South Coast NSW
Warmly run Potoroo Palace, a not-for-profit animal sanctuary, has a menagerie including echidnas, dingoes, koalas and native birds. Keepers have an affectionate relationship with the animals, which include free-roaming (and surprisingly shy) emus and much bolