Where To Eat, Stay and Play in Kangaroo Valley, NSW

Turning onto the enclaved valley roads of Kangaroo Valley transports you from suburbia to a hidden oasis just outside of Sydney – here’s why it’s the perfect weekend escape for city dwellers.

Discover hills gently rolling between cellar doors, trails that lead to impressive waterfalls, Australia’s largest surviving wooden suspension bridge, and fresh produce at every turn. The only thing missing from a valley visit is the perfect itinerary… until now.

Here are the best ways to eat, play and stay in Kangaroo Valley.

Where is it

Kangaroo Valley is nestled between the Southern Highlands and NSW South Coast , about two hours’ drive from both Sydney and Canberra.

Eat

The Friendly Inn

Located smack bang in the middle of the main street, The Friendly Inn is the real deal – a traditional UK style pub. It’s one of the oldest watering holes in the area, providing an indoor/outdoor setting for both locals and those just passing through. The menu consists of nightly blackboard specials and classic pub clinchers. Seafood, steak, schnitzels and burgers are in heavy rotation, alongside more adventurous options like the barramundi, laksa and linguini.

The outdoor beer garden provides ample opportunity to soak up views of the famous Kangaroo Valley escarpments. There’s a covered playground area for kids, as well as a pétanque court. Come summer, the venue also plays host to live music and holiday firework displays.

If you’d rather BYO back at your own digs, The Friendly bottle shop is open seven days a week.

The Friendly Inn is the real deal – a traditional UK style pub

The General Store/Café

It wouldn’t be a regional Aussie town without a classic General Store. Kangaroo Valley delivers theirs in bulk, offering both a locally-stocked shop and adjoining café. Two for the price of one.

At the café portion of The General, breakfast bounty is beautifully served. The Chef’s Special (named after Head Chef Tony) changes regularly – it could be anything from a fresh cheese, basil and tomato omelette to a lightly spiced congee. The Japanese vegetable pancake is served with rising sun sauce, mayonnaise and seven Lebanese spices, or perhaps a classic Egg and Bacon roll is more to your liking – both are catered to here. Mrs Bread’s pop-up bakery supplying organic sourdough bread to the café. There’s also an adorable honesty system bread shelf out the front. Simply leave your money in the tin and grab your bread to-go.

Stock up on locally made produce at The General Store next door, courtesy of Kangaroo Valley Kindred Spirits. There’s garlic dukkha and chilli pesto, pickles and fresh cheese, plus all the grocery staples of a classic small supermarket.

Jing Jo

For a great eat-in or take-out Thai option you can’t beat Jing Jo Restaurant in the heart of Kangaroo Valley.

The restaurant focuses on the freshest local produce to create its Thai dishes. An unexpected brunch offering (Salmon Gravlax, Rice Paper Rolls) surprisingly delivers. However it’s the lunch and dinner sittings that the locals line up for. A favourite is the Nok Tod Kra Tiem – deep fried quail, Jing Jo style.

The restaurant is housed in a former gallery, and retains an artistic air by presenting a series of exhibitions throughout the year. Local artists are invited to display their art on the walls, providing a blissful backdrop for a classic Thai meal.

Jing Jo provides a blissful backdrop for a classic Thai meal.

Play

Yarrawa Estate

Tucked between the escarpments of Upper Kangaroo Valley is Yarrawa Estate Vineyard . The only winery in Kangaroo Valley proper, Yarrawa, or ‘windy place’, is named after a nearby state forest and is perched in a beautiful location on Scotts Road.

Owners Mark and Sue Foster will welcome you to the cellar door like old friends. Spend the next few hours making your way through white varietals such as chambourcin, verdelho and Semillon; followed by some robust reds that include a cabernet sauvignon and cabernet merlot, and an elegant rose named Jasmine Grace. Over the years, Mark and Sue’s efforts have been awarded with silver and gold medals in the South Coast Wine Show, as well as a place in acclaimed chef Luke Mangan’s cookbook.

While Yarrawa is better-known for its wines, the property also enjoys the benefits of highly fertile volcanic and alluvial soils. This makes it the perfect environment for growing other produce, such as citrus, apples, macadamias, pecans, walnuts, Japanese raisins, avocados and vegetables. At the cellar door you’ll find cheese plates with charming additions such as marinated baby figs and estate-grown walnuts to complement your wine tasting.

