Exploring and discovering the Shoalhaven Coast Wine Region

Lifestyle, Travels - Fran - July 9, 2021

If you live in the Canberra Region, it should come as no surprise to you that the Shoalhaven Coast Wine Region has 9 cellar doors, 5 breweries and a gin distillery to boast about.

The region begins at Kiama in the North, Kangaroo Valley to the West and hugs the coast running South until Ulladulla with most of the wineries located around the Shoalhaven Heads area. It is a relatively young region, with most vineyards established in the 1980s. In 2002, the region was recognised as Australia’s 95^th declared wine region and has gained prominence since then.

There are a variety of grapes grown in the area, with Chardonnay, Verdelho and Chambourcin (the region’s signature wine) featuring prominently on their vines.

If you want to make the most of your time and adopt a ‘designated’ driver, we recommend Wine Knot Tours. Our charming (and very knowledgeable) driver Vera collected us from our base for the weekend, Bay and Bush cottages in Jervis Bay and we headed out to explore the region’s wineries.

Our first stop is Silos Estate in Berry. The first thing we notice is the alpacas roaming on the estate. We are told that the estate is also a working alpaca farm, with a variety of products being manufactured from the wool and sold at the cellar door and the Berry Alpaca store.

The second thing we notice is the Tesla charging stations. There are 16 in total, and all are complimentary.

Silos Estate prides itself on being carbon neutral and obtains the energy required for the winery from 100% renewable energy sources. The Estate handpicks their grapes and has two labels, Silos Estate and Wileys Creek. There is a restaurant on-site and their cellar door is open between 11 am and 5 pm daily.

Our pick: Ducks nuts shiraz. A rich wine that can be cellared for a while (if you can resist not drinking it)

Silos Estate is also a working alpaca farm

For lunch, we head to Bangalay Dining in Shoalhaven Heads. The restaurant is beautiful. It has a natural bush aesthetic that is matched by their dishes using natural native Australian ingredients. Our favourite dishes included the white anchovies, the black flounder, and the wattleseed ice cream sandwich. Since we were trying wines all day, we opted for a mezcal margarita to accompany our meal.

White anchovies | pickled cucumber, wakame butter

With full bellies, we headed to Coolangatta Estate winery. If you are interested in history, then this winery will deliver more than great wines for you. The estate was built in the 1800s by convicts with the buildings restored since. This is the South Coast’s most awarded winery, something they attribute to their 30-year partnership with Tyrrell’s Winery. They have several function rooms and a restaurant to complement their cellar door which is open daily between 10 am and 5 pm

Our pick: 2021 Verdelho. A bright and crisp wine perfect for warmer nights.

Coolangatta Estate was built by convicts in the 1800s

With a dent on our wallets and quite a few bottles, we head back to our accommodation.

On Vera’s recommendation, we also visited Two Figs Winery, Cambewarra Estate winery and Tara Distillery.

Two Figs Winery is perched above the Shoalhaven River. The view is magnificent from here, and the welcoming warm fireplace makes it a great place to taste their wines. The cellar door is open daily between 11 am and 5 pm

Our pick: 2020 Sienna. Easily drunk with flavours of red berries, vanilla and spice.

Cambewarra Estate winery sits at the bottom of Cambewarra Mountain. Their restaurant caters for gluten-free and vegetarians and they are renowned for their high tea which you can enjoy in a giant teacup.

Our pick: 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon – RESERVE. Berries and french oak dance across your palate.

Tara Distillery is a craft small-batch distillery with specially built copper pot stills. They handcraft gin, vodka, whisky and limoncello and pride themselves in using local botanicals to flavour their products. Tara Distillery is only open by appointment only.

Our pick: Tara Pot Still Gin. Australian, Irish, and locally foraged ingredients go into making this gin which would be perfect in martinis and the classic G+T.

The range of botanicals at Tara Distillery and the custom made distilling copper pots

Make sure you add the Shoalhaven Coast wine region to your list of wine areas to explore this year.

Things you need to know

Wine Knot Tours has daily departures and runs full-day wine, beer and gin and foodie tours.

