We'd planned a trip along the New South Wales South coast a few years ago but we finally got to experience this lovely part of Australia in the Spring of 2025. Lee caught up with some Quo friends along the way to gather information for his book, but the focus was on relaxing and enjoying the lovely coastal environment. Lola travelled with us so we mainly relied on dog-friendly caravan parks along the way. We stayed in several different towns during what ended up being about 2500km on the road!
We kicked off our long trip on Tuesday 14th October, getting away at 9.30am after loading up the Honda with a fold-up bike, Lola's various gear and our own stuff! It was an easy drive as far as Seymour where we stopped for a break. A decent coffee from The Brewer's Table was very welcome before we enjoyed our own lunch in the sunshine near the train station. From Seymour, it was more easy driving on the Hume Freeway to complete our 450-odd kilometres for the day, pulling into our accommodation for the night, Albury All Seasons Tourist Park, at 3.15pm. It was hot as we unloaded the car into our cabin (a basic but clean and tidy option suited to at most an overnight stay) and we needed a stretch after the long day on the road, so it was good to find the nice National Foresters Grove park right next to the caravan park. Lola enjoyed a good walk too and we made use of the outdoor exercise equipment in lieu of much other activity for the day! We relaxed in the cabin with our own food to round out day one.
It was warm and sunny as we headed off early on Wednesday morning to cover more miles on our journey north. Ky took the driver's seat for the next stint on the Hume Freeway, with a quick stop at The Brothers Cup small batch roastery in Albury for a takeaway coffee to keep Lee going! She drove as far as Gundagai, where we made a refueling and comfort stop, before Lee drove on to the French VC rest area, where we had a picnic lunch in the sunshine. It was yet more time on the Hume to reach our destination and home for the next couple of nights, the Mittagong Caravan Park (just north of Bowral) by 3.15pm. Our cabin was very spacious with a huge deck (equipped with a dog-friendly gate!) and was well-furnished (its only downside would turn out to be significant night-time train noise). After unpacking, we walked to Lake Alexandra reserve and did a lap of this lovely lake - although it was very hot and Lola only managed to make it around by taking an impromptu dip! Walking on further into Mittagong itself, we did some shopping before returning to our cabin for dinner.
It was a sunny and warm start to Thursday, perfect for breakfast on the deck at our cabin. We then drove back down to Lake Alexandra and enjoyed a walk there again before continuing on the short distance to Bowral. First stop in this lovely Southern Highlands town was the Rush Roasting Company for a superb coffee, before we explored the great range of eclectic shops this town is famous for. After all our hard work, we thoroughly enjoyed the excellent Asian fare at Spring Of Life for lunch before returning to Rush for another amazing coffee experience. The afternoon warmed up to around 30C and the shaded Corbett Gardens provided a welcome spot to enjoy the coffee (sadly, we visited just days after the famous Tulip Time festival came to an end). After exploring a few more shops, we headed back to our cabin in Mittagong at about 4pm, then relaxed there for dinner and the evening.
Warm sunshine greeted us again on Friday as we enjoyed breakfast outside on the deck of our cabin before packing up. We returned to Lake Alexandra and got two laps in before it got too hot and then drove back into Bowral for another look around. Rush Roasters was of course first stop and another excellent coffee led Lee to buy a kilo bag of Costa Rican beans, while Ky sourced a nice T-shirt from HEM. We decided to return to Spring Of Life for lunch and tried several different dishes, which were again all delicious. We then headed to The Mill complex, an old timber merchants from the 1850s. With several food and drink outlets, we were there for the vegan food thanks to Veggie Nook. We stocked up on takeaway meals to enjoy later for dinner and had a great chat with the owner operator. It was well into the 30Cs by the time we left Bowral just before 2pm, destination Penrith. It was an easy and short drive to this large NSW city on the edge of the Blue Mountains and we were checking into our home for the next two nights, Quest Penrith, at 3.30pm. It was windy and very hot (mid-30Cs) as we unloaded from the car park into our lovely new apartment (and thanks as always to Quest for being so pet-friendly at many of their properties). We enjoyed our food from Veggie Nook for dinner and relaxed in the very comfortable confines of our apartment in the evening to escape the heat.
