Ulladulla
Prawns, squid and pilchards. Myffy Rigby tries to draw the line between bait and lunch?
Getting there
It's a two and a half hour drive from the CBD, depending on traffic. The trip, for the most part, is picturesque with rolling hills and misty mountains but there is a large length of road devoted to strip malls and home improvement centres. Hertz Rent a Car, cnr William and Riley St, East Sydney 2010. (02 9669 2444).
Where to stay
The Ulladulla Guest House has a spa in the luxury and executive rooms and a giant in ground tropical pool. The exterior is like a German chateau covered in tropical plants. Inside, the halls are lined with local art and there's a gym downstairs complete with sauna. You can walk down to the harbour from here, where there are natural pools to swim in and rock pools to explore as well as some great fishing sites. And take breakfast in-house at Elizans restaurant where you'll get the likes of the world's largest bacon and egg muffin or eggs Benedict.
39 Burrill St, Ulladulla. (02 4455 1796)
What to do
The beaches offer fantastic snorkelling, surfing, winkle picking as well as some choice rock pools filled with urchins, mermaid hair and the odd octopus, if you're lucky. Narrawallee wins out for surf and strolls but for the best snorkel spots, get down to the turquoise waters of Cunjarong Point where there are plenty of opportunities to see some of the coast's friendliest dolphins (they come very close to shore).
For bait, tackle, a quick haircut (it's also a barber) or a giant fibreglass fish (I took home a three foot marlin for the lounge), Early Bait and Tackle is the go. The Warden Head lighthouse isn't exactly prime tourist property - it's a lone erection covered in graffiti - but the views from the heads are spectacular, looking straight out across the reef and rock pools and out to sea.
Head to nearby town Milton for European and American deco refurbishments by Revival including Eames chairs, lipstick mirrors, Packard lounges and an entire room filled with lovingly restored rare pieces all done by hand by owner Gino Gionta. From the balcony of local pub the Star hotel you'll see right out to the coast while shops like Nikki B's deals in cool tchotchkes like hula dolls, Victorian table wear as well as a well thumbed library of second hand books.
There are some quality antique stores in the area - we like The Saddlery for bone handled knives, old farming equipment and retro dining sets. Or if you're a bit of a wood-carving nut, the Milton Timber Gallery deals in everything from wooden rifles to train whistles.
Early Bait and Tackle: 22 Wason St Ulladulla, 2539. (02 4455 1938)
Warden Head Lighthouse: 2km drive from Ulladulla
Revival: Shops 2 & 5a ‘The Shed' Milton (02 4455 1200)
Star Hotel: Princes Hwy, Milton, 2538. (02 4455 1205)
Nikki B's: 76 Princes Hwy Milton 2538. (02 4454 5661)
The Saddlery: Shop 3/ 127 Princes Hwy Milton 2538. (02 4454 4600)
Milton Timber Gallery: 21 Croobyar Rd Milton 2538. (02 4454 0803)
Where to eat
If shopping sends you comatose, there's plenty of eating. Beauregard's does a great line in Southern food - something you rarely see in the city, let alone anywhere else - try shrimp and okra gumbo or wilted greens with shredded smoked pork and hush puppies (cornmeal fritters) with a Mint Julep or Sidecar on the side. For a relaxed Saturday morning breakfast of pancakes with bananas and honeycomb butter, try Bannisters. For a beer with the locals or to show off your catch, head down to the Marlin Hotel (look for the giant neon marlin). But for the best fish and chips in the area, head to the Fish Shop. They use all local fish, and it's fried beautifully.
The best thing about the region is that you don't actually have to do anything at all. Have a spa and massage at the hotel, walk around, eat an old school pizza from Tony's Pizza House and try your luck at Funland - famous with kids on enforced coastal holidays. Grab a donut from the Donut Van on the way home through Berry -by then, you've sucked the marrow from the bones of a very cool piece of Australian coast.
Beauregard's: 89 Croobyar Rd, Milton 2538 (02 4455 7261)
Bannisters: 191 Mitchell Pde, Mollymook 2539 (02 4455 3451)
Marlin Hotel: 110 Princes Hwy, Ulladulla, 2539 (02 4455 1999)
Fish Shop: 107 Princes Hwy, Burrill Lake 2539 (02 4455 1906)
Tony's Pizza: Princes Hwy Ulladulla, 2539. (02 4455 5319)
Funland: 93 Princes Hwy, Ulladulla 2539. (02 4455 3053)
Donut Van: Queen St, Berry (02 4464 3030)