Yarrawa is the only winery in Kangaroo Valley proper

Take a journey through Kangaroo Valley’s past

Driving along Hampden Bridge might not feel like much, but it’s actually a remarkable lesson in Victorian engineering.

It is the largest surviving wooden suspension bridge in the country and was specially designed with gothic Victorian sandstone towers. Visit the medieval castle and take a self-guided tour to learn the history behind the bridge. Once you’re finished, the Pioneer Museum next door showcases the lifestyle of early Australian colonisers by way of houses, tools and other artefacts.

Hampden Bridge is a remarkable lesson in Victorian engineering

Visit Fitzroy Falls

Any landscape photographer worth their salt has heard about Fitzroy Falls. Water plunges over 80 metres to the valley below, splashing in the untouched bushland of Morton National Park.

The waterfall is named after Sir Charles Fitzroy, the Governor of NSW who visited here during his tenure in the 1850s. Since then it has served as a lush escarpment between Robertson and Nowra, home to local flora, fauna, wildlife, walks and wild swimming.

The East Rim Wildflower Walking track runs 1.25km from the Visitor Centre to Warrawong lookout. In spring, the self-guided stroll is home to diverse florals, native plants and trees. The West Rim walking track (3.5km) is a great introduction to dramatic gorges and waterfalls, pristine eucalypt forests and lush greenery.

Visit the Fitzroy Falls Visitor Centre on the way out. Inside you can learn about local history, wildlife and birdwatching, or undertake one of the Aboriginal Cultural Walks on offer.

Water plunges over 80 metres to the valley below

Peruse the Village Green Nursery

This blink-and-you’ll-miss-it nursery can be found lurking behind Kangaroo Valley’s main strip of shops. It’s an independent boutique garden and stocks much by way of edible plants, natives, tube stock, ornamentals and more.

Wander aimlessly and admire the dedication that has gone into each section, and make sure you stop to chat to one of the friendly green-thumbed staff to ask a question or two.

Take a class at Hampden Deli, Dining and School

Looking to hone your kitchen prowess or expand your weekly culinary repertoire? Slide into Hampden Deli : the cosy deli, café and cooking school that calls Kangaroo Valley home.

Before rolling up their sleeves as teachers, owners Nick Gardner and Stevie-Lee Bounader spent years cutting their teeth in fine dining restaurants. Head Chef Nick trained at Nelson Bay’s Zest, before working at some of Sydney’s best restaurants (think Quay and Tetsuya’s).

Now the space serves as a spot where you can learn the fundamentals of cooking. From pairing the right produce, to quick and easy preparation techniques and bread making, the rotating roster of cooking classes will keep you motivated in the kitchen.

Take a class at Hampden Deli, Dining and School

Stay

Barranca

It’s hard to sum up the beauty of Barranca in just a few words. This place is deserving of a thesis –one line for every time you utter the word ‘wow’ throughout your stay here.

The first ‘wow’ moment will come the minute your car rolls onto the 400-hectare, privately-owned property. A melange of animals will be there greet you: buffalo, donkey, pigs and horses – including the largest horse in Australia, Stormy George.

Designed by award-winning Grove Architects in Woollahra, Barranca’s four luxury villas — Ferndale, Willow, Jacaranda and Banksia — face north, capturing breathtaking views while immersed in all-day sunlight.

Each private residence comes complete with floor-to-ceiling windows, polished concrete floors and contemporary furnishings. Feel jute rugs underfoot while basking in those magic Kangaroo Valley sunsets, then retreat to the fully-equipped kitchen to put those newly-acquired cooking skills from Hampden Deli, Dining and School to use.

If long days of exploring have you in need of some R&R, there is a calming in-room menu of services that includes massages and spa treatments. You’ll leave feeling both Zen and thankful someone told you about Barranca.

It’s hard to sum up the beauty of Barranca in just a few words

NSW’s beach towns take on a new kind of magic when the cooler months hit.

Autumn and winter cast a whole new light on the New South Wales coastline. The sun hangs lower, the shadows stretch longer and the air is crisp and fresh. The frenetic summer crowds are gone, and the rhythm slows to the pace of a leisurely winter bush walk through still, damp quiet. From wineries pouring winter reds to the annual whale migration up the ‘humpback highway’, here’s why winter on the New South Wales coast is better.