We love our red wines, so we may have been partially biased by this with our wine selections.

Create your own adventure using the Shoalhaven Tourism website, where you can add destinations and activities to your itinerary

Swimming with whales & seals in Shoalhaven warms your winter

Goes To, Travels - Fran - July 6, 2021

A Shoalhaven winter is full of activities, particularly since it is whale migration season and the wineries in the area are releasing their latest vintages. And let’s face it, who doesn’t love wine and whales?

There are only a handful of places around Australia that are accredited to swim with whales and Dive Jervis Bay is one of them – in fact; the only one in the Shoalhaven area. Located in Huskisson, they run Scuba Diving and PADI courses alongside their boat trips and are a Sea Shepherd approved dive partner.

Their swim with whales and seals trip encompasses whale and seal watching and then takes it up a notch. They stress the fact that the encounter is up to the whales; their role is to safely get us within 100 metres and in their path to maximise the opportunity to swim with them. Having said that; when I asked how often the whales purposely avoided the groups, they could not think of any occasions.

The trip starts as a normal mid-winter snorkelling trip; you get fitted for a wet suit and snorkelling gear, you head to the pier and climb onto the boat, and then head out of the bay, along the Point Perpendicular cliffs, towards the open sea.

It is hard to describe this experience; I smile when I think about it though.

Jumping in the water without thinking and with zero fear – we are after all in good hands – swimming towards our divemaster and trusting that the whales will approach.

We alternate between dunking our heads in the water and searching for them above as the waves gently rock us from side to side. We have been told that we need to be ‘interesting’ and quiet – something to catch the whales’ eyes without seeming threatening. Ten pairs of legs with flippers closely bunched together should be interesting, right?

Two of the three jumps into the water are a bust. On one occasion the whales decided to steer clear and on the second they swam under the boat which was a good 30m away from us. When they did eventually approach, it was magical. Any fear, apprehension, or worried thoughts anyone may have had, completely disappeared and all you could think of was how spectacular they were. The snorkelling gear provided gives you a feeling of intimacy as the whales swim past below your feet. We estimated that the two whales we saw were about 15 metres below us and that the one closest was a calf from last year’s season, making the trip North to warmer waters.

I can still picture the perfectly shaped tail fin of the humpback whale, gracefully and playfully swimming below us.

If this was not exciting enough, we then head towards the Drum & Drumsticks; a dive and snorkelling site that is home to a permanent fur seal colony. This area is well-known for diving to the locals, with 5 sites to explore, the best-known one is the ‘Lion’s Den’: a huge open underwater cavern within one of the islands.

Unlike the instructions we received to swim with the whales, we are told that we need to be playful, animated, and vocal to ‘entertain’ the seals and tempt them to swim with us. No sooner than we had jumped in the water, the fur seals began zipping past us checking us out. They are fast! Visibility is great in this area; the water is clear and blue, which encourages some of our group to free dive towards the seals who playfully come to meet them halfway.

As we head back towards Huskisson, I can’t help but wonder what it would be like to swim with the whales on their return through these waters as Dive Jervis Bay operates the Swim with whales and seals experience until the end of November.

What you need to know

Dive Jervis Bay operates year-round, with the Swim with Whales and seals experience between June and November. It costs $199 per person and goes for around five hours, with all necessary gear provided and light refreshments are provided on board.

You can book the Swim with Whales and experience here.

The Shoalhaven Tourism website has details on how you can plan your whales and winery itinerary in Shoalhaven

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24 hours in Kiama!

Travels - Sophia - May 15, 2018

Often a forgotten part of the South Coast for most Canberrans, we recently spent 24 hours in Kiama to get a taste of what this idyllic seaside destination has to offer. Only a two and a half hour drive from Canberra and you arrive to a coastal town full of beaches, natural beauty, cafes and restaurants.

First Stop

The Kiama Blowhole – this natural wonder is one of the largest blowholes in the world. A sea-cliff cavern that can spout seawater 20 metres or more into the air. Join the Kiama Costal Trail from here for some spectacular views.

