Neighbours
BERRY
Just 15 minutes’drivefrom
ShoalhavenHeads,thesmall
countrytownofBerryis
teemingwithhomewares
andsweettreats,including
theFamousBerryDonutVan,
wherehungryhoardesline
thestreetwaitingforthe
goldenrounds,whichare
friedfreshtoorder.Milkwood
Bakeryoffersa more
expansiveselectionofbaked
goods,whileIVCoffeewill
keepyoucaffeinated.MOLLYMOOK&MILTON
ThedrivetoMollymook
providesa soberingreminder
ofjusthowdevastatingthe
recentbushfireswere,with
nearlyhalfthehour-long
drivespentpassingthrough
fire-scarredlandscapebefore
youreachthehistorictown of
Miltonanditscoastal
neighbour,Mollymook.Both
nowreturnedtobustling
hivesofactivitythatmake
fora charmingdaytrip.CUPITT’SESTATE
Nestledinthehillsbehind
Mollymook,Cupitt’sEstateis
theperfectspottowileaway
anafternoon,whetheryou
keepit casualwitha drink
onthelawnorenjoylunch
ontheterrace,whereyou
canenjoya tastingmenu
withmatchingwines.Besure
tocheckoutthecellardoor
and fromagerie as well.A formermemberoftheShoalhavenTourismBoard,Bishop
alsowantedtoshowcasewhatmakestheregionspecialandsets
it apartfromotherpopularholidayspots.
“TheSouthCoasthaslotsofdifferentthingstooffer.There
are 47 smallvillagesandeverysingleoneofthemis unique.
What’sspecialaboutwhereweareis thatwe’reboundby
NationalParkandtheBangalaySandForest.We’rerightonthe
coast,we’vegottheestuaryandtheriver,whichis thefirstplace
youcanharvestSydneyrockoystersoutofSydney.We’vegot
wineriesanddairyfarmstoourwest.Allofthosethingsareso
easytoworkwith– it’sa dreamwhenyou’retryingtoformulate
a conceptfora restaurantandaccommodation.”
Therestaurant,BangalayDining,is anotherthingthatmakes
thespotsospecial.HeadchefBrentStrong,a fellowShoalhaven
local,is passionateaboutchampioningnativeingredientsand
localproduce.Hissix-coursetastingmenuis pepperedwith
nativebotanicals,includingbunyabunya,saltbush,muntries
andanassortmentofdifferentwattleseed,amongstothers.
A palate-cleansingsorbetcomessprinkledwithgreenants.
Eachcoursecomespairedwitha carefullyconsideredwine
match– orco-fermentinthecaseofthefirstcourse– designedto
showcasethebestoftheregion.Cupitt’ssangioveseco-ferment
is pairedwitha smokedkangarooandbunyabunyacreamentrée.
Strong,whoearnedhisinternationalstripesat Christian
Puglisi’sacclaimedDanishrestaurantRelæ,strikesa solid
balancebetweenintroducingdinerstonewingredientsand
flavours,whilstkeepinghismenuaccessibleforbothlocalsand
guestsalike.Forthosenotreadytotacklea fullsixcourses,
a nativecocktailexperiencewithmatchingcanapésmakesforan
easyintroduction.A greenantgimletis anexcellentsundowner.
It’sbeena roughrideforbothBishopandStrongthisyear,
witha seriesofever-worseningdisastersaffectingtheregion.In
December,bushfireswipedouttheirpeakholidayseason,before
floodsinFebruary,whichsawShoalhavenRiverburstitsbanks
andcausewidespreaddamagethroughoutthevillage.Andthen,
ofcourse,cameCovid.
Butdespiteit all,thepairremainspositiveandcommittedto
sharingwhattheSouthCoasthastooffer.TheirJunereopening
hasbeena freshstart,saysBishop.“Wejustneedpeopletokeep
comingandkeepsupporting the region. The South Coast has so
much to offer.”●
Clockwisefromleft:
Cupitt’sWines;
BangalayLuxuryVillas;
a banksiaflowerinthe
BangalaySandForest;
a goldentreatfrom
Berry’sFamousDonut
Van;chefBrentStrong
at Bangalay Dining.Getting
there
ShoalhavenHeads
is a 2-hourdrive
fromSydneyand
a 3-hourdrive
from Canberra.GOURMET TRAVELLER 103