It was another warm and sunny start on Saturday. Lee headed off to meet Quo friends, while Ky stayed around the apartment with Lola. Walking to the vast Penrith Panthers Leagues Club, Lee met up with Ruth at 11am and interviewed her about the Quo convention she'd organised back in 1995 over coffee in Kelly's Bar and Kitchen. They were joined by Damien at about 12.30pm and enjoyed lunch together. It was great to catch up with old friends and learn more about their convention experiences to document them in Lee's Quo book. Leaving Panthers at about 2pm, Damien kindly dropped Lee back at the Quest apartments. We then drove the short distance to the Great River Walk, a long walk along both sides of the Nepean River. It was hot in the afternoon sunshine but it was a nice walk, crossing the river using Yandhai Nepean Crossing and enjoying a coffee at Laughin' Boy cafe overlooking the river. We drove back to the apartment at about 4.30pm and made our own dinner there.
It was time for us to move on again on Sunday. It was a lovely morning as we packed up to leave Quest and we hit the road just before 10am. We were headed to the coast, skirting the Royal National Park to join the Grand Pacific Drive. It was a stunning drive along the twisty coastal road which included crossing the incredible Sea Cliff Bridge and passed through pretty (and very busy) coastal townships all the way to Wollongong. We skirted the city by following a route alongside Lake Illawarra then past Kiama to reach our destination, Gerringong at just before 1pm. After the long drive, we were ready for lunch and so immediately searched out The Perfect Break cafe, a well-reviewed vegie cafe in the town centre. After a lovely meal, we explored the main street before driving the short distance to our home for the next couple of nights, the Werri Beach Holiday Park. Our "Sea Spray" beachfront cabin was superb - large and modern with a big (gated) deck out the front, sporting a view of Werri Beach and the ocean just across the road. We didn't waste any time getting out to explore and it was hot and windy as we wandered along the beach track until we reached the "dogs allowed" part of Werri Beach. Lola was certainly ready for a dip and the beach was almost deserted for us to enjoy. After walking back to the cabin, Lee and Lola made us of the fold-up bike to ride up to the Gerringong whale watching platform (walking the last very steep climb up to it!), while Ky walked to join them. We didn't spot any whales but it was an awesome view anyway. A nice ride along the full length of the beach track to the bluff and back followed, before returning to enjoy dinner at the cabin and planning out the days ahead.
It was a warm if cloudy start to Monday as we enjoyed breakfast on the deck of our cabin. We drove back into Gerringong to pick up cakes and lunch from The Perfect Break cafe to enjoy later, before driving out to Kiama by about 11am. We explored the historic terraces along Collins Street and Lee sampled a decent coffee from The Hungry Monkey. Hindmarsh Park provided a nice spot to enjoy the coffee and to devour the cake we'd sourced in Gerringong! It was an easy walk from the park out to the famous blowhole, claimed to be the largest in the world! On this calm day, it wasn't blowing but it was still a scenic spot. The day had really warmed up so we found a shaded table near the blowhole and enjoyed the great food from The Perfect Break, washed down with a good coffee from Diggies. A walk around to the Continental Ocean Pool followed and we explored some more of the town centre before driving back to Werri Beach by about 3.30pm. The sun finally made an appearance so Lee and Lola got a decent ride in (including another ocean dip for Lola along the way!) before we headed back to the cabin to cook dinner, again enjoyed out on the deck.
It was overcast and cooler as we packed up on Tuesday morning, ready to move further south. Reluctantly leaving Werri Beach at 9am, we drove as far as Callala beach and enjoyed a (cool!) walk on the white sands to check out the beachfront homes. We continued on to Narooma and stopped for a coffee at Hub Espresso Bar and had a picnic lunch nearby. A short drive away was Mill Bay boardwalk and this was an awesome walk - we spotted sea dragons as well as a stingray and banjo shark in the super clear water. We also had a look at Bar Beach, before completing our long journey for the day, arriving at our next two-night stay, Reflections Bermagui at just before 4pm. We stayed in a tiny house and it was amazing - almost brand new, very modern and clean, with a big deck overlooking the water. The caravan park was large and busy, but very tidy with plenty of space between everyone. After unpacking, we popped to the nearby Woolworths for supplies before relaxing back at the tiny house for the evening.