Kiama Blowhole

Lunch

Penny Whistler’s has commanding harbour views, with a relaxed atmosphere and a killer fresh menu to match. We couldn’t resist the lure of fish and chips with a crisp glass of rose.

Penny Whistler’s

Second Stop

We rounded out the day with a spot os shopping in town, plenty of quaint and charming bookstores, clothing options and a plethora of cafes, restaurants and ice creameries to round out the day.

Stay

Overlooking the beautiful Kiama Harbour and Pacific Ocean, Sebel Harbourside Kiama provides both hotel rooms and apartment options. Perfect no, matter what you are looking for.

Breakfast view from Sebel Harbourside Kiama

*Sophia recently enjoyed a night stay as a guest of Sebel Harbourside Kiama & enjoyed lunch on the house at Penny Whistler’s.

The 1-2-3 of Summer Road Trips

Travels - Sophia - December 5, 2017

A sponsored post for NRMA

With summer in the air, the great Australian road trip is the best way to see our region and beyond. Will it be fish and chips on the South Coast? Or a hike through the peaceful Snowy Mountains?

Either way, you’ll need a reliable set of wheels, and, if you are in the market to upgrade or buy your first car, the NRMA has some great tools to execute your ideal summer road trip.

A car will give you the freedom to take road trips to places less travelled

Step one – Understand How Car Finance Works & Decide if a New or Used Car is Right for You

Car finance is much like a home loan – the car is used as security for the loan. You make regular repayments and interest is added to the amount owing until the loan is fully paid off. Because the loan is secured, the interest rates are generally lower than that for unsecured personal loans.

Ideally, you’ll want a car loan that offers flexibility and a low competitive rate, and is easy to apply for. The NRMA has car finance and this is a good place to start understanding what interest rate is available to make your dream car a reality.

New Vs Used Car – Which do you choose? Well, we’ve found that it all depends on what you will be using the car for and what your budget is. A new car should (generally speaking) require less maintenance than a used one, however, depending on the brand of car you choose, parts could prove quite costly.

Step Two – Work Out How Much You Can Spend & Borrow

Now that you have decided on which type of car you will be buying, you need to work out your budget. Fixed expenses like rent and bills should come off your income first. You should also take into account general living expenses like groceries, ‘treats’ and shopping. The leftovers should cover your car loan repayments, with extra money for incidentals.

It is important that you work out the term of the loan – how long do you think it will take you to pay off your loan? And what is the likelihood that your circumstances will change during the life of the loan?

The NRMA car loan calculator can help you work out repayments over different terms as well as what would happen to these repayments if interest rates were to change.

Step Three – Start Planning Your Summer Road Trip!

Now that you have the car, you need to enjoy it! Will it be a trip to the beautiful South Coast to enjoy your new purchase, or a road trip to experience the views within the Snowy Mountains?

The South Coast is a haven for delicious shellfish including oysters

A Weekend in the Southern Highlands

Travels - Fran - June 18, 2017

The Southern Highlands region is filled with activities for every type of visitor. We spent a weekend getting acquainted with the region and chatting to the locals for their ‘must do’ activities and places to visit while in the area.

For the Food & Wine enthusiast

The Southern Highlands has a number of vineyards that produce award winning wine. We visited the Southern Highlands Wines in Sutton Forest and enjoyed their cool climate Pinot Noir. They have a restaurant which is quite popular with the locals. You can try their wines at the cellar door, or enjoy them with your meal at the restaurant.

Wines and food at the Southern Highlands Wines

If you fancy something with a bit more character, then drive over to Peppers Craigieburn on Centennial Road to Hickory’s Restaurant and bar. There, chef Warwick Brooke uses local produce to create outstanding dishes that sing the praise of those ingredients. Whether you choose to eat bar snacks by the warm and cosy fireplaces, or choose to have a more formal dining experience in the main restaurant, the dishes are sure to impress.

The chef’s tasting platter at Hickory’s Restaurant and Bar

There are two producers in the Southern Highlands that are worth mentioning; Li-Sun Exotic Mushrooms and the Truffle farm at Yelverton.

