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Going way back to prehistoric times, I remember family holidays with an assortment of cousins, neighbours and other creatures on the south coast of NSW. Dredging the memory bank, I recall camping at the Kiama Showground; staying with fisherfolk at Greenwell Point; overnighting at Marlin Hotel Ulladulla when there was nowhere else within cooee; sleeping on Jack Davey’s boat in Bermagui harbour … these are the random memories of a childhood when “luxury” was a distant planet.
Now living in Queensland, we recently had a sudden desire to see those hallowed grounds once again, just in case something had changed. With time a problem, the best way to do this was to fly to Sydney, jump on a Rex flight to Merimbula, rent a car and drive up to Sydney over a week. Simple.
It’s a whole new world in many ways, now a recognised foodie trail with hip cafes and even Sydney-type bistros where black threads are de rigueur (unless you come from Queensland, where maroon will do). Not only that, there are some excellent wineries and craft breweries along the coastal fringe, places such as Cupitt’s at Milton and Mimosa near Bermagui. You can stay at both and forget about driving after a few tastings.
It’s in the accommodation category where things have really changed. There still may be guesthouses with toilets out the back but now there’s a new breed of boutique establishments where the word luxury means just that. Here are three we discovered:
SEAHORSE INN, BOYDTOWN, EDEN
An idyllic setting right on the shore of Twofold Bay, once the centre of Australia’s whaling industry and the gory tales of men harpooning the animals with assistance from a pack of orcas, or killer whales, documented in the museum of that name in Eden.
There are just 10 suites with comfortable kingsize beds, broadband connectivity and even a dressing room. Bettena’s Restaurant, where chef Julie (ex-Melbourne Hilton) holds court, made this a compelling reason to stay in the area, to sample excellent seafood including the local Sydney rock oysters that we would seriously recommend renaming Pambula rock oysters, grown in the fresh clean southern waters.
BANNISTERS BY THE SEA, MOLLYMOOK
This place hardly needs any introduction, especially for Sydneysiders who flock there in droves, so we’re told. The reasons are pretty clear: it’s situated on a headland with dramatic ocean vistas from every room; a Veuve pop-up bar, a day spa and infinity pool; and, last but not least, the Rick Stein Restaurant renowned for its seafood (including plump mussels from Eden, better than we’ve had in Belgium). A culinary experience worth almost living in NSW for.
TERRAGONG 1858, JAMBEROO, NEAR KIAMA
This is billed as a boutique B&B in a 19th-century country house, and unabashed luxury it is.
In beautiful farmland surroundings, the two-storey structure has been carefully and lovingly restored by co-owners Darryl Gordon, a celebrated interior designer with a big following, and Simon Milner, a well-known former hotelier.
These gentlemen have brought a new sense of style to accommodation in the region, and Simon’s lavish breakfasts are worth the trip alone. We stayed in the Raj Suite, one of just four that have every convenience including heated bathroom flooring.
Was the trip down memory lane worthwhile? I couldn’t help thinking of TS Eliot’s famous lines to sum it all up: “We shall not cease from exploration. And the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.”
Sоurсе: theaustralian.com.au