Your guide to the best things to do in Sutherland Shire

The Sutherland Shire has much to dazzle day and night, from splurge-worthy restaurants and buzzy bars to nature walks and places designed for a wellness weekend.

Punch ‘Cronulla’ into Google Earth and you’ll get an aerial image of sapphire-blue beaches and bays so perfect they look like they’ve been designed by regenerative AI. Come summertime, the beachside suburb in the Sutherland Shire beckons for a beach getaway or Sydney staycay.

Sure, you could nose the car out of the driveway for the 45-minute commute from the city’s CBD. But whether you’re a Sydney local or visitor, Cronulla’s proximity to the train station makes commuting here a cinch. While the region’s beautiful beaches beckon, there’s a lot more to Sydney’s Sutherland Shire than meets the eye.

Here are some of the best places to stay, eat, chill and play.

oak park in crunulla sydney at sunset — Discover the best of Sydney’s Sutherland Shire.

Where to stay

Getting away from it all can benefit the mind, body and spirit. A staycay at either Quest Cronulla Beach or Rydges Cronulla Beachside will help nudge you into holiday mode, and they make great bases from which to explore the beaches and beyond. Both are opposite The Alley surf break and are just a short stroll away from some of the region’s best bars, cafes and restaurants.

The first order of business on a Cronulla seaside staycay is to fling open the doors to your balcony and fall into rhythm with the gentle sway of the sea. It will be impossible to resist the lure of a morning swim the next day. Choose between slipping into the pool at Quest or Rydges or the sea pool at Oak Park – BYO fins, goggles and inflatable flamingo.

While Quest Cronulla Beach offers studio apartments with fully equipped kitchenettes, Rydges Cronulla Beachside has The Alley dining spot onsite, which is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week.

Stay the night at Rydges Beachside Cronulla.

Where to eat

Foodie visitors will find much to enjoy when visiting Cronulla – there are so many opportunities for spontaneous discoveries, you’ll need to schedule a return visit. Head to The Pines or Next Door post-dawn to enjoy elevated breakfast options such as the ever-ubiquitous avocado on toast while watching the sun pour honey over the sea. Find Blackwood Pantry a few blocks back, the dreamy Luchetti-Krelle designed eatery that offers great insights into Cronulla’s vibrant cafe culture. Opt for eggs your way or the summer granola bowl.

Blackwood, Sutherland Shire — Enjoy breakfast at the Luchetti Krelle-designed eatery, Blackwood.

For a long lunch, head west to Hazel , the hot new Gymea restaurant within Hazelhurst Art Centre , helmed by Michelin-trained Belgium-born chef Nils Herold. Make reservations at Pino’s Vino e Cucina al Mare for maccheroncini drenched in a creamy vodka-spiked sauce. It’s sublime. Visiting with your gal pals? Head to Bobby’s or Benny’s , which bookend the peninsula and are top spots for cocktails and share plates. Alphabet Street is known equally for its Asian-influenced fare and apple martinis. The best places for a nightcap include Papa J’s , Blind Bear , Sista Gin and Johnny Hu .

Or take it to the seas on a boat ride with Mintaka Charters . Spend the day sailing through Port Hacking with food and beverage packages (or BYO).

a tour group on Mintaka Charters sutherland shire sydney — Take lunch to the seas with Mintaka Charters.

Where to get your nature fix

Nothing quickens the pulse more than a morning walk along the Esplanade, where you can wander around the peninsula all the way to pretty Darook Park. You can also flaunt your outdoorsy side by forest-bathing in the Royal National Park (it’s a little-known fact that it’s the world’s second-oldest national park beside Yellowstone National Park).

The darling green and gold Curranulla is the oldest commuter ferry in Australia working to a regular timetable. Head down to Gunnamatta Bay to catch the hourly ferry between Cronulla and Bundeena for your big active day out. From here, you can go for a jaunt along the Jibbon Loop Track or for a paddle into Cabbage Tree Bay with Bundeena Kayaks . Visit on the first Sunday of the month to enjoy the Bundeena Maianbar Art Trail , when local artists open the doors to their studios on the fringes of the national park.

While Cronulla is best known for its surfing, there are also crystal-clear sea pools that are popular with swimmers. Get the sand out of your cossie with a swim at Shelly Park pool, then complete your daily step goal along the clifftops of Cape Baily walking track in Kamay Botany Bay National Park.

bundeena kayaks group exploring sutherland shire — Explore Sutherland Shire by the water with Bundeena Kayaks.

On the way to wellness

Wellness travel is on trend and it’s booming in Cronulla, where visitors are wooed with everything from day spas to pottery classes. Delete your dating apps and sign up for a pasta and cannoli-making class at Salt Meats Cheese , which is a convivial way to spend an afternoon while making new friends. Part Time Ceramics also offers fun ‘Pottery & Prosecco’ classes.

Make the most of your long weekend in Cronulla by booking a treatment with one of the talented skin coaches at Beauty & Balance , which is tucked away upstairs on the main street of Cronulla Plaza. Endota Spa is also an urban oasis where you can while away an entire afternoon in complete serenity. Those wanting to recharge and recover can also go for a cold plunge at RCVRI , in the pedestrianised part of Cronulla. The health and wellness centre has a ZeroGravity flotation bed designed to help you shrug off the stresses of the everyday.

If it’s live music you’re after, catch a gig at Brass Monkey Cronulla . Or book tickets to the SummerSalt Cronulla festival in April, featuring headline acts such as Missy Higgins, John Butler, Fanning Dempsey National Park and Josh Pyke.

people making pottery at part time ceramics in sutherland shire sydney — Create something new with a class at Part Time Ceramics.

Start planning your Cronulla getaway at visitsutherlandshire.com.au .