If you time it right, you can go on a tour of the Mushroom tunnel as it is referred to by the local. It’s a well known local supplier of mushrooms that has been in the press and also aired on TV as seen in Jamie Oliver in March 2014.

The Truffle farm at Yelverton comes to full swing in winter when Truffles can be harvested. You can participate in local truffle hunts between June and August.

For those that enjoy a bit of thrifty shopping

Southern Highlands is a hub for antique stores. In Bowral you can roam through the seventy five boutique stalls at Dirty Jane’s emporium and look for vintage bargains, classic crockery, unique pieces to decorate your home, or simple furniture that you may wish to revive.

Over 75 stalls to browse at Dirty Jane’s Emporium. Photo courtesy of So Frank contributors Mimi and

Well known to Bowral residents, is also Barbara’s Storehouse. Filled with homewares that can transform any home into a stylish cave, this store will put fun back into your decorating skills. The store carries unique products sourced directly from South-East Asia, and perhaps like me, you will leave the store with items you hadn’t planned on buying, but once you saw them knew you had to have.

For the nature lovers

Just on the outskirts of Moss Vale, is Morton National Park. There are three main walks that range in the park, with the longest being 7km return. The easiest walk is to the viewing platform just 5 minutes from the park entrance and has spectacular views of Fitzroy Falls.

Feeling at one with nature

If you fancy bringing out your torches and exploring at night time, then the Glow Worm Glen is sure to delight. Located in Bundanoon, the glen, or rather the worms create a luminescent display for locals and visitors. It is recommended to start the 30 minute walk from the top of William Street at sunset, and descend the steep track while there is still light, this will ensure that you are not shining your torches when you arrive. At the end of your walk you will be rewarded with a bright display. The worms glow at night time, so make sure you keep your torches off as otherwise they might think it’s daytime and switch off.

Where to stay

Our accommodation of choice is Peppers Craigieburn in Bowral. The property is a refurbished and expanded homestead with 72 spacious rooms. It is ideally located in the heart of the Southern Highlands, Bowral. The property has 3 common area fireplaces, where you can quietly sip some brandy while reading a book. This is definitely the place for relaxation and getting away from a busy lifestyle.

The rooms at Peppers are spacious and cosy

Comfy and cosy areas provide you with a home away from home feel

What you need to know

Southern Highlands Wines – Cnr Oldbury Road and Illawarra Highway, Sutton Forest, NSW

The restaurant is open 12pm – 3pm Thursday to Monday and 6pm – 9pm Friday and Saturday.

Bookings can be made on 02 4868 2300

Peppers Craigieburn – Centennial Rd, Bowral NSW 2576

Accommodation reservations can be made online or by phoning 1300 987 600 (within Australia)

Hickory’s Restaurant and Bar is open for lunch & dinner, 7 days

Bookings can be made on 02 4862 8005

Li-Sun Exotic Mushrooms – 16 Davy Street, Mittagong, NSW 2575

Tours held throughout the year and open by appointment only

Yelverton Truffles – Robertson, NSW

Contact them on 02 4885 1924

Dirty Jane’s Emporium – 13-15 Banyette St, Bowral NSW 2576

Open 7 days from 10am – 5pm

Morton National Park – 1301 Nowra Road, Fitzroy Falls NSW 2577

Open daily from 9am – 5pm

Glow Worm Glen – Morton National Park, William Street, Bundanoon NSW 2578

Open 24 hours but best to visit at night

* We were invited by Southern Highland Tourism to visit the region during their pie time festival. We travelled in a private vehicle at our own expense, and were not paid for this post. We stayed at Peppers Craigieburn and lunched at Southern Highlands Winery as their guests.

Wheelers Oyster Farm & Seafood Restaurant

Eats, Travels - Sophia - November 7, 2015

My little family of three recently had the loveliest lazy weekend in Merimbula on the Sapphire Coast of New South Wales filled with some essential lazy weekend requirements – plenty of down time, sleep ins, beach walks and some mighty fine local food. The best of which we found was at Wheelers Oyster Farm & Seafood Restaurant.

