does limit how much you can explore as schedules are limited, but it's possible!
→ Plan your trip to the South Coast with public transport.
By guided tour: If you don't have your own wheels or simply don't want to tackle the South Coast yourself, there are a number of different guided tour options for all sorts of interests depending on where you are based.
Hotel: Not traveling by campervan? Driving in a car? Visiting from nearby Sydney? Whatever your reason for needing a place to stay, there are some great accommodation options all along the South Coast.
→ Check out all the accommodation options on the South Coast.
Camping: We are driving "the lap" around Australia, exploring the country in our campervan. As with the rest of Australia, New South Wales permits freedom camping on designated sites. These sites can vary greatly; some offer a variety of facilities such as toilets, trash bins, picnic tables, outdoor cooking stations and others have none of this and might simply be a pull-out on the side of the road.
The best way to find legal freedom camping spots is to use an app. We use Wikicamps Australia, a cheap app that has every single amenity listed (both free and paid) that you might need on the road. This includes things like where to fill up fresh water, where to dump grey water, where to empty toilets, where to stay, gas stations, information points and also has suggestions for things to do as you go.
→ Download the Wikicamps Australia app.
There are a few spots for freedom camping along the South Coast, as well as a number of paid options - which were shockingly expensive when we were there over the Christmas holidays (AUD $150-200 per night for a powered site!). We visited the South Coast on two different visits and stayed five days in the area and found a few great free and paid campgrounds to stay at:
- Robertson Bowling Club - free camping in Robertson, just inland from Wollongong, a meal is encouraged at the club
- Mooresfield - AUD $40 in cash only, the closest affordable camping to Jervis Bay, need to call in advance to book as it's a privately-owned field
- Scrubby Creek Rest Area - free camping just south of Eden, very quiet even being near the highway
In the different towns along the South Coast are loads of different food options. We had some incredibly delicious meals during our two visits to the region, which I've outlined below in geographical order from north to south.
Shellharbour
In Shellharbour, we had dinner at The Plough & Ale, a vibey pub-style restaurant in the newly-developed area of Calderwood. Classic Australian dishes are served up next to a fun bar in a big, airy space.
While waiting for our campervan to get her regular oil change, we stopped for lunch at Rehal's Divine Indian Restaurant. It's located in an outdoor mall (Stockland) in Shellharbour, so not your typical roadtrip destination, but if you need a place to stock up on supplies and shopping, then I can really recommend grabbing lunch at Rehal's. The service is so lovely and they do fantastic curries, naan and mango lassi.
The Plough & Ale
Rehal's Divine Indian Restaurant
Gerringong
Gerringong is a bougie little neighbourhood on the waterfront with some fantastic restaurants lining their main street. We visited this area with my parents when we drove the South Coast the second time.
We shared a light lunch on the outdoor deck overlooking Werri Beach at The Hill and then stopped in for coffee and smoothies before carrying on our roadtrip at The Deli, a cute, coastal cafe.
The Hill Bar & Kitchen
The Deli
Huskisson
Huskisson is not technically located inside the Jervis Bay Territory but it is considered part of the Jervis Bay area. We loved Huskisson, it reminded us so much of summer in little European seaside towns!
I can seriously recommend Pasta Buoy, a proper Italian place doing mouthwateringly good fresh pasta dishes. They also sell authentic Italian gelato in the small room next door, the perfect finishing touch.
We also really enjoyed our açaí bowls from Harley's across the street, a super popular beachy café.
Eurobodalla Regional Botanic Garden
Bermagui
The South Coast region of New South Wales (NSW) is such a special part of Australia stretching from Wollongong, about 80km south of Sydney, down to Eden, on the state border with Victoria, a route of over 400km.
We drove the entire stretch starting in the south from Eden to Wollongong at the end of December 2025. When my parents came to visit us in Australia for two weeks a few months later, we visited this part of the country again.
Here is everything we stopped to see along the way, listed in geographical order from north to south (Wollongong to Eden):
Roadtrip route of the South Coast
See the view from Bald Hill Headland Reserve
This is actually just north of Wollongong so just before the South Coast region officially begins, but it's a great spot to stop at on your way down from Sydney. The Bald Hill Headland Reserve overlooks the gorgeous coastal town of Stanwell Park and on towards the Sea Cliff Bridge in the distance.
Take in the coastal views at Minnamurra Lookout
The Minnamurra Lookout looks over Boyds Beach as it juts into the Minnamurra River. Even though it was a bit overcast when we visited (and I've heard that on a sunny day, the water here is stunningly blue), we loved the view of the river flowing into the open ocean. Park at the boat ramp and take the scenic walk up through the headland.
Awe at the three-tiered Belmore Falls
Head inland towards Morton National Park, home to some incredible waterfalls. Belmore Falls is one of the most famous in the park, at an astounding 130 metres across three drops.
I can recommend the view right at the top of the waterfall and then the one marked "Belmore Falls Lookout" on Google Maps, reachable by a fun drive across the top of the falls and along a well-maintained dirt road (we managed just fine in our Mercedes Sprinter).
All tracks to the base of the falls are permanently closed.
Crossing the top of the falls
The dirt road to the lookout
Look over Fitzroy Falls
A short walk from the Visitor Centre is the impressive Fitzroy Falls which falls 80 metres into a rainforest. The viewpoint that is at the start is not the best angle of the falls (see my photos) as it looks right down over it from above so instead you can keep walking on the West Rim track for better views.
It's just $4 per vehicle for day access.
Drive over Hampden Bridge
Hampden Bridge is located in Kangaroo Valley and is Australia's oldest wooden suspension bridge! It has impressive, castle-looking towers on either side crossing over the Kangaroo River, a popular swimming and kayaking spot.
Explore Gerringong
Gerringong is a bougie little neighbourhood on the waterfront with some fantastic restaurants lining their main street. We visited this area with my parents when we drove the South Coast the second time.
We enjoyed lunch here as well as a bit of shopping - check out the delightful Beyond the Beach boutique. Make sure to drive the Tasman Drive, a spot that has gone a bit viral on Instagram, even earning the title of "Most Instagrammable Street in NSW" thanks to its gorgeous view overlooking Werri Beach.
COMING SOON → Check out the reel I made about driving the "Most Instagrammable Street in NSW"!
See the view from Hanging Rock Lookout
We stumbled upon this place while filling up our campervan's potable water tank and were so impressed. Hanging Rock Lookout sits 46 metres above the Shoal River and is especially beautiful at golden hour.
The lookout is along Ben's Walk, a 5.5km beautiful walk with views overlooking the river. There is a paid campground right here so you can also spend the night in this gorgeous spot.
Explore the territory of Jervis Bay
Jervis Bay is actually an internal territory of Australia, separate from the state of New South Wales. Since we spent a whole day here exploring the area, I've written a separate guide on how to get there, how to get around, where to eat and the best things to do.
COMING SOON → Check out my guide to Jervis Bay!
See the Gantry at Bawley Beach
When we pulled up to Bawley Beach, it just felt like the epitome of Australian summer in the heart of Bawley Point, a popular coastal holiday destination. Our favourite spot was at a jetty called the Gantry, a super popular spot to fish and jump into the ocean from.
The last bit of road is super rough and only good for 4WD so I'd recommend parking up near Tingira Drive and then walking the last hundred metres down to the water.
Spot the seals at Narooma
I can honestly say this was one of my favourite stops on the South Coast of NSW! At the headland of Narooma, overlooking Bar Beach and the Wagonga Passage, you can pretty much always spot fur seals lazing in the sun on the rocks or playing in the waves rolling in from the ocean through the passage. It's such a special sight to witness.
While you're here, make sure to spot the rock that has a big hole naturally carved out of it by erosion that looks uncannily JUST like the outline of Australia! A fun photo stop right in the parking lot of Seal Rocks.
Lastly, from the parking lot, make sure to do the short walk up the wooden steps to Bar Rock Lookout for panoramic views over the entire area including looking back toward Narooma, over Wagonga and Bar Beaches and out to the Pacific Ocean.
Narooma
Bar Beach
Australia Rock
The view from Bar Rock Lookout
Hike to the Horse Head Rock Lookout
At Murunna Point, there is a short, gorgeous coastal walk leading to a fantastic viewpoint overlooking a rock which looks exactly like a horse's head, hence the name!
COMING SOON → Check out my complete guide to hiking to Horse Head Rock Lookout!
Swim in the Bermagui Blue Pool
Bermagui Blue Pool is a coastal rock pool that gets naturally filled by ocean water, about 75 steps down from the parking lot. We visited at sunset so a bit too chilly to swim, but it's the ultimate spot for a safe saltwater dip on a hot day.
Hang out on Cuttagee Beach
Just south of Bermagui is Cuttagee Beach, a golden stretch of sand where Cuttagee Lake meets the ocean. It's a popular spot for surfing and swimming and is just so pretty and peaceful.
Go swimming at Aslings Beach
This is Eden's prettiest beach - and the last stop on the South Coast! If you walk about ten minutes down the beach, you'll come to the picturesque Aslings Beach Rock Pool, a super cool natural rock pool for swimming in.
Check out the view (and maybe spot whales) in Eden
The Whale Watching Platform overlooks Twofold Bay which, during whale season from May to September, offers one of the best possible chances to spot humpback whales migrating through the area. If you're visiting outside of whale season, it's still a beautiful view over Twofold Bay.
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Hi! I’m Jana, a Dutch-German-British-Canadian with a dream of seeing every country in the world. I am a storyteller, photographer and adventurer passionate about documenting and sharing my travels.