Winter on the NSW South Coast

Winter down south means misty dawns, sipping a flat white on the beach. The thrill of a whale spotting from the headlands and evenings spent slowly savouring Shoalhaven’s wines by the fire.

Start in Kiama, where waves crash into the famous Blowholes. This natural spectacle is achieved when underground pressure and swell unite, sending sea spray soaring above the basalt cliffs. This means, due to larger waves, you’re even more likely to see an explosive display in winter.

two people standing in front of kiama blowhole — See Kiama’s blowholes in full force. (Image: Destination NSW)

Inland, the Minnamurra Rainforest Walk in Budderoo National Park is all subtropical forest and trilling lyrebird song. Make sure to walk silently along the elevated boardwalks, past winter-swelled creeks and the tangled roots of fig trees. You might just hear one of the musically talented birds mimicking your footsteps.

Feeling adventurous? Book a session at Illawarra Fly Treetop Adventures for a wobbly walk through the canopy on Australia’s highest zipline.

Illawarra Fly Treetop Adventures on the new south wales south coast — Walk among the tallest trees. (Image: Destination NSW)

Next, it’s time to take the speed down a notch with a drive over to the historic village of Berry. It’s been a beloved stop for generations of Sydneysiders heading south, as has the obligatory stop at its famous doughnut van for crisped, cinnamon goodness. If you’re ready for something a little more chunky, stroll right past the boutiques (okay, go on, just one quick peek) to Milkwood Bakery . Their flaky pastries and all-day breakfasts are best enjoyed under cream-coloured fringed umbrellas.

Back in Kiama, you’ll also find modern Middle Eastern share plates at Miss Arda , and next-level burgers on The Hungry Monkey ‘s extensive menu: an ode to everything pattie-shaped.

End the day at The Sebel Kiama on the harbour. The apartment-style rooms come with full cooking facilities — a welcome addition for families looking to test out the local produce they picked up along the way. Including, but not limited to, vintages from nearby Crooked River Wines .

The Sebel Kiama exterior — Sleep by the harbour.

Winter on the Mid-North Coast

A trip up north is a gentle one at this time of year. You’ll still feel that sunshine warming your shoulders, but the lower temperatures make space for rainforest walks, vineyard lunches and long coastal hikes. All without that pesky humidity.

First stop? It has to be the town of Port Macquarie. Start by marking out a stretch of the nine-kilometre coastal walk you want to tackle (or do the whole thing), which winds from Town Beach to the lighthouse along rugged headlands and quiet beaches. Hot tip: binoculars. Don’t forget them if you want to partake in some close-up sightings of dolphin pods or whales migrating up the ‘humpback highway’.

Port Macquarie Coastal Walk, winter on the New South Wales coast — Wander the Port Macquarie Coastal Walk. (Image: Destination NSW)

Swap sea for canopy at the Sea Acres Rainforest Boardwalk , one of the last remaining pockets of coastal rainforest in the state. The accessible elevated trail passes under climbing ferns and tangled strangler figs, and is alive with scarlet robins, goannas and diamond pythons – if you’re lucky, you might see one slipping through the leaf litter.

Afterwards, lunch is sorted at Cassegrain Wines , where crisp whites and elegant reds are grown using a blend of French winemaking tradition and Australian innovation. After a tasting, saddle up for a horse ride through the estate.

port macquarie koala hospital — Meet Koala Hospital inhabitants at their temporary home. (Image: Destination NSW)

The beloved Koala Hospital is rebuilding, so meet its furry patients in their temporary bushland abode at Guulabaa – Place of Koala . Here, you can see rehabilitation up close and learn how one of Australia’s most iconic animals is being carefully rewilded and protected.

Back in town, Whalebone Wharf serves up fine dining with serious views to go with your oysters. Prefer something breezier? Bills Fishhouse + Bar does everything from blue swimmer crab toast to zucchini noodles drizzled in basil and wattleseed pesto. Down by the waterfront, Little Shack slings ceviche, mushroom burgers and fish tacos with casual aplomb.

At the end of it all, check in to Mercure Centro Port Macquarie , right in the heart of town. From here, everything’s walkable. Just park the car, pop your keys in your pocket, and stroll down to the beach.

bed at Mercure Centro Port Macquarie — Check in to Mercure Centro Port Macquarie.

