You’ll tell me, this is paradise…

FROM LIANA:

After a two-week holiday from the holiday between stopping off in Sydney and our trip to New Zealand, we were itching to get back on the road. As always, the stuff that we unpacked in Sydney seemed to have multiplied, so after another marathon repacking effort which ended with holding stuff in while slamming the boot shut quickly we were back on the road.

Our destination was about two and a half hours south of Sydney in Shoalhaven Heads in the Jervis Bay area. We were setting up base at Mountain View Resort; a site I chose because it seemed to be a little more off the beaten track than the larger towns such as Nowra and Huskisson. The park is about 90% permanent mobile homes with only a small area for sites, but the sites are extremely well privatized. Facilities are great with a luxury pool and animal nursery for the kids. We initially only booked to stay 4 nights but ended up staying a week.

We found ourselves back in the groove of setting up camp, and remarkably for the first time still found ourselves on speaking terms by the time we called it job done. Just as we finished setting up a storm rolled in which ended up staying for the next few days. It was the first time we had experienced weather like this since setting out on the road, and we were a little apprehensive if not worried about how our set up would hold up. Structurally everything held up fine (although a midnight pole tightening during a rainstorm was required) and truth be told it was actually nice and cosy. I did however get a bit of a science lesson about canvas leaking when you touch it – having not been much of a tent girl how was I to know this. The explanation of “it just does” has done little to help me understand.

Cosy quickly turned to cramped, cooped up and crazy with two kids who couldn’t go out and run around. Daniel and Ryder had a boys day out at the Fleet Air Museum. Ryder came back from the excursion making plane flying noises constantly which I take as a successful trip. Over the next few days the weather was rubbish so we weren’t able to get out much. We took the kids to Seven Mile Beach to air them out a couple of times given it was around the corner from our caravan park. Maybe it was the grey weather but I definitely wouldn’t rate this as a beach to visit. There are literally hundreds more beautiful beaches in the Shoalhaven area.

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As a treat we took the kids to Shoalhaven Zoo and hopes were high given it was the largest zoo in the South Coast. It was definitely a treat given the entry tickets were quite expensive but we set ourselves up for a big day out. The zoo was pretty rubbish, and that’s being kind. Had the tickets been cheap I wouldn’t have minded so much but they were bloody expensive for what you got. We’ve seen more animals at some of the campsites we’ve stayed at. Mum – 0.

Finally the weather started to clear up and we headed into Jervis Bay. First stop was Hyams Beach – which hold the Guinness World Record for the Whitest Beach Sand on Earth. How exactly this is measured I’m not sure, but the beach is indeed picture perfection with white sand and clear blue water. However due to its fame it gets rightly packed. We were there off season and mid week and it was busy, so I can only imagine how it gets during summer and school holidays. My tip would be to go a further 500meters down the road to Chinaman’s Beach – it’s literally the same beautiful white sand, crystal blue water from the next beach over – but with barely a soul in sight. We were there for close to two hours messing around on the beach, and we only saw another couple who were there for the first 10 minutes. It felt like we had found a secluded paradise.

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We journeyed on through Jervis Bay, armed with some local tips thanks to the wonderful Amanda McNeill. We ventured into Booderee National Park and the moment we had to pay for a park entry permit (only $13 mind you) I knew I’d be hearing about this for the next few days to come, given Daniel’s reluctance to pay to enter a natural park. This National Park is actually Commonwealth Reserve meaning its part of the ACT and not NSW – a little fact which intrigued me for all of about three seconds, but which started an hour long Q&A taking me back to my high school Australian History days. Apparently being Australian means I must know absolutely everything about Australia. Thankfully history time was interrupted as we stopped to check out Iluka Beach and have a picnic.

Although disdainfully purchased, the park permit is valid for 48 hours. So the next day we set out early for a full day of beach hopping around the park. We headed to Murrays Beach first. After a lush 300 meter forest walk we arrived like a scene from The Beach. If Chinaman’s Beach was paradise then this beach was…well whatever is better than that! The bluest, clearest most perfect water I’ve ever seen. Absolutely #nofilter needed. The beach’s calm water was perfect and safe for the kids running in and out. I have no doubt that once we head over to the West Coast we’ll come across beaches which surpass this but for now, this one tops the list.

