Today the town welcomes all visitors with a smile and G’day.
Bourke is a wonderful community established in 1861 on the banks of the Darling River. Historically, the town was a vital link for agriculture in the west and larger cities to the east.
Today the town welcomes all visitors with a smile and G’day.
Bourke and the surrounds have a multitude of activities for visitors, ranging from cruising the Darling river to watching the eagles soar at Mount Oxley. While in Bourke make sure that you visit…
1. Back O’ Bourke Exhibition Centre
This new world class centre showcases the history of western NSW and Bourke. The centre describes itself as ‘a billabong 500 years long’ because it tells the story of the Darling River. The displays are linked by running water, the lifeblood of western NSW.
For further information call the Back O’ Bourke Exhibition Centre on (02) 6872 1321 or check out the website www.backobourke.com.au
2. Jandra Paddleboat
The PV Jandra is a replica paddle vessel built locally by the Mansell family in 2000. The Jandra is licensed to carry 100 passengers and offers 2 regular cruises per day along the Darling River.
The Jandra departs Kidman’s Camp Mon-Sat at 9am and 3pm and o ne cruise on Sundays at 2:30pm offering visitors a 1 hour cruise and a chance to relive the old river days.
3. Country Mateship Tours
Your Host, Stuart Johnson will take you on a tour in a comfortable Toyota Coaster bus through high tech citrus and grape farms, irrigation and cotton farms with large water storage, Jojoba and Pera Bore. Gain insight into the history and heritage buildings of Bourke.
4. Old Crossley Engine
Located at the Wharf area is a fully restored 1923 vintage Crossley oil fuelled stationary engine. This particular engine was originally used from 1923 to 1938 in the Sydney Power House to gene rate electricity for Sydney. Donated to the Bourke Shire Council in 2002, it was fully restored to working condition and is started at 12pm Monday to Friday.
6. Mt Oxley
Mount Oxley is part of a rich Aboriginal history and part of the local dreaming. Access to the mountain can be provided via the Mateship Country Tours where travellers will need to obtain a key.
Phone for more details (02) 6872 1222
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Bate Bay’s sweep of beaches has been crowned Australia’s best for 2026, placing Sutherland Shire in the spotlight as a top coastal destination just south of Sydney’s CBD.
The beaches fringing Bate Bay – Cronulla, North Cronulla, Wanda, Elouera and Greenhills – have topped Tourism Australia’s 2026 list of best Australian beaches (as curated by Beach Ambassador Brad Farmer). For locals, it’s less revelation, more recognition.
The mood shifts from the moment you step off the T4 train service from Central to Cronulla and catch a glimpse of the ocean. At dawn, the Esplanade is already buzzing with regulars, and by mid-morning, parents have staked out a toasty spot on Cronulla Beach where excited toddlers clamber over rocks, and the Jellybean swim squad at Oak Park have donned their bright pink caps while singing Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’.
By the afternoon, towels are being collected from across the sand as visitors wander back to Cronulla in loose formation.
Dive into the world’s best beaches.
That’s the thing about Bate Bay beaches. This isn’t a story about a single beach. This long, uninterrupted sweep of sand and sea, where you can walk for kilometres without breaking stride, is not just enjoyed over summer; it’s a year-round destination. Here, Cronulla’s buzz gives way to Wanda’s wild edges, before stretching out to the quieter reaches of Greenhills.
But while Bate Bay’s beaches may have taken top honours in the 2026 Best Australian Beaches list, they’re only part of the drawcard. Sutherland Shire stacks up as a full-spectrum coastal escape, where good food, national park adventures and on-the-water experiences sit within easy reach of the shoreline. Whether you’re planning a long weekend or stretching out a stay, here’s how to make the most of Cronulla beyond the sand, sea and surf.
Beyond the beaches
Dining
Enjoy a sundowner by the sea at Pippis Cronulla.
The Sutherland Shire dining scene delivers from early morning to late at night with a mix of vibrant cafes, bars and pubs. Start your day at Grind Espresso, where the coffee comes strong and fast. From there, drift towards HAM for pastries, best eaten buttery warm.
By midday, locals linger across sun-lit tables. Loaf and Next Door appeal to the surfers who come in for snacks after chasing waves. Blackwood’s Pantry and The Press are also popular for breakfast and lunch, while Pilgrim’s continues to hold a special place in the hearts of vegans.
Newer arrivals signal where Cronulla is heading: Homer Rogue Taverna is being hailed as one of the best restaurants in Cronulla, with the confidence that comes from understanding what locals want. Ask a local to reveal their favourite restaurant for a special occasion, and it’ll likely be Pino’s Vino e Cucina al Mare, Yalla Sawa or Alphabet Street. Summer Salt, Sealevel, Benny’s, Bobbys and Pippis are a few of the best waterfront restaurants in the Shire.
A short ferry ride from Cronulla, Bundeena offers a counterpoint to Cronulla’s mighty surf beaches. If Cronulla is the Shire’s social heart, Bundeena – or Bundenesia, as it’s affectionately known – is the place to go to exhale and unwind.
Hop on the ferry from Cronulla, and within 30 minutes, you’ll be inhaling the eucalyptus-scented air. Check the creative pulse of the local community by timing your visit with the Bundeena Maianbar Art Trail on the first Sunday of every month.
One of the best things to do in Bundeena is paddle into Cabbage Tree Basin with Bundeena Kayaks. Follow the five-kilometre Jibbon Beach Loop Track that leads past quiet coves to ancient Indigenous rock art, or simply find a stretch of pearl-white sand to relax on.
Pristine walking trails
Cool off with a coastal stroll.
Beyond the coastline, Sutherland Shire offers myriad ways to shift gears. Royal National Park – the oldest national park in Australia – sits just minutes from the surf. Clifftop walks trace the edge of the continent, the rugged bushland is threaded with creeks and hidden waterfalls, and a network of tracks rewards those willing to go a little further.
Take the Coast Track, where the land drops cleanly into the ocean over sheer cliffs that have been stacked together like giant Jenga. Or veer inland, where pockets of forest cool the air and filter the light. It’s a reminder of how close nature sits to the bustle of suburbs in the Sutherland Shire.
Enjoy whale watching
Spot whales from May to October. (Credit: The Edit Suite)
Twist your binoculars until the ocean is in focus, stretched like a creased blue sheet all around.Come May, the East Coast becomes the humpback highway. Thousands of whales migrate along this stretch of coastline each year, their movements tracked by keen eyes from vantage points like the Cape Solander platform in Kamay Botany Bay National Park, one of the best places for whale watching in Australia. There’s something quietly thrilling about seeing that first telltale spout or the arc of a breaching body against the vastness of the sea. From June to October, whale-watching cruises depart from Cronulla, offering a closer look at the migration.
Awards come and go. But places like Cronulla endure because they belong as much to the visitors as they do the early-morning swimmers, walkers and surfers.
