Where to Eat, Play and Stay In Shellharbour

Just a 90-minute drive from Sydney and chockful of things to see and do, we know that Shellharbour won’t stay under the radar forever – so here’s how to make the most of it before the crowds arrive.

Where else can you peek inside a historical aircraft, cycle past detailed art, and surf some of the country’s cleanest waves, all in a single day? Here are some more of the fabulous experiences this NSW South Coast gem has to offer.

Eat

Shellharbour Food — Shellharbour is renowned for the freshness of its meat & seafood.

As is the case with most regional towns, the culinary focus in Shellharbour is on local. Meat, seafood and produce are best enjoyed close to where they were sourced, and in a produce-rich area like this, the food is extremely fresh. You can also expect friendly staff, airy spaces and generous side servings of sea breeze.

Nardi’s Italian

After authentic, yet affordable Italian? Look no further than Nardi’s Italian . The family-owned restaurant provides a hearty mix of pastas, meats, and breads on the menu, all under $29. Start with garlic bread with melted mozzarella cheese or herb bread before moving onto main servings of pesto linguine, scallopini ai funghi or pollo parmigiana. The backdrop here is equal parts cosy and industrial. Think dark wood tables and chairs against exposed overhead beams and steel hanging lights.

Address: 1 Burra Place, Shellharbour, NSW, 2529

Relish on Addison

Shellharbour isn’t short on casual seaside dining but, for something a little more upmarket (yet still quick and reasonable), head to Relish on Addison . Popular with locals, the cafe adds its own inventive spin on modern Australian fare with options like the cauliflower truffle mornay oysters, mushroom and baby spinach risotto cakes, and confit duck with parsnip puree. They’re open for Sunday breakfast too, so pop in for pancakes with grilled bananas after your morning surf or dip.

Address: 6 Addison Street, Shellharbour, NSW, 2529

Branches Restaurant

Located in the Shellharbour Resort, Branches Restaurant is one of the laidback town’s few fine-dining spots. It specialises in Italian and Mediterranean cuisine, with locally sourced seafood served up amidst tranquil views and a relaxing setting. The restaurant’s three-course chef’s selection menu is a hot choice, but you can order a la carte if you’d prefer. Don’t go past the marinated, crumbed squid with mango salsa, chicken cordon chorizo or Morton Bay bugs cooked in a garlic cream sauce.

Address: Corner Shellharbour Road and Ocean Beach Drive, Shellharbour, NSW, 2529

Play

Shellharbour Golf — The Links Shell Cove offers a scenic backdrop for golf enthusiasts.

For a chilled-out Australian coastal town, it’s surprising how much culture Shellharbour has on offer. When you’ve had your fill of swimming, snorkelling or surfing, take an art walk that celebrates the area’s Aboriginal history or visit a museum dedicated to historical aircraft.

Lake Illawarra Art Trail

Rent a bike from South Coast Bike Hire before hitting the Lake Illawarra Art Trail – or walk the track if you’d prefer. The public pathway winds along the lake t for three kilometres, with artworks from local artists at various points along the foreshore. Admire mosaic sculptures and hand-carved wood pieces, learn more about the materials used to create the works and walk away with a newfound appreciation for the history and culture of the traditional owners of the region.

Address: Reddall Parade, Mount Warrigal, NSW, 2528

HARS Aviation Museum

Whether you’re into aviation or not, HARS (Historical Aircraft Restoration Society) Aviation Museum is still a worthwhile visit. The museum houses some of the country’s most historically important aircraft and, because admission includes a guided tour, you can get up close and personal with Australia’s aviation greats. For a special treat, book a tour of the record breaking Qantas Boeing 747, or a Wing Walk that has you climbing outside of the plane onto the aircraft’s wing, 16 metres above the tarmac.

Address: 54 Airport Road, Albion Park Rail, NSW, 2527

The Links Shell Cove

Australians are rather spoiled when it comes to scenic locations to tee off at a game of golf, and the Links Shell C ove is among one of the best. It was voted one of the top 50 Australian courses to play for under $50 – likely owing to a full fleet of electric golf carts, a brilliantly designed championship course, a turf-line driving range to perfect your swing and a licensed hotel and Brasserie conveniently located onsite. Keep an eye out for the purpose-built, short game practice area coming soon.

Address: Golf Drive, Shell Cove, NSW, 2527

Stay

Shellharbour accommodation — Shellharbour’s accommodation is intimate as opposed to corporate.

You won’t find many big-chain resorts in Shellharbour. Instead, choose from privately owned hotels, charming holiday apartments and houses, quaint bed and breakfasts, holiday parks and fully equipped campsites.

Reflections Killalea Reserve

Disconnect from the daily grind and connect in real life on a weekend camping trip. Reflections Killalea Reserve makes it easy with a fully equipped kitchen, barbecues, toilets, showers and a kiosk, all onsite. Start your day with a stroll around one of the park’s many walking tracks or have a paddle at popular surf spot, The Farm. Don’t own a tent? Rent a bunk in the Bunkhouse.

Address: Killalea Drive, Shell Cove, NSW, 2529

Barrack Point Holidays

If camping isn’t your thing, then Barrack Point Holidays is a great alternative. Each of its 19 cabins comes with a kitchenette and microwave, air-conditioning and a TV to wind down after a busy day of activities.

In the morning, walk to nearby Cowries Cafe at Warilla Bowls before driving to Minnamurra Rainforest for a short (1.6-kilometre) boardwalk stroll to the dramatic Minnamurra Falls. Back at Barrack Point in the afternoon, book a court for a spot of tennis.