Aussies might think they know what Port Stephens is all about – but it’s time to take another look.

You might’ve driven through this NSW coast town. Maybe even stopped for fish and chips or a quick dip. But spend a long weekend in the new Port Stephens , and you’ll seriously regret not doing it sooner. We’re talking treks across beaches, reef dives and up-close time with rescued koalas.

All in all? It only takes a day before you see Port Stephens in a whole new light, and not much longer until it’s locked in as your favourite family destination.

1. Stockton Sand Dunes

Port Stephens incredible Stockton Sand Dunes are the largest moving sand mass in the Southern Hemisphere. They shift like an endless magic trick across the Worimi Conservation Lands , a 4200-hectare coastal co-managed by the Traditional Owners.

Tear over them in a 4WD. Rev through valleys soft as melting ice cream on a quad. Carve down 30-metre slopes on a sandboard. However you choose to cross them, you’re guaranteed a seriously wild ride.

Four rugged 4WDs kick up trails of golden dust as they charge across the sweeping desert landscape. — Chase thrills across shifting sands. (Image: Destination NSW)

2. Scale Tomaree Head Summit Walk

A short climb through bushland opens up to the coastal drama of Tomaree Head . Spot Zenith, Wreck and Box Beaches. See the Fingal Island lighthouse and offshore rookeries where Australia’s rarest seabird, the Gould’s petrel, nests.

History buffs can’t miss the WWII gun emplacements. And if you’re hiking between May and November, bring binoculars. Travelling whales might just be breaching below.

Friends enjoying a scenic walk along the Tomaree Head Summit Walk in Tomaree National Park, Port Stephens. — Climb Tomaree Head for jaw-dropping coastal views. (Image: Destination NSW)

3. Watch out for whales

You’ve seen the spouts of migrating humpbacks and southern right whales from shore. Set sail from Nelson Bay to see them up close. Cruise straight into the action, with tail-slaps, barrel rolls and all.

And they’ve got competition from the local show-offs. Port Stephens bottlenose dolphins leap and play. Some tours even spot pudgy fur seals, spending lazy days soaking up the sun on Cabbage Tree Island.

A whale’s tail on the sea’s surface. — Watch for ocean tails. (Image: Destination NSW)

4. Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary

Pop into the Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary to learn about the rescued koalas who climb, nap, snack and heal in this natural patch of bushland. Wander the immersive Sanctuary Story Walk to discover more about their habits, then head to the SKYwalk – a treetop platform constructed for spotting these eucalyptus-loving locals. Peek into the hospital’s viewing window, where sick or injured koalas may be resting in their recovery enclosures.

Not enough time around these adorable marsupials? Stay overnight in silk-lined glamping tents.

Koala sleeping in a tree at Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary, One Mile — See koalas in their natural habitat. (Image: Destination NSW)

5. Diving Port Stephens

Port Stephens has some of NSW’s best dive spots. At Fly Point, float through sponge gardens and coral castles thick with nudibranchs (AKA sea slugs). Halifax Park has blue gropers and crimson-banded wrasse, while Shoal Bay’s seagrass meadows hide pipefish, cuttlefish and octopus.

Accessible only by boat, Broughton Island is home to a vast array of marine (and bird) life. Snorkel with blue devilfish and stingrays at sites like The Looking Glass and North Rock. More experienced divers can head out with one of the many PADI-certified operators.

At nearby Cabbage Tree Island, expect to see shaggy-faced wobbegongs cruising along.

A couple suited up and ready to dive into adventure. — Suit up and dive into Port Stephens’ vibrant marine life. (Image: Destination NSW)

6. Irukandji Shark and Ray Encounters

Not quite ready to dive in? Irukandji Shark and Ray Encounters is the perfect way to spot local marine life without getting too deep. But there’s no obnoxious glass tank tapping here. Instead, this interactive aquarium allows guests to wade into natural-style lagoons that mimic the real thing.

Gently pat Port Jackson and bamboo sharks, hand-feed rays, and feel their sandpapery skin with your fingertips. It is all under expert guidance. If you want to go deeper, pop on a wetsuit and swim alongside tawny nurse sharks, white-tipped reef sharks and zebra sharks in the lagoon.

Family enjoying an animal feeding experience at Irukandji Shark and Ray Encounters, Anna Bay. — Meet the ocean’s friendliest faces at Irukandji. (Image: Destination NSW)

7. Fish the estuaries

Fishing fanatics will fall for Port Stephens hook, line and sinker. Here, one of the largest estuary systems in the whole state sees tidal rivers and mangrove ecosystems. Waterfronts are thick with oysters, and residential fish that might include anything from bream, whiting and flathead, to blue swimmer crabs, kingfish and longtail tuna.

If you prefer to choose your own adventure and fish offshore, you can hire a boat from one of the marinas and set your own course.

three men fishing on a boat in port stephens — Join a tour or chart your own fishing trip. (Image: Destination NSW)

8. Taste new Port Stephens flavours

With plenty of activity to fill your days, refuelling on delectable cuisine becomes equally important. And Port Stephens answers the call.

Pop into Holbert’s Oyster Farm for fresh-farmed Port Stephens rock oysters and Pacific oysters, Australian king and tiger prawns, as well as a variety of tasty sauces to try them with.

Take a group to Atmos for an authentic Greek experience over large shared dishes and Greek-inspired cocktails. Or feast on sea-to-plate, modern Australian dishes at the pet-friendly Restaurant 2317.

A plate of fresh oysters. — Slurp your way through the region’s best oysters. (Image: Destination NSW)

Start planning your Port Stephens getaway at portstephens.org.au .

Your 36-hour guide to the Sutherland Shire