It was a windy and cool start on Wednesday in Bermagui, as we headed out to explore the town after breakfast. First stop was the popular Honorbread bakery for a coffee before heading to the lovely Main Beach for a walk. After relaxing back at the tiny house for a while, Lee popped into nearby Gulaga Wholefoods for an excellent coffee while Ky shopped at Woolworths. We enjoyed lunch back at the tiny house on the deck. Heading out again, we walked around Dickinson Point to the famous Blue Pool where we were lucky to see seals on the rocks and in a big group in the water. The wind really picked up and the temperature soared to about 35C so we returned to Main Beach for Lola to take a dip to cool down. Afternoon tea back at the cabin was then in order and the very strong winds precluded doing much more outside, so Lee worked on his Quo book to round out the day as the tiny house rocked in the wind!
Thursday saw us moving on from Bermagui, a spot we really enjoyed despite the weather not being very kind to us. We checked out at about 9.30am and Lee enjoyed another excellent coffee from Gulaga Wholefoods before we hit the road. Our first stop was Camel Rock, a stunning rock formation in an amazing location. The walk there required Lola to be in the backpack (since dogs were not strictly allowed there) and we also walked further, around to Horse Head Rock. After the enjoyable walk (on what was a much more pleasant morning), we cruised down the coast to Tathra. It was warm and sunny as we arrived and a top notch takeaway coffee from Salt Cafe and Surfshop was a good way to start our time in Tathra. We enjoyed a leisurely picnic lunch in Taylors Square park before heading just down the road to our home for the next two nights, checking in to the NRMA Tathra Beachfront caravan park at 2pm. Our pet-friendly cottage was superb - modern and clean, spacious and with a large fenced yard in addition to a big deck. It was also just next to Tathra's main beach so, after unloading the car, we were soon on the beach for a long walk on this stunning beach. Dinner in our cabin rounded out a lovely day.
It was a lovely clear and warm morning on Friday, perfect for breakfast on the deck. Lee popped across the road for a morning coffee from Wild Orchid before we hit the road to visit Merimbula. First stop was the Cycle N Surf bike shop to see if they could fix the gears on Lee's fold-up bike - he was in and out in just a couple of minutes and the friendly owner wouldn't take a dollar for his efforts either, amazing service! Continuing on, we headed to the historic small town of Pambula. This pleasant little town was quite busy and we stocked up on nice sourdough bread from Wild Rye, also sampling a coffee from their own roastery. Pambula Wholefoods was a handy spot to stock up on some organic supplies too. After exploring the town, we returned to Merimbula and enjoyed a picnic lunch near the water's edge at Mitchies Jetty. Chatting with a couple of locals there, we got great tips for how to spend the afternoon in this gorgeous part of the coast. First up was the Merimubula boardwalk, a long lakeside walk with lots of interesting flora and fauna along the way. It was a delightful walk on a warm Spring afternoon. Next, we headed to Spencer Park to tackle the Rotary Walk (Djiringanj Peoples Walk) through the bush to Bar Beach. This was a challenging and sometimes steep walk (so kudos to the elderly local who recommended it and still does it frequently!), rewarded by stunning views across the torquoise waters of the lake when we reached Bar Beach. We headed back to Spencer Park along the new (and much easier!) roadside track, before driving back to our cabin in Tathra. With the bike fixed, Lee and Lola went for a nice ride along the Mogareeka Pathway to the mouth of the Bega river and then we all walked on the beach before settling in for dinner in our cabin.
It was a lovely start on Saturday with warm morning sunshine tempting us out onto our deck for breakfast again. We hit the beach early and walked towards the Surf Club, our effort rewarded by seeing whales just off shore! We spotted them several times as we walked along the beach and it was an amazing experience. Heading up the steep stairs to the Headland Walk, we were again rewarded with the sight of more whales before walking down to the historic wharf. From there, we walked back along the beach and stopped in at Salt again, this time for coffee and cake at the cafe itself. Their homemade vegan carrot cake went down well, as of course did their Allpress coffee! After our big walk, we returned to the cabin for lunch and a rest before popping just across the road for an afternoon coffee back at Wild Orchid. Lee and Lola rode the Mogareeka Pathway to the Bega river again, before we all regrouped for a very long walk on the beach, all the way to the Bega river mouth and back. A hard-earned dinner in our cabin rounded out a relaxing day enjoying nature around Tathra.
