We’ve always said we travel for food! Driving seven hours south, almost to the border of NSW and Victoria, we reach the beautiful Sapphire Coast. About halfway between Sydney and Melbourne, this area is home to some of the best oysters in the world!
But it’s not just the oysters we make the trip for. annual regional food festival, I EAT it is activated.
This four-day tribute to the suppliers of the Sapphire Coast and culminates with a street party with food stalls right on the water.
We also check a local motel that’s fixed, plus one an impressive retreat about 45 minutes inland which promises a digital detox we can’t wait to get into.
There might also be a pie or two on the side of the road!
Cheers – Jim & Christina xx
TL-BR: Hayden’s Pies, Ulladulla; Wild Rye’s, Pambula; Tura Beach Bakery, Tura Beach; Tilba Bakery, Central Tilba
We made the most of the long drive to the Sapphire Coast.
Tapping into the handy resource of a local Facebook group—Best Pies NSW & ACT—we went on a bit of a pie safari. I’m telling you, things have come a long way from the dry, month-old bag of dough slowly dying in a servo.
Ernest Arthur in South Nowra, Tilba Bakery in Central Tilba, Tura Beach Bakery, Wild Rye in Pampoula and Hayden’s Pies in Ulladulla—note all these places. Their pie work is excellent.
We stay in the renovated with love Hillcrest Motel high on the rise overlooking Merimbula, its famous lake and beautiful ocean frontage.
Bringing us vibes from the Ace Hotel in Palm Springs and Bannisters by the Sea in Mollymook, Hillcrest has many of the original features combined with smart modern renovations.
The drive-thru reception desk, kitschy bathroom tiles, and car spot in front of the door remind you of early 70s Hillcrest, but with them come the trappings of something altogether more upscale.
Along with the gorgeous rooms and spacious lounge, there’s an LA-style pool, fireplace and even a tennis court.
There are no on-site spa or wellness facilities at the motel, but in town, Hillcrest owner Caspar Tressider has created Sapphire House.
Offering infrared saunas and ice bath treatments, this is the place to rejuvenate.
Tonight, we’re at Tidal Restaurant and Wine Bar right on the waterfront in Merimbula. Part of the EAT Festival series, tonight Tidal ditched their usual a la carte menu for a Seafood Extravaganza!
This light, airy restaurant with huge windows open to let in the sea breeze is the perfect place for such a meal and chef Gavin Swalwell and his restaurant partner Fiona Myers welcome us with classic Sapphire Coast warmth.
In addition to sumptuous, beautifully plated plates of scallops, tuna carpaccio, sea urchin, lobster and, of course, oysters, we hear from two exciting guests of honor.
Mick ‘Banjo’ Young tells us his story of how he became an oyster farmer in 1991 after selling his theater restaurant in Melbourne. He planned to live in the city and spend weekends here, but then he never left. They call him Banjo because he plays the banjo. Imagine that!
Ryan Morris is a second generation diver for ATSSU divers who also catch sea urchin. He tells us about bringing the sea urchin to market and how it takes at least 17 people to process each animal. It explains the cost of the sea urchin, even though many see it as an intrusive pest. They are also very tasty!
Lining Fishpen Road, the narrow road that follows the waterline around Merimbula Beach, EAT Festival it is already underway when we arrive at 9.30 this morning. The food and drink stalls offering all kinds of local products tempt us.
The only thing that impresses us about EAT—besides its amazing location—is that this is the first food festival we’ve been to where no one sells chips.
The focus is so laser-targeted on local produce and distinctive dishes, it’s hard to know where to begin. Whether it’s J-Bird Cantina in Merimbula selling tonkotsu ramen or handmade donuts from Eastwoods in Bermagui, beers from Frogs Hollow Brewery or gin and vodka from Nine Circles Distillery in Pambula, everything has an artisan feel and a sense of place.
Even our friends at Tidal are here offering Narooma lobster and sea urchin, while the Longstocking Brewery bar also features North of Eden gin—one of our absolute favourites.
This evening – our last in Merimbula – we return to the beautiful Wheeler’s Seafood Restaurant and Oysters Bar just outside Pambula.
When we were here last, it was the middle of winter and all the windows were closed. Although it gave the restaurant a warm feel, being here in the summer with all the windows up and the sun setting, we can see this place at its best.
The food here is excellent, especially its oysters. Wheeler’s is also an oyster farm and has a seafood takeout around the corner that has been around forever.
We start with some oysters (the mignon is incomparable by the way) and bruschetta with a twist that turns this usually humble fare into something up there on the Richter scale.
House-made ciabatta is charred to the point of almost caramelized, tempered with creamy house-made ricotta. It is then topped with juicy cherry tomatoes and thin slices of pickled zucchini and tiny cubes of zucchini as well.
Finished with fresh mint and spicy basil and umami-filled garlic chisels, this is a dish to die for!
Humbled by the humble, we’re still talking about the bruschetta when our mains arrive. We’ve both gone for fish and chips, although Christina has opted for grilled kingfish compared to my beer-battered fish.
Both are amazing dishes and just enough to fill us up. There’s not enough room for dessert, although our friend Dani here recommends the trio of sorbets.
If—unlike us—you can fit in more, read our full review of our first time at Wheeler’s Restaurant here.
This morning, we left Hillcrest, but instead of leaving right away, we’re acting on a last tip from Caspar. Right on the shores of Lake Merimbula is located Sunny’s Kioskwhere Kaspar swears it’s the best coffee in town.
The coffee is indeed excellent, but compared to the view from the small wooden deck overlooking the lake, the coffee might as well be water. We sit for a flat white and stay for a second, enjoying the view before hitting the road.
But this is not the end of the journey for us. Just south-west of Merimbula – hidden among the valleys and hills of the Sapphire Coast hinterland – lies Currajong Retreat.
Sitting by the banks of the Towamba River, this remarkable country escape offers glamor on a whole new scale.
There are currently three “stages” here, although calling them stages seems a bit odd. There is a full bathroom suite in each lodge along with a huge balcony that is large enough to fit a barbeque, table and chairs, sun loungers and a huge deep soaking tub with free space.
There is also a full queen-size bed, a sofa, a dining table, kitchen and even a fireplace with a slow-burning wood heater inside. Scene? Or luxury cabin with canvas walls?
Either way, it has stunning views of the valley and a pair of powerful binoculars to help you spot wildlife.
The best part is that everything is included here. You can pack snacks if you want, but you’re unlikely to need them. Even the booze, if you want to drink, is on the house. The only thing not included is wifi or phone coverage. That’s right, this is a physical as well as a digital retreat.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner all come to your door so you have nothing to do but relax. It’s wonderful.
You can go for a walk around the 100 acre property if you want or go down to the river for a swim, but there’s no pressure.
One thing we would highly recommend, and which Jenny, who is responsible for this element of your visit, will almost insist on, is a visit to the goats.
Currajong has around 450 Angora goats, all of which are lovely and most of which are so friendly, you’ll want your own by the end of your stay.
We leave Currajong feeling so refreshed, it’s hard to pick up our phones again and re-enter real life.
Soon though, we’re back on the road, heading north for the city. It was a great getaway, and if you haven’t been to the Sapphire Coast yet, take this as a heads up!
