Eden to Merimbula is only about 40km but with a few walks and some sightseeing we filled in the day.
Saturday 5 June 2021: Merimbula to Bermagui 80km
Another short driving day but plenty to see: surfing beaches, rocky headlands, mountain forests, cows and sheep grazing on bright green fields and small villages. This is aptly named the Sapphire Coast (Sapphire is a saturated shade of blue).
Sunday 6 June 2021: Bermagui to Batemans Bay 165km
We took all the Tourist Drives today to follow the coast where possible and avoid the main highway.
Monday 7 June 2021: Batemans Bay
We’d been looking forward to our Clyde River Oyster Tasting Kayak Tour with REGIONX (website here) and it turned out way better than we expected. Out guide Josh Waterson led us through the oyster beds, stopping at the Oyster Shed to taste the oysters and to learn about their cultivation. We are now oyster aficionados. Josh also offers other tempting multi-day kayak trips.
Tuesday 8 June 2021: Batemans Bay to Bendalong 130km
We had originally planned to stop at Ulladulla but Pam read that there were stingrays in the shallow waters of Bendalong Beach so we spent the night there instead. Bendalong, population 95, is a small coastal town 15km off the highway. There’s a beautiful deserted beach and not much else mid-week in winter. It’s like going back in time.
Wednesday 9 June 2021: Bendalong to Greenwell Point 165km
Today we followed the coast as close as the roads would allow. That did mean quite a lot of tedious snail pace driving through the suburbs.
Thursday 10 June 2021: Greenwell Point to Shellharbour 135km
Something different – we headed inland climbing through thick green rainforest to the town of Kangaroo Valley with its historic bridge and then further up to the Fitzroy Falls. Driving back to the coast it started raining disrupting our planned sightseeing.
Friday 11 June 2021: Shellharbour to Sydney 140km
Our van was displaying a air bag warning so Apollo wanted us to call in to their Sydney depot to change vehicles. We took advantage of their southern Sydney location to follow the coast for 100km along the Grand Pacific Drive.