Sunday dawned cloudy and cool as we packed up to leave Tathra. We really enjoyed our brief time in this town, such a relaxing and beautiful spot. We drove out of town as far as the Woolworths supermarket at Tura Beach, stocking up on supplies for the days ahead (and they had an amazng organic fruit and veg selection). Next stop was Pambula again for Lee to sample another superb coffee from the Wild Rye Roastery cafe. It was an easy drive as far as Eden where we stopped for lunch at Rotary Park. The day was dry, cloudy and cool, but it was still nice to take in the views across Twofold Bay from the Killer Whale Trail and Eden lookouts. Popping into the main street, Lee grabbed a good coffee from Fig Cafe and Bar before driving down to Aslings Beach for a short walk on the undulating sands. Heading off, we drove south and crossed back into the state of Victoria - and drizzly rain greeted our return to our home state just a couple of kilometres after the border! By the time we reached our next destination, Mallacoota, it was very wet and chilly. We arrived at our next two-night stay, the Adobe Abodes at 3pm, unloaded and basically stayed put! The views from our eco mudbrick unit across Mallacoota Inlet were amazing even in the bad weather and it was amazing to witness the abundant birdlife up close on the balcony. Dinner in our unit rounded out the day and an early night was in order with the sound of heavy rain (and the odd possum!) on the roof to lull us to sleep.
The rain continued as we rose on Monday, woken early by the light flooding in through the big skylight above our bed (without blinds)! After breakfast, we drove the short distance into Mallacoota itself and happened across a koala wandering around in one of the beachfront caravan parks. Lee grabbed a coffee at the bakery and we attempted a short walk, but were soon rained off. We then drove out to Bastion Point and the views were nice but let down by the terrible weather unfortunately. With no sign of the rain easing, we headed back to our unit for lunch and Lee slotted in a couple of hours on his Quo book - the peaceful spot, nice views and lack of reliable internet made for solid progress! When the rain eased in the late afternoon, we walked along Lakeside Drive with Lola, getting rained off after about half an hour. It was then back to the unit for dinner after a very quiet day.
Leaving Mallacoota on Tuesday morning, it had of course finally dried up! We were on the road by 9am, driving as far as Cann River to refuel - both the car and Lee! Snaffle served up a great coffee and he couldn't resist the vegan brekkie jaffle! We also picked up some takeaway food to enjoy later. Snaffle was a great find in such a small town (and the vegan friendliness results from the owner's partner being vegan from the brief chat we had). Ky took the wheel for the straightforward drive onto our next destination, Lakes Entrance and we pulled up on the Esplanade at 12.30pm. It was a lovely sunny and clear but the strong wind was very fresh off the water as we enjoyed our Snaffle goodies as part of a picnic lunch overlooking the water. We enjoyed a wander along the Esplanade and a coffee from Bloody Good Coffee before driving the very short distance to our home for the next two nights, Prime Tourist Park, checking in at 2pm. Our cabin was the cleanest one we've ever stayed in, with a handy gated deck again. The park is unique in Victoria (and maybe Australia) in that it's adults only and all visitors must have a dog! Being so dog-friendly is always a bonus for us and the popularity of the park suggests other travellers are looking for a similar experience. After unpacking, we did the long walk out to The Entrance. This 5km bushwalk was lovely, offering shade from the strong afternoon sun and plenty of points of interest along the way before reaching the Entrance itself and the stunning Ninety Mile Beach. It was awesome to watch the huge numbers of seals enjoying the water near The Entrance. Heading back to the cabin, we relaxed for a while before cooking dinner, enjoyed on the deck on what was a warm evening.