Morning Tour

Wheelers Oyster Farm & Seafood Restaurant

We made the three hour car trip from Canberra to Merimbula late on Friday night, leaving Saturday morning for my number one essential for a lazy long weekend; sleeping in. Waking up refreshed we were met with blue skies and crystal blue water views of Merimbula Lake.

Beautiful Merimbula

After breakfast, it was off down the road with a short eight minute drive to Wheelers in the neighbouring town of Pambula to learn about the secret life of the Merimbula Rock Oyster, sold around Australia as the Sydney Rock Oyster.

We arrived to discover that on the property is Wheelers Oyster Farm, the beautiful Wheelers Seafood Restaurant and Wheelers Retail Store selling take away food and quirky souvenirs. The hour long tour starts at the retail store; from there we were taken through the farming process, learning about the oyster life cycle and the technology now used to make the farming process easier and about how oysters have evolved from growing wildly on rocks to being farmed in cylindrical mesh barrels. We learnt that Oysters are filter feeders, so farming them in the pristine waters of Merimbula Lake makes them amongst the best in Australia.

Not only were we treated to a freshly farmed oyster shucked right before our eyes on whilst on the tour, the tour itself concludes back at Wheelers Retail Store with a tasting platter of 4 oysters – Mornay, Kilpatrick, Rock Special and Natural. One of the tastiest tours I have ever done! What made it all even better was knowing that the oysters were farmed across the road from the restaurant and then cleaned, graded and freshly shucked before becoming my delicious snack.

Take the tour | 11am Monday to Saturday | No booking required – meet at Wheelers Retail Store 162 Arthur Kaine Drive, Pambula NSW

Adults $12.50 | Children Aged 10 – 16 $8.00 | Children under 10 free

Lunch

With our appetites well and truly whetted by all this talk (and tasting) of oysters we retreated to the impressive wooden deck of the adjoining Wheelers Seafood Restaurant for lunch. The gracious hospitality started as soon as we were seated at our table. With its relaxed atmosphere and a menu which showcases the region’s local fresh produce, Wheelers Seafood Restaurant was ticking off another lazy weekend essential…..a lazy lunch!

Starting with Wild Rye’s freshly baked Panini served with butter, extra virgin olive oil, balsamic and confit garlic the husband and I agonised over the menu for a while…it is full of tempting dishes utilising local produce including award winning Eden Smoke house Salmon and fresh fish.

My daughter on the other hand made up her mind for lunch quite quickly; she bypassed the Kids Menu for a plate of half a dozen Wheelers Natural Oysters with another order of the Wild Rye’s Panini.

Wheelers Topped Oysters

The husband and I finally decided on the half a dozen Wheelers Topped Oysters to share. All our oysters were smooth, plump and salty from the waters. The toppings that we chose were perfection! We tried the Shanghai with ginger, kaffir lime, soy, mild chilli and shallot, the Japanese with pickled ginger, cucumber and wasabi dressing and Thai Style with Nam Jim, Spanish onion and chilli.

Not wanting to miss out on trying as much as we could we shared two entrees. The Tiger Prawns cooked in a light lime batter with a crispy noodle salad and house made sweet chilli sauce was my favourite of the two. The husband’s favourite was the Chilli Salt Calamari which featured tender calamari dusted in aromatic spices with a salad of grapefruit, pistachio nut, coriander and mint finished with a tangy passionfruit dressing and lime mayo. Both dishes were packed with fresh vibrant flavours and have me salivating at the thought of them again.

We ended the meal with a visit back to the Wheelers Retail Store for a little tub each of our favourite Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream. Leaving Wheelers we all had an extreme sense of satisfaction from the unique farm to plate experience that we just had and a return trip is definitely on the horizon as we head into summer and we can indulge in more lazy weekends.
*Sophia and her family were guests of Wheelers Oyster Farm for the tour and then happily paid for their delicious seafood lunch at Wheelers Seafood Restaurant.

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