Address: Jason Avenue, Barrack Heights, NSW, 2528

Escape 778

If you have a little more cash to splash, spend a night at Escape778 . Set on 20 hectares, this secluded accommodation located underneath the Illawarra Escarpment is, flanked by sheer cliff faces and lush rainforest, was once a private home and is now a quiet escape for a couple or a group of friends. Spend your afternoon soaking in the spa, curled up on the couch with a book, or wandering the grounds trying to spot a wallaby, wombat, or echidna.

Address: 778 Calderwood Road, Calderwood, NSW, 2527

Want to know more? Read our ultimate travel guide to the NSW South Coast.

The NSW South Coast hotspot is brimming with wildlife.

Jervis Bay is home to a diverse range of animals that will delight any nature enthusiast and spotting its playful residents is one of the most enjoyable things to do in the region. From swimming with whales and seals, to spotting dolphins and fairy penguins or snorkelling with turtles, here are eight of the best Jervis Bay wildlife encounters to be had on the NSW South Coast.

See dolphins on a scenic cruise

dolphins at Jervis Bay — Watch bottlenose dolphins splash and play on a scenic cruise. (Image: Dolphin Watch Cruises Jervis Bay)

Dolphin Watch Cruises was one of the first to offer dolphin and whale watching tours in Australia. It has also been taking visitors on tours to see Jervis Bay wildlife for more than three decades. There’s a high probability you will see the resident bottlenose dolphins surfing the waves created by the boat carving through the seas. And, with the aid of binoculars, you might even be able to spot a whale (between May and November) or sea eagles soaring overhead. It’s one of the best things to do in Jervis Bay.

Swim with whales (and then drink wine)

whale breaching at Point Perpendicular, Jervis Bay — See Jervis Bay’s most majestic creatures. (Image: Jervis Bay Wild)

Did someone say wine and whales? Genius. The Shoalhaven City Council’s Wine & Whales campaign suggests: a whale-watching cruise with Jervis Bay Wild or Dolphin Watch, a Swim with the Whales experience with Dive Jervis Bay and a visit to nearby vineyards such as Cupitt’s Estate and Centennial Vineyards. Top off your wine-soaked whale-watching weekender with a unique stay in Jervis Bay.

Swim with seals

the Woebegone Dive cruise in Jervis Bay — Woebegone Dive has a license to swim with both seals and whales in NSW waters. (Image: Supplied)

Cruise onboard Seascape with Woebegone Free Dive from Woollamia Boat Ramp to snorkel or free-dive with a colony of New Zealand and Australian fur seals. Woebegone is one of only a few operators with a license to swim with both seals and whales in NSW waters. And you can jump in the big blue and do just that during the migration season. Kudos to the eco-minded operator, which partners with Sea Shepherd, for organising monthly beach clean-ups, too.

Spot kangaroos at The Woods Farm

The Woods Farm of Jervis Bay from above — Commune with nature at The Woods Farm.

The emphasis around Jervis Bay is justifiably on its turquoise seas. But there’s also a chance to lose yourself in the surrounding forest and farmland. Families who stay at The Woods Farm of Jervis Bay are encouraged to feed the farm animals, which include a menagerie of cows, horses, and sheep. Give the tree-change a trial run by staying in a cute-as cottage or bell tent, collecting eggs for breakfast and watching Jervis Bay wildlife such as kangaroos hop by on cue.

Spot stingrays on the Husky Ferry

sunset over Currambene Creek Huskisson in Jervis Bay — Hop onboard the sunset cruise at Currambene Creek. (Image: Above Down Under by Kramer Photography)

Take a sunset cruise on Husky Ferry through the Jervis Bay Marine Reserve and it’s highly likely you’ll spy stingrays flying through the cerulean seas. The sunset cruise, which operates out of Huskisson and Myola, is touted by locals as one of the most underrated ways to see the area. Hop onboard the ferry as it makes its way up Currambene Creek in winter to see baby stingrays swimming with their mothers. It’s one of the best ways to encounter Jervis Bay wildlife.

Look for pelicans at Pelican Shores Cafe

Find a perch to sit and look out over St George’s Basin from Pelican Shores Cafe and you are bound to see the large water birds patrolling the shore in search of fish. Watch the pelicans wade into the water yawning open their bills to catch scraps of fish thrown their way by the local fisher folk. This form of feeding does not work at the cafe; form an orderly queue to arrange that seafood plate for two.

Find Fairy Penguins at Murrays Beach

an aerial view of Murrays Beach, Jervis Bay — Stroll down Murrays Beach to see several seabird species. (Image: Destination NSW)

From above, Jervis Bay Marine Park resembles a pretty turquoise necklace, with the sand stretching around the protected seas in a series of perfect crescents. One of the things that makes Jervis Bay so special is the fact it’s teeming with marine life. Secure front-row seats with Jervis Bay Wild to see nesting colonies of several different seabird species, such as the fairy penguin and sooty oystercatcher.

Head out on a kayak

friends kayaking in Jervis Bay — Go kayaking along the turquoise waters of Jervis Bay. (Image: Dee Kramer)

Jervis Bay Marine Park is a haven for marine life. Wait for a day when the skies are stretched tight like a blue tarpaulin before hiring a kayak from Jervis Bay Kayaks . Follow the birds skimming the surface of the water and head outside the marine park where you can appreciate the crystal-clear waterways and beaches. Catch glimpses of fish gliding beneath the water. You can fish here, too – just don’t forget to consult the zoning map for recreational fishing in Jervis Bay Marine Park before doing so.

Where to eat, play and stay in Shellharbour