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We carried on to Hole in the Wall beach – not a great beach for swimming as it’s a bit more mangrove and estuary-like, rather than the other turquoise blue beaches in the park. The Hole is the Wall is pretty much what it says on the box, but an enjoyable walk across rock pools and sandbanks to get there.

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From there we carried on to Scottish Rocks which is just the next beach over. Another perfect, calm water beach. The rock formations along the beach which is presumably the name sake makes for good snorkeling. Driving along the road we spotted an echidna – a new one for the list – however by the time we turned around to get a picture he was gone.

We managed to squeeze in a visit to Cave Beach – or as Kaia renamed it Kangaroo Village. Pulling into the car park we were greeted by a team of kangaroos and wallabies. Kaia who was so used to hand feeding the tame kangaroos in Dreamworld and Currumbin Sanctuary still doesn’t understand the difference, and approaches the wild animals with absolutely no fear. Continuing down the 500 meter track to the beach, there was a clearing which had the most wild kangaroos I’d ever seen in my life. It was exactly like a village. This is a surf beach but the waves were breaking far out from the shore so after a little dip teaching Kaia to swim in the waves we said goodbye to Kangaroo Village.

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On our way out we passed a noticeboard which caught our attention. Reading it we had to laugh at how accurately it summed up Australia – 3 warning notices…one for sharks in the water, one for bluebottle jellyfish and another for red bellied black snakes. If the stuff in the water doesn’t get you, the stuff on the land will!

Driving out of the park I got Daniel to admit that it was worth the $13 entry permit…hallelujah, although I did say in one of our first posts that he ultimately does enjoy the places I take us to…eventually. Jervis Bay, you’re top of the paradise leaderboard at the moment.

FROM DANIEL:

So on to Shoalhaven Heads setting up base camp at Mountain View Resort. Nice pitch at the rear of the property however it backed on to a stagnant creek which was particularly smelly at certain times of the day. Good facilities and especially loved the communal fire pit where I got to turn in my man card watching our camp neighbour bake fresh bread over the open fire in a camp oven.

Seven Mile Beach was ok for a stroll given its proximity but nothing special. The takeaway shop just before you get to the beach however is something special.

Took Ryder to the Fleet Air Museum at HMAS Albatross. Not a particularly large museum just in a single hangar, but was very impressed with the layout and contents. Ryder absolutely loved it especially getting to sit in the cockpit of a jetfighter and looking inside a helicopter. With the $10 entry fee for adults and kids free it was good value.

We also visited Shoalhaven Zoo – the “largest zoo in South Coast NSW”. What a waste of time. Ok there had been a lot of rain over the last few days but it was one big mud pit with domestic animals and a couple of lions kicking about. We saw more animals on the way to the Zoo. We were done in 20 minutes and $79 poorer. They also had a treetop adventure circuit which did look like it was worth the additional entry fee but the kids were too young, and its generally frowned upon for adults to go on those kind of things without an accompanying child. My advice is to get rid of the few animals they have and just make it an adventure park.

Had an evening out at an ex-colleague and friend of Liana’s who lived in the area. Great company, great food, with the potential to be a big night out but the kids had other ideas. Kaia especially was an absolute nightmare. Completely out of control like they were possessed. Night cut short, stern words exchanged on the drive back and threats of military school. After spending the morning in her “bedroom” as punishment I took the kids out to Huskisson. Great little town and had great fun gimping about with them in the rock pools and taking a stroll along the coastal path.

Stopped off in a couple of other spots, loved Chinaman’s Beach. On the same day made a quick stop in Jervis Bay where I had to cough up $13 to enter the park which is Commonwealth Territory – surely this means it belongs to everyone. Time and patience were running low for the day so we decided to come back the next day and get my money’s worth from the entry permit. So glad we did – what an amazing park. The wife does get it right sometimes.