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 .

The heavens take centre stage at this Outback NSW glamping lodge.

Crane your neck. Look up. If it’s nighttime in a major Australian city, you might see a faint dusting of stars. Now imagine yourself out in the bush. Here, those stars aren’t just scattered dots – instead, they’re smudged across the sky in endless, glittering streaks. Welcome to Wilderluxe Lake Keepit , a new glamping lodge in one of the most picturesque corners of outback NSW.

Between its eight stargazing tents, Gilay Guest Lounge, and shared tales of the Dreamtime night sky, this retreat is designed to exist in harmony with the breathtaking lake and surrounding landscape. Intrigued? Here’s everything you need to know.

Bathed in warm light, a couple watches the sun dip beyond the horizon. — Watch the sky melt into magic at Wilderluxe.

Getting to Wilderluxe Lake Keepit

Wilderluxe Lake Keepit is in the NSW Northern Tablelands, bordered by the Great Dividing Range. The lake itself is hard to miss: this mammoth body of water is two-thirds the size of Sydney Harbour.

Just 40 minutes from Tamworth and close to Gunnedah, it’s on the inland route between Sydney and Byron Bay. Drive or take one of the daily flights to Tamworth’s airport.

Aerial view of Wilderluxe. — Let vast waters and towering ranges set the scene for your escape.

Wilderluxe Lake Keepit rooms

Don’t settle for a paltry room when you can sleep directly under the cosmos. Wilderluxe offers eight domed ‘Star Tents’ , all named after Aboriginal sky stories – like Djirri Djirri, the sacred messenger bird, Baiame, the Sky Father and great creator, and Dhinawan, the Emu in the Sky constellation.

On a clear night, use your tent’s retractable roof for gazing above or wander to the outdoor bathtub on your private deck to soak under the night sky. No need to go anywhere. You can stay put come evening with a kitchenette inside and a gas barbecue on the deck.

A couple gazes up at a sky ablaze with stars at Wilderluxe. — Sleep beneath the stars.

Style and character

When it comes to aesthetics, Wilderluxe Lake Keepit stays on trend. The encampment blends with its surroundings, building up layers of minimalist visuals that mirror the ever-changing curves of the water.

Earthy tones, natural materials and timber finishes also anchor the retreat in its bushland surrounds. It’s enough to deepen the sense of calm you’ll experience as you drive off-grid, and this is only heightened as you spot kangaroos grazing at dawn or hear the chatter of native birds by the lake.

The dreamy sunset at Wilderluxe. — Go off-grid in style at Wilderluxe Lake Keepit.

Wilderluxe Lake Keepit dining

‘Dinner and a show’ hits differently with the property’s Big Sky dinner experience . Hosted in the Gilay Lounge, enjoy complimentary drinks and a grazing table with the host, followed by a screening of Big Sky Dreaming, a film produced exclusively for Wilderluxe guests in which Kamilaroi storyteller Uncle Len Waters narrates tales of the Dreaming above.

Once your imagination has been fed, it’s time to take a seat fireside for a glass of Australian port and a serving of s’mores.

Keen to explore the wider area? Staff can provide barbecue and picnic hampers, stuffed with regional meats, cheeses and organic local fare.

Wilderluxe Lake Keepit facilities

While you could very well spend all your time in your tent, sometimes it’s time to hit pause on the celestial show. Instead, make your way up to the Gilay Guest Lounge, where you can relax on the deck overlooking the lake or the outdoor fire pits. It’s a great way to unwind and clink glasses with other stargazers.

The Gilay Lounge with the view of the lake. — Unwind by the fire and raise a glass at Gilay Lounge.

Wilderluxe Lake Keepit experiences

No need to turn nocturnal; when the sun rises, there are still plenty of ways to touch the sky.

Lake Keepit hosted the 2020 Women’s World Gliding Championships, and it’s one of the best places in Australia to stretch your wings. The local Soaring Club operates year-round, meaning you can book a gliding experience any day of the year – or opt for a scenic flight to take in the vast beauty from above.

Prefer to keep your feet on solid ground? There are plenty of walking and cycling trails in and around the area. Luckily, bikes are part of the Wilderluxe package. All you have to do is ask a staff member for their favourite route, throw a picnic onto the back and cycle off into the great beyond.

Alternatively, nab a stand-up paddleboard (SUP) or kayak and head out onto the lake. Or, if you’re feeling lucky, borrow a fishing rod and try your chances.

A person kayaking through serene waters. — Paddle into peace.

The details

A two-night minimum twin-share accommodation package includes Big Sky dinner and drinks experience, plus daily continental breakfast. As well as access to leisure equipment including mountain bikes, kayaks, SUPs and fishing gear.

The interiors of the glamping tent. — Let nature restore you, while luxury takes care of the rest.

Start planning your outback glamping adventure at wilderluxe.com.au.

Your 36-hour guide to the Sutherland Shire