It was a perfect morning for breakfast on the deck on Wednesday, sunny and warm from the get go. We were soon walking along the North Arm waterway, admiring the views and some gorgeous waterfront properties. Looping all the way around to the Esplanade, a morning coffee was in order and Lee enjoyed a fine brew from the incredibly stylish Albert & Co. Completing our long loop along the Esplanade, we headed back to our cabin for lunch. A short walk away was another good coffee option, in the shape of Funkey Monkey and then we walked across the bridge to Ninety Mile Beach where Lola enjoyed a great splash in the rough waters! The boardwalk near the bridge also made for a nice walk before heading back to the cabin. In the late afternoon, Lee and Lola jumped on the fold-up bike to ride along the North Arm and then out onto Bullock Island to take in its fine views of The Entrance. Returning along the excellent Esplanade path, it was back to the cabin for dinner to round out a good day in the great outdoors under sunny skies.
It was sunny and warm again on Thursday as we prepared to leave Lakes Entrance. We had an early breakfast on the deck before loading the car and hitting the road at 9am. We made a brief stop at Bullock Island, so Ky could enjoy it too and the boardwalk was a nice way to start the day with some exercise and fresh air. We then drove on as far as Metung, a lovely small lakeside town. A coffee from Cafe Chez Joe was enjoyed overlooking the pretty marina, followed by a walk out to Shaving Point. Metung had a lovely feel and we were lucky to experience it on such a gorgeous morning. We continued on to our next destination, Sale, parking up near Lake Guthridge at 12.30pm. We then walked into town to pick up some takeaway food from the Nutrition Pod for lunch, enjoying it back at the lake and then walking around part of it. It was just a short drive to our final accommodation on the trip, the Sale Caravan Park and we were in our basic and tidy cabin by 2.15pm. Quickly unpacking, we set off on foot as far as the Port of Sale and Lee picked up a rather splendid coffee at The Dock. The port area was very nicely done and the library/art gallery complex is an amazing space. A quick shop at Coles followed before walking back to the caravan park to relax and enjoy dinner on the big deck at our cabin.
It was a drizzly start to Halloween on Friday. We drove into town to order some food from the Nutrition Pod and then out to the Botanic Gardens. The rain had set in by now but the poor weather still didn't dampen our enthusiasm for exploring these wonderful lakeside gardens, a real credit to this very well kept city. Heading back into town, we picked up our food goodies from Nutrition Pod and headed back to the cabin. The rain finally eased off and so we enjoyed a short walk back to The Dock at the port for coffee, before going back to the cabin to await the arrival of Quo friends, Jean and Pete. The afternoon brightened up and they arrived at 1pm with the weather being nice enough to spend the afternoon with them on the deck. It was great to see them and discuss Quo conventions for Lee's book, as well as generally catching up. Our yummy food went down well. They headed off at about 5.30pm and we stretched our legs with another walk to the Port of Sale, before enjoying dinner back at the cabin (thanks to copious amounts of leftovers from our lunch haul!).
A sunny start on Saturday meant one last breakfast on the deck before we loaded up to hit the road to start our journey home. We first headed back to Lake Guthridge to experience walking a lap of it in fine weather, before the long drive over to Rye on the Mornington Peninsula. This drive took longer than expected due to heavy traffic on the Peninsula - a sunny Saturday, the Melbourne Cup long weekend and the closure of the Mornington Peninsula freeway all contributed to very busy back roads. We still arrived at vegan cafe, Hunter, by 1pm, though - perfect for lunch. November 1st is also World Vegan Day so it was good to support a vegan business on this day. We hadn't been to Hunter since it changed hands, but the food and service were still top notch and we had good feeds sitting in the hot sunshine out the front of the cafe. We then drove on to Sorrento for our ferry across to Queenscliff, arriving at about 2.30pm in plenty of time for our 3pm booking. The ferry ride was lovely, very calm and still warm even on the outdoor top deck (where we had to go with Lola in tow). It was an easy half-hour drive home once we got off the ferry, completing an epic road trip!
We really enjoyed our road trip, taking our time to explore the lovely coastal areas of New South Wales and Victoria. Lola travelled well and wasn't fazed by 2500km in the car (as long as she sat on the passenger's lap in the front seat, of course!). Werri Beach and Tathra were especially enjoyable - small coastal towns, great accommodation and very relaxing places. This was a great first long road trip and we've learned a few lessons along the way in readiness for future (and longer) trips.
Lee's TripAdvisor reviews of our accommodation during this trip can be found below: