Travel guide Sapphire Coast

When you visit the small town of Pambula Beach you can surf, fish or walk the rock pools, or take a visit to the wetlands centre. Merimbula, in contrast, is the retail heart of the area and opened as a port in 1855, originally serving as a gateway to the Montreal goldfields. Top 5 things to do and see   Oyster farming - and eating! The Merimbula area is famous for oysters, and you can enjoy an oyster farm tour at Wheelers Oyster Farm and learn how oysters are processed and stored for consumption.   Merimbula Wharf Merimbula Aquarium and Wharf Restaurant is in a historic wharf building just around the headland from the surf beach. You can make it a day out by taking some chairs, and then fish from the wharf, where the water is so clear you can see the fish!   Fishing... Read more

  Bega is set amid lush green farmlands and is around a 6-hour drive from Sydney. The town is famous, of course, for being the home of Bega Cheese.   The Bega Cheese Heritage Centre is just one reason to visit this area, and although Bega isn’t on the coast, nearby Bermagui and Tathra make up for this, so lovers of the sea can enjoy their fix, too!   Top 5 things to do and see   Bega Cheese A visit to Bega is not complete without a trip to the Bega Cheese Heritage Centre, where you can sample and buy from a range of cheeses, find out about the history of the Bega Valley, as well as the history of cheese and how it’s processed. You can also enjoy a great feed, including icy cold milkshakes.   Bermagui Bermagui is famous for deep-sea fishing - ... Read more

Eden is a lovely seaside community and the last large town heading south from New South Wales into Victoria. It is steeped in the history of whaling (from 1828 to 1930), is now a commercial fishing port and home to a huge variety of marine life. For touring, adventure or a family getaway, Eden has something for everyone.   Top 5 things to do and see   Eden Killer Whale Museum - www.killerwhalemuseum.com.au Eden and Twofold Bay have a long and rich whaling history, based on shore-based whaling stations and Old Tom, whose skeleton can be found in the Eden Killer Whale Museum. The museum, established in 1931, and one of the oldest in NSW, is a delight for both adults and children and a great place to learn about the history of Old Tom and whaling, before you move on to ... Read more

Everyone in Australia has a favourite family holiday place. The place that you might have gone to when you were a child, or that place that you go to with your family on holidays, every chance you can get. For us it’s Tathra on the NSW South Coast.     We know the area quite well, but there are always those wonderful spots that you always say you should visit but often don’t. This time we vowed to visit as many as we could. We based ourselves in Merimbula in a holiday house and this time we had more than just our family; we were accompanied by Greg’s brother Vince, and our niece Theresa. Our children, Jasmine (7), Jemma (5) and Teddy (15 months) are used to travelling, but the extra people made this adventure even more fun for them.   Working closely wi... Read more

Montreal Goldfield in Bermagui is a great experience to suit all ages including 'global experience seekers', it combines cultural heritage with historical, geological and environmental values. Travel back in time as your guide tells the Montreal story while you walk through the forest that covers the diggings today. Solve the Bermagui Mystery. The goldfield is an intact alluvial goldfield from the 1880s and the only one on the Australian coast.Two hectares of the goldfield have been wonderfully preserved and made safe for public access. Approximately 300 meters of boardwalks and compacted pathways (60 per cent wheelchair access) meander through stands of beautiful tree ferns and established bloodwood forest which has re-grown since the moonscape days of the gold rush period. Fauna include... Read more

Going fishing with Headland Charters is a real adventure for young and old, you will be fishing on the best boat in town. If you have never fished before or you are a pro, Headland will take good care of you. With12 years of experience in local and s... Read more

With sandy beaches, sparkling blue waters, and abundant fresh seafood, Merimbula is a paradise for anyone who appreciates the ocean. Nestled into the Sapphire Coast along the southeast of Australia, this town boasts more than its fair share of attractions. There are calm beaches to suit families with young children, and faster waves for surfers intent on a thrill ride. There are boat tours to take you whale watching and fishing, as well as a fabulous wharf where you can throw your line in deep without going out on the sea. Sailing, kayaking, windsurfing, Wake boarding / water skiing and canoeing are all fun pastimes of the region. But while Merimbula has something for every person who visits, it isn’t just people who enjoy the area. You may also encounter penguins, seals, and dolphi... Read more

Eden is one of the many jewels on the section of the NSW south coast, which is known as the “Sapphire Coast” for the incredible colour of the water in the many bays, beaches and inlets.  It could equally be known as the “Emerald Hinterland”, as this corner of NSW has the best of both worlds with its long and glorious coastline and the forests and parklands as a green backdrop. Nestled in a perfect location overlooking Twofold Bay is Eden Bed & Breakfast, winner of the National Hosted Accommodation section in the inaugural TakeABreak Awards (2007).  The property offers sensational views across Twofold Bay and the ocean from the balcony – giving you the perfect place to enjoy one of the owner’s great breakfasts. Fay loves having peopl... Read more

Fernmark Inn is unique in the Bega Valley.  Feel instantly at home as young, welcoming hosts inspire you with their passion for modern rural living on 90 acres of glorious bush. Hallie and Corinne moved from overseas in Autumn 2000. The idea for their B&B has been in their dreams and thoughts for more than 4 years, first as they sat in a beautiful restaurant overlooking the sea on the island of Lamu, Kenya.  As they both love travelling, they designed the Fernmark Inn with 4 exotically modelled theme rooms from different places in the world they experienced. Each deluxe room has its own ensuite and a private terrace. The Middle East room has a beautiful domed ceiling and curved edges to represent the feeling of the domed rooms in the Sinai desert on the edge of the Red Sea... Read more

Eden has been the home of whales since early Australian settlement, starting with a land based whaling facility that saw the capture and killing of the Southern Right Whale throughout the early and mid 1800’s. From whale slaughter to whale watching, Eden is now home to a large whale watching industry. Each Spring, from late September through to November, the rare Southern Right and Humpback Whales pause to feed offshore on their way south to cooler Antarctic waters. Photograph: Hamilton Lund, Courtesy of Tourism New South Wales Whilst the whaling industry was abandoned in the early 1900’s, Eden’s Killer Whale Museum provides a fascinating history of the industry and the Killer Whales (Orcas) that helped the whalers catch their prey. Things to See and Do The Killer W... Read more