CLOCKWISE FROM
LEFT:Allow Anthony
Littletopour you a drink
athisrestaurant Fat
Tony’s;Award-wining
Tathraoysters grown in
NelsonLake; A scene of
devastationfollowing the
fire.OPPOSITE
(clockwisefrom top
left):TheTathra Hotel
enjoysocean views;
Mountainbiking is
helpingthelocal economy;
Atypicallyphotogenic
sunsetalongTathra’s
mainbeach.AndKianinnyBay,1.5kilometressouthoftheruggedlycaptivating
TathraHead,isjustasbeautifulforaswimorsnorkel,andisalsothe
placethedeep-seafishingboatslaunchouttosea.WhenIvisitedon
thefirstanniversaryofthefire,fourhugestingrayshoverednearthe
surfaceofthewaterwaitingfortitbitsfromthefishermencuttingup
theircatch.
TherearesomeamazingbushwalkstoorfromTathra,andmountain
bikingisbecomingabigdrawcardforlocalsandvisitorsalike,reports
Karen.“Thetrailshavebeenmadebydedicatedcommunitymembers
whohadavisionforthistownandtrulyhaveputhoursintocreating
themostamazingtrailsforallcapabilities.”
OneofmyfavouritespotstovisitisMumbullaFallsinBiamanga
CulturalArea,awaterfallthatovertimehasshapedanaturalslide
thatyoucanslipdownbeforefallingaboutametreintoastunning
rockpool.Thewaterisfreshfromthemountaintopsoit’scold,
pureandinvigorating.THESUMOFUS
ButthereissomuchmoretoTathrathanjustnaturalbeauty.
ItisthecommunityspiritandthepeopleoftheFarSouthCoast
themselvesthatsetthispartoftheworldapart.Thiswasnever
moreevidentthanduringthefirestormandinitsimmediate
aftermath.Itwasthelocalswhostayedbehindtoputoutspotfires
intheirneighbourhoods,savingnotjusttheirownhomebutthe
homesoftheirneighboursandfriends.Itwastheguyatthecoffee
shopwhoprovidedfreecoffeeforresidentsandfirefightersfor
daysaftertheinferno.ItwasthecaringpeopleofBegawholooked
aftertheTathraevacueesattheShowgrounds,providingfood,
clothing,beddingandhugs.
Itwasthiscommunity-wideembracethatpersuadedthepeople
wholosttheirhomestorebuild.MitchandAlexisarealreadyliving
intheirnewhouse,builtontheashesoftheoldone.KarenandKen
agonisedoverthedecision,buttheykeptcomingbacktotheblock
thattheyhadlivedonfor 20 yearsandwheretheyhadraisedtheir
children.Theplansfortheirnewhomehavebeenapprovedand
buildingshouldstartsoon.“AttheendofthedayweloveTathra,”
Karensays.Iwillsecondthat.GETAWAYS | Tathra
PHOTOGRAPHY: HELEN HAYES (FIRE DAMAGED STREET, TATHRA HOTEL); TATHRA OYSTERS (OYSTERS); CLAUDINE THORNTON, DESTINATION NSW (FAT TONY’S); DESTINATION NSW (MOUNTAIN BIKE TRAILS)
DETAILS
Getting there
Rex (rex.com.au) flies from
Sydney and Melbourne to
Merimbula Airport, where you
can hire a car for the 20-minute
drive to Tathra. The town is a
six-hour drive south of Sydney,
three hours from Canberra and
seven hours from Melbourne.Staying there
TATHRA BEACH HOUSE
APARTMENTS has modern
villas and apartments.
tathrabeachhouse.com.au
TATHRA BEACHSIDE is an award-
winning holiday park with over
500 metres of absolute beach
frontage as well as a water park.
tathrabeachside.com.auEating there
FAT TONY’S BAR AND GRILL is
the best place to dine in town,
located in a 1905 heritage house.
fattonys.com.au
BLEND is great for breakfast
with delicious coffee and almond
croissants that you definitely have
to try. blendprovidore.com