Winter on the Central Coast

On the Central Coast, expect to explore oyster farms that sit on estuaries, beaches that stretch empty for miles, and the kind of surprise sightings of whale sprays that can stop a hiker in their tracks.

The best way to settle into this slower rhythm is with the Bouddi Coastal Walk , an 8.5km trail that dips through rainforest and eroding cliffs. It’s made for unhurried walkers and long-lens photographers.

Up the coast in Terrigal, it’s prime time to spot humpbacks on the move. Join a cruise or find your own perch — Crackneck Lookout and Norah Head Lighthouse are both local favourites.

a humpback whale breaching on the central coast — Spot migrating humpback whales. (Image: Destination NSW)

Travelling with kids? It would be sacrilege not to visit the Australian Reptile Park . Here, Elvis the saltwater crocodile reigns supreme, and the venomous snake talk somehow manages to be simultaneously terrifying and fascinating.

If that isn’t enough to wear them out, zip and climb your way through Treetops Adventure Central Coast , a ropes course in the canopy of Ourimbah State Forest. Afterwards, steady your nerves with a garden tasting at Firescreek Botanical Winery , where fruit- and flower-infused wines are served under the trees.

Switch earth for sea and hop on a boat tour with Broken Bay Pearl Farm . Once you’re out on the water, you’ll learn how pearls are cultivated and have a hands-on lesson in grading and shucking.

woman holding a pearl at Broken Bay Pearl Farm — Get a hands-on pearl lesson. (Image: Destination NSW)

As the day winds down, grab a seat at Yellowtail in Terrigal , which takes seasonal native produce and presents it with Asian flair. Prefer something simple? Award-winning Mount White restaurant Saddles is a quintessential Australian dining destination. Find an impressive breakfast and lunch menu, dedicated to country-style cooking and seasonal produce.

Stay the night at Pullman Magenta Shores , between the ocean and the lake. There are plenty of ways to relax, with a massage at the day spa, a poolside beanbag and a round or two at the golf course.

restaurant at Pullman Magenta Shores central coast — Eat well at Pullman Magenta Shores’ restaurant. (Image: Destination NSW)

Winter in Wollongong

Wollongong does contrast pretty well. One moment you’re walking beneath an enormous Buddha, the next you’re ordering soju a few blocks from the surf. It’s a town where skydivers land on beaches, trails lead to paddocks and winter days stretch long and clear beneath the Illawarra cliffs.

If you’re coming from the north, start by crossing over the Sea Cliff Bridge. Curving dramatically out like a jutting ‘C’ out above the water means you won’t be able to resist pulling over (safely, in designated lookouts) to gaze down at the waves crashing on the cliffs below.

Just inland is the serenity of the Nan Tien Temple , the largest Buddhist temple in the Southern Hemisphere. You can trace the prayer path, explore the temple gardens and sip delectable Kam Quat Tea in the quiet light at the Dew Drop Inn Tea House.

monk teaching tai chi at Nan Tien Temple — Learn about Buddhist practices. (Image: Destination NSW)

Next, dust off that cowboy hat. It’s time for the Darkes Forest Riding Ranch . Take a guided canter via trail rides among peppermint gums and paddocks. If you’re happier to look at animals than ride them, Symbio Wildlife Park has red pandas dozing in trees, kangaroos that hop up to you and lessons on conservation.

The brave among you shouldn’t miss Skydive Australia – Wollongong . A free fall over the coast via tandem jumps before tumbling down to the sand is a breath-stopping thrill. Prefer to keep your feet on the ground? Check out the program at Wollongong Art Gallery , which delivers contemporary and Aboriginal exhibitions in the centre of town.

monkey at Symbio Wildlife Park — Hang out with the locals at Symbio Wildlife Park.(Image: Destination NSW)

As evening settles in, nab a table at Baby Face Kitchen . It has an ever-changing set menu, with dishes like hand-picked mud crab with white asparagus and salty brown butter, to sheep’s milk and honey ice cream. For something more casual, Dagwood Bar + Kitchen brings the fun with Korean fried chicken, sake cocktails and weekly all-you-can-eat bao buns.

Check in to Novotel Wollongong Northbeach , right by the sand. With a beachfront pool and ocean views, it’s an ideal base for whatever pace you choose.

Winter on the New South Wales coast starts with a cosy place to stay. Start planning your adventure at all.com.

Where to eat, stay and play in Kangaroo Valley