Depot Beach, hidden gem on the South Coast of New South Wales
Murramarang National Park – Depot Beach – New South Wales
Coastal road trip and Weekend Getaway to one of Australia’s best kept secrets
Looking for road trip ideas in Australia?
Psst! Come closer!! I’ve got one for you. There are so many to choose from but this one is a hidden gem on the South Coast.
If you like crowds and bustling places, don’t bother, just pass it by.
It ticks many boxes for those that like a spot of tranquillity.
A secluded family getaway in a national park in Australia.
The beach is great for swimming, snorkeling, surfing or even paddling.
Rainforest walks are short enough for kids to enjoy.
It is a good quiet stop over between Sydney and Melbourne.
Does this appeal to you? Let me show you this bay with a rather nondescript name of Depot Beach in the Murramarang National Park.
When we visited Sydney in 2010 we opted for a short road trip to Depot Beach. It was a last-minute decision and one of the few places available during the Christmas period that suited our pockets. It is about 270 kilometres south of Sydney and will take roughly three and a half hours by car. If you get to Batemans Bay you have gone too far.
Turning off the highway through the Murramarang National Park the tiny two-street village of Depot Beach has a few houses, some beach cabins and a campground.
You will be captivated by the breath-taking beach as well as the rainforest with abundant native wildlife and plants. You may even be lucky to see a lyrebird (although we didn’t).
Depot Beach Cabins and Campground
Five cabins are nestled in under spotted blue gumtrees and we stayed in one of those. The campgrounds are adjacent to the cabins and looked equally appealing to us. Both are only about 50 metres from the beach.
Wildlife encounters at Depot Beach
Naturally coming from South Africa, with a love for wild animals and regularly going on safaris I was looking forward to some wildlife encounters – not the dangerous kind such as snakes. I was looking for the cuties. We were lucky to find a few.
Kangaroos and wallabies on the beach are apparently a common occurrence, although we did not see any sunbathing on the sand. We saw plenty of them around our cabin and at the campsite though. This was our first encounter with them. The Joey was so cute!
Rainbow coloured birds flitted about around us and even begged for some scraps near our cabin as well, including the King parrot, the rainbow lorikeet, and the Crested Pigeon.
King Parrot
Rainbow lorikeet
We were even fortunate to see one of the nocturnal native marsupials, a possum as well - a first for all of us.
Road trip stopovers on the South Coast of New South Wales
Although our objective was to get to and from Sydney and Depot Beach as quickly as possible, this road trip gave us the opportunity to see a few towns and sights along the way.
Kiama
Kiama
The town of Kiama boasts a beautiful blowhole and a lighthouse. Kiama means “where the sea makes a noise”
Kiama Harbour Light
The active Kiama Light, also known as Kiama Harbour Light, is located close to the Kiama Blowhole on Blowhole Point, south of Kiama Harbour.
Click on images below to enlarge
Jervis Bay Marine Park
Jervis Bay is a 102-square-kilometre oceanic bay, marine park and village in the Shoalhaven region of New South Wales.
Stopping off at Jervis Bay, a word of warning; you might be tempted to stay right there with its powdery white sandy beaches and turquoise waters. From relaxing on the beach to going on dolphin and whale watching cruises, with a spot of scuba diving thrown in. Apparently there are some bush campsites too.
Shoalhaven
The Shoalhaven area consists of 170km of coastline from Kangaroo Valley in the north to Pebbly Beach in the south. We had a quick stop in the town.
Where is Depot Beach?
Map:
Although this was a relatively short road trip in Australia’s standards, it was still worthwhile. If you are looking for a quiet stopover between Sydney and Melbourne, this might appeal to you. If you feel you would like to do and see a bit more than this, Batemans Bay is just a mere half an hour away, further south.
Unfortunately the bushfires of 2020 would have destroyed some of the beautiful trees in this area. Tourism will be one of the many ways to aid the economy of a small village like this.
Relevant blog:
First visit to Sydney - memories from down under
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About the Author
ALMA VAN AS | ROAMING FOX
Alma is a South African travel blogger and writer. She hopes to inspire you with facts and fables about her adventures, road trips and international travel.
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What does travel, adventure and safari have in common? They are all out of the ordinary activities from work or routine. Although not essential qualities, all of these can be unusual and exciting or daring.