Is your pooch part of your family? You’ll be happy to hear that Jervis Bay and the Shoalhaven region on the South Coast of NSW love your pets almost as much as you do.
Dec 2023 -
3
min readWhere to drink
It’s thirsty work exploring Jervis Bay and the Shoalhaven region. Thankfully, there are plenty of pet-friendly wineries where you and pooch can refuel. Head to Cupitt’s Estate in Ulladulla to enjoy everything from alfresco Friday sessions in the sun, with a glass of wine or something from the on-site brewery in hand, to a tour of the estate or a wine tasting. There’s plenty of green space to walk your four-legged friend. Near Shoalhaven Heads, Coolangatta Estate offers tastings, guided tours and picnics around the ground, replete with a professional set-up and gourmet fare. Why leave it for a special occasion?
Cupitt's Estate Tour and Taste, Ulladulla
Sustainability is the credo behind Mountain Ridge Wines, which has a cellar door, restaurant, market garden and accommodation on its site at the base of Cullunghutti Mountain. Pooches are welcome at the outdoor drinking and dining area, and they might get to meet the estate’s own wine dogs. Head to the pet-friendly Bawley Vale Estate on Sundays to sample their award-winning wines!
Wine not your thing? There are two pet-friendly breweries in the region, including Jervis Bay Brewing Co, which comes with plenty of alfresco drinking and dining space. And Flamin’ Galah Brewing Co, where you can enjoy your beverage in a beautifully manicured beer garden.
Mountain Ridge Wines, Coolangatta
Where to eat
You’ll want to make a reservation to eat at Bangalay Dining – it’s hugely popular for its mod-Aus cuisine, hero-ing native produce like finger lime and lemon myrtle. It’s also hugely popular for the fact that it’s pet-friendly in outdoor dining areas.
Other places where you can dine with your pooch include the Huskisson Hotel, which has ample outdoor seating at its waterfront bar; 5 Little Pigs, which has a cafe in town as well as a food truck on the grounds of Jervis Bay Brewing Co; and Wild Ginger, a pan-Asian restaurant in Huskisson.
Bangalay Dining, Shoalhaven Heads - Credit: Annamul
Where to play
A short drive to Nowra will see you arrive at Bens Walk, an on-leash (and easy) trail through bushland, replete with an Insta-worthy suspension bridge. There are plenty of other walking tracks were pets are permitted, including the Cudmirrah to Sussex Inlet trail, along the shores of Lake Swan; the Basin Foreshore walk, which begins at Sanctuary Point; and Abraham’s Bosom, which ends with a dramatic crawl through a cave. There’s also a grassy reserve here, so bring along a picnic blanket and treats.
Your dog can also burn off some energy at River Road Reserve, an off-leash park curving around the Shoalhaven River; and the Nowra Showground, where there’s also a dog agility area.
Fishing, Mystery Bay
Where to swim
Jervis Bay and Shoalhaven have some of the prettiest beaches in Australia. And many of them are pet friendly – some at restricted times, some around the clock and calendar. At Shoalhaven Heads, there is a 24-hour off-leash area on Seven Mile Beach, where your pet can find lots of other friends to run around with. There’s also a 24-hour off-leash exercise area at Bawley Point’s Cormorant Beach. And in Ulladulla, Collers Beach and Ulladulla Harbour North Beach welcome dogs around the clock.
Surfing, Shoalhaven Heads
Watch your dog race do zoomies along the sand at Huskisson, Culburra Beach and Currarong, where sections of the main beach are off-leash exercise areas in the early morning and the evening. You can also let your dog off the leash at certain times of the day at Callala Beach in Callala Bay and Nelsons Beach in Vincentia.
Currarong Beach, Currarong
Where to stay
After a day of fun, retire for the night with your canine in a hotel, holiday house or caravan park. You can both enjoy some luxury at the stylish Bannisters Pavilion in Mollymook. If you’re looking for a waterfront stay, South Coast Retreat in Greenwell Point is pet-friendly – choose from luxury safari tents, cabins or a three-bedroom holiday house.
Bannisters Pavilion, Mollymook - Credit: Bannisters Pavilion
Anchored Currarong is a beautiful pet-friendly cottage in the seaside village of Currarong, or if you’re after something more rural try Mimosa Eco Retreat in Bawley Point. Interludes by Willinga Park in Bawley Point offers pet friendly luxury villas in a bush setting, with a sun-filled veranda for lazy afternoons with your doggo. And Wildes Boutique Hotel in the Kangaroo Valley offers four-legged guests modern comfort in a contemporary Southern Californian setting. Upon arrival, pups will receive plush beds, water bowls, tasty treats and waste bags.
Bawley Point, South Coast
There are also a number of pet-friendly holiday parks in the region with cabins, caravan sites and camping. Choose from Holiday Haven Shoalhaven Heads, Holiday Haven Currarong, Dolphins Point Tourist Park, Ingenia Holidays Ulladulla and Jervis Bay Holiday Park.
