WHERETOSTAY
STARFISH BEACH HOUSE: Ideally located
in the centre of Shellharbour Village, this
architecturally designed three-bedroom home
is the perfect place to cosy up in after a day’s
adventure. visitnsw.com/stayinshellharbour
REFLECTIONS KILLALEA RESERVE:
If you’d like to remain as close to nature
as possible, bed down in a bunkhouse or
campsite at this pretty reserve. Perfect
for surfers keen to catch the first wave of
the day. visitnsw.com/stayinshellharbour
ESCAPE 778: With the Illawarra Escarpment
providing a dramatic backdrop, this spacious
home that overlooks the Calderwood Valley
through to the ocean couldn’t tick any more
boxes, yet it does, because there’s even an
outdoor spa. visitnsw.com/stayinshellharbourCLOCKWISE FROM FAR LEFT:
Coastal views from Minnamurra
Lookout near Kiama; surf’s up at
Killalea Beach Surfing Reserve;
hiking to Cascade Falls in Macquarie
National Park; snorkelling in
Bushrangers Bay Aquatic ReservePHOTOGRAPHY:
DESTINATION
NSW
HEADING SOUTH from Sydney,
Shellharbour is the first of the regions
that make up the Unspoilt South Coast.
From Killalea Reserve to Lake Illawarra,
and up into Macquarie Pass, Shellharbour
offers an easy escape from the nearby
cities of Sydney and Wollongong.
An open secret among the surfing
community is The Farm, or what is now
officially recognised as Killalea Beach
National Surfing Reserve. This south-
east facing beach that shimmers with the
most brilliant palette of turquoise and
green is a Mecca for local and visiting
surfers alike. While it’s beautiful year-
round, the waters are particularly crystal
come winter, when the colder days keep
the breaks pleasantly uncrowded.
But you needn’t be a boardrider to
appreciate this reserve in winter. There’s
something incredibly revitalising about awalk along a near-deserted beach in the
cooler months, the sun warming your back
and the fine salt mist settling on your woollen
jumper. If walking is your thing, but you’d
rather keep your feet free of sand, head to
Shellharbour’s Macquarie Pass National Park.
Pack a picnic lunch and head to the hills
for a restorative hike through lush rainforest
and towering eucalypts. The Cascades Walk
is a gentle two-kilometre return walk that
meanders beneath a dappled canopy to a
hidden waterfall. Be on the hunt for shy
platypuses, lizards and lyrebirds. Or take
the slightly more adventurous six-kilometre
Clover Hill Trail, which follows small
streams to reveal the attention-seeking
beauty of the Illawarra Escarpment.
If your walk through Macquarie Pass
has served only to ignite your appetite for
nature, it’s time to swap your backpack
for a scuba tank. Sea life pays no attention
to the temperature above the surface and
winter provides the perfect opportunity to
drop into their habitat below the waves.
One of Shellharbour’s best dive and
snorkel spots is nestled at the eastern
end of Bass Point Reserve. The sheltered
Bushrangers Bay Aquatic Reserve serves
as a nursery for many species, including
some tropical fish. Glide softly through
this serene world as you observe the
undersea cliffs and crevices that serve as
apartment buildings for myriad creatures.Shellharbour