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10 favourite South Coast beaches

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A Local’s Guide to some of the South Coast’s favourite beaches.

It’s no secret that the South Coast’s great waves, rugged coastline, secluded hamlets and family-friendly play areas make it the ideal holiday destination—there’s a patch of sand to suit every beach lover!

Boasting a beautiful, rolling seaboard of breathtaking scenery, it’s the perfect place to escape the buzz of city life.

Here’s a list of the region’s top 10 beach areas praised by locals for you and the family to enjoy this holiday season.

South Broulee Beach

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A long-time favourite with many Canberra families, South Broulee Beach is the number one surf spot for locals, as the surfing is known as some of the best on the South Coast. Its glassy, rolling waves and great facilities attract hundreds of visitors from far and wide in the summer months.

A favourite with many for a swim, splash or fish, South Broulee Beach offers a new look-out platform, hot showers, toilets and is wheelchair accessible. Enjoy a picnic on the dunes, walk around Broulee Island – a nature reserve with outstanding views along the Coast – or swim or surf in the pristine water.

After a refreshing swim, you can indulge in a range of food and drink available at South Brou Cafe, located in the newly-renovated surf club. Access via Heath Street.

Pretty Beach

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This stunning stretch of luscious greenery and pristine ocean definitely lives up to its name—and it’s not only adored by the locals! Pretty Beach is also home to friendly Kangaroos and an abundance of other wildlife who are more than happy to say hello.

Whether you’re just visiting for the day, camping or treating yourself to a stay at the nearby cabins, Pretty Beach is a great place to take in some of Murramarang National Park’s gorgeous coastline.

It offers an endless supply of activities, making it an ideal location for swimming, hiking, walking through the grasslands and canoeing. By night, you will find locals fishing whilst they marvel over the sunset, another splendour Pretty Beach is renowned for. Access via Pretty Beach Rd.

Guerilla Bay

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Tall spotted gums, historic rock faces, and ideal snorkel spots teeming with colourful marine life is what will greet you at Guerrilla Bay.

Equipped with picnic tables, Guerilla Bay is the perfect destination for a family outing. It is one of the most hidden, sheltered and picturesque bays in Eurobodalla, making it much loved by the locals. Its dramatic rock formations, dating back 510 million years, offer a look into the past.

With secluded waters that are inviting and clear; it is almost an offence not to dip your toes into the tranquil waters. Access via Guerilla Bay Road off George Bass Road.

Lilli Pilli Beach

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Escape the crowds and make your way to Lilli Pilli Beach, a secluded oasis boasting turquoise waters, tall spotted gums and unspoilt beauty. This 200m long curving beach with well-developed rock platforms extends around both headlands is adored by locals.

It provides the ideal escape from city life. Lilli Pilli’s calm waters and safe conditions make it the ideal swimming spot for the whole family. Access via the bush track off Fairview Drive.

Tuross Lake

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This generous lake with its protected coves scattered with estuaries and islands offers many avenues for adventure. The lake entertains locals year-round, and is popular with animal lovers as you are likely to see a wide variety of birdlife, kangaroos and even emus!

Try your luck with a canoe or standup paddle board – launch into shallow water near the boat ramp on Nelson Parade, or hire kayaks and canoes from Tuross Boatshed and Cafe and launch from there.

This idyllic location is perfect for the family and offers car parking, waterside cafes and restaurants with landing spots near Tuross Boatshed and Cafe, picnic tables, a playground for the kids and toilets nearby. Access via the boat ramp off Nelson Parade.

Cunjurong Point, Green Island

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Whether you’re looking to surf legendary waves, splash in the shallows or relax with a book, Cunjurong Point offers something different to suit every beach lover! Several scenic tracks lead down from the small village of Cunjurong to the beach with direct access to Green Island, a small island which is accessible on foot at low tide and is great for snorkelling, diving or simply relaxing in the shallow inlets the island creates with the beach.

It’s a classic surf spot known by locals for its glassy, barreling waves. On the south side of Cunjurong Point is a low sand spit that runs from Green Island to the entrance to Lake Conjola, which is an ideal swimming spot for families, and offers a small general store and takeaway food. The beach can be accessed on foot from Manyana or from two cliff top car parks on the point.

South Durras + Durras Lake

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South Durras is the gateway to Murramarang National Park and is home to Durras Lake. Just ten minutes off the highway but a whole world away, this secluded haven offers the perfect getaway from city life.

Regarded as one of the purest estuaries on the east coast, Durras Lake is protected by an untouched forest catchment and is the perfect place to immerse yourself in nature.

You can’t miss the large troupes of kangaroos and wallabies who also call Durras home. The incredible cliff and rock faces offer shelter from the wind, making the beach an ideal sunbathing and boating location.

Hyams Beach

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Looking for a tropical island minus the expense and tiresome flight? Look no further than Hyams Beach. Famous for having the whitest sand in the world, Hyams Beach is located on the southern shores of Jervis Bay.

Surfing, sailing, windsurfing and sea kayaking are popular activities in this idyllic marine park, as is standup paddleboarding. Explore Hyams Beach Trail, also known as ‘bird spotter’s walk,’ a scenic stroll that is also an enjoyable way to take in panoramic views of the bay.

Aslings Beach Rock Pool, Eden

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Another South Coast treasure, Aslings Beach Rock Pool is a scenic, ocean-fed pool which is nestled in colourful rocks located at the southern end of the Aslings Beach.

It offers up beautiful protected waters great for swimming and paddling, while its sandy beach is perfect for a relaxing stroll.

Tomaga River

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Ask any board shorts-clad South Coast local where the best spot to enjoy a relaxing paddle is and they will surely point you in the direction of Tomaga River. This positively gorgeous river divides the townships of Mossy Point to the south and Tomakin to the north. The estuary has great water quality, extensive seagrass beds and is permanently open to the ocean.

Tomaga River is renowned for its wide array of marine life, especially its large, graceful stingrays. If you’re keen on observing the wonders of the river from the water, either take a tour or hire watercraft from Region X Kayaks, situated next to the boat ramp.

When you’re done with water activities for the day, take a picnic out onto the public wharf while the aroma of freshly brewed coffee wafts down from The Mossy Cafe, just a minutes walk away.

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All photography by James Blakeney

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