Welcome to the South Coast
South of Sydney, the New South Wales South Coast unspools into some of the most beautiful coast in Australia — the blindingly white sand and turquoise water of Jervis Bay, the thundering Kiama Blowhole, the green folds of Kangaroo Valley, and, further south, the wild Sapphire Coast around Narooma and Eden. In between are kangaroos on the beach, resident dolphins, seasonal whales, oyster-lined rivers and heritage towns like Berry and Milton. This is the guide we give our own guests — the bays, the beaches, the wildlife and how to plan it.
Jervis Bay & its white beaches
If the South Coast has a signature, it's Jervis Bay — a vast, sheltered bay ringed by powdery white sand and water in impossible shades of blue. Hyams Beach is the famous name, but the whole bay glows, from the family sands of Green Patch in Booderee National Park (jointly managed with the Koori community of Wreck Bay) to Murrays Beach and the Hole in the Wall. The buzzy town of Huskisson is the gateway — base for cruises, kayaking and diving. Our beaches guide helps you choose your patch of sand.
Dolphins, whales & beach kangaroos
The South Coast is made for wildlife. Around 60 bottlenose dolphins live in Jervis Bay year-round, and from May to November humpback whales pass the coast — resting mothers and calves come right into the bay on the spring migration south, while cruises from Huskisson and Eden get you close. Further south, eastern grey kangaroos famously graze the sand at Pebbly Beach in Murramarang National Park, and Narooma's Montague Island is home to fur seals and little penguins.
Kiama, Kangaroo Valley & Berry
The northern gateway, Kiama, is home to one of the world's largest blowholes, a lighthouse, dramatic basalt columns and a superb coast walk. Just inland, Kangaroo Valley is a green pocket of wombats, canoeing on the river and the heritage Hampden Bridge, with Fitzroy Falls nearby. And historic Berry anchors a Shoalhaven food scene of farm-gate oysters, wineries and country pubs. It's an easy, rewarding loop off the coast.
The essentials
Planning the South Coast: your questions
Absolutely — it's one of the most beautiful stretches of coast in Australia. The South Coast pairs the brilliant white sands and turquoise water of Jervis Bay with the famous Kiama Blowhole, the green hinterland of Kangaroo Valley, historic Berry, kangaroos on the beach at Pebbly Beach, resident dolphins and seasonal whales, and some of the best oysters and seafood in the state.
It starts close and stretches a long way. Kiama is about 1.5 hours' drive south of Sydney, Berry about 2 hours, and Jervis Bay (Huskisson) about 2.5–3 hours down the Princes Highway. The far-south Sapphire Coast is further — Narooma is around 4.5 hours and Eden about 6 hours. The train runs from Sydney as far as Kiama and Bomaderry (Nowra); beyond that you'll want a car. See our getting around guide.
White-sand beaches and clear water above all — especially Jervis Bay and Hyams Beach — plus the Kiama Blowhole, Kangaroo Valley, kangaroos grazing on the sand at Pebbly Beach in Murramarang, resident bottlenose dolphins and winter–spring whales, and a superb food scene built on Sydney rock oysters, seafood and towns like Berry, Milton and Mollymook.
For the Jervis Bay–Kiama–Kangaroo Valley heart of the region, three to four days is ideal — a Jervis Bay and beaches day, a Kiama and Kangaroo Valley day, and a dolphin or whale cruise. To continue down to the Sapphire Coast (Narooma, Bermagui, Eden), allow a week or a one-way road trip. See our getting around and best time to visit guides.
Autumn (March–April) and late spring (November) are the sweet spots — warm, settled days, water still warm enough to swim and fewer crowds than the summer peak. Summer (especially the Christmas–January school holidays) is the busiest and priciest, when Jervis Bay fills to capacity. Winter is quiet and cool, and prime whale-watching season. See our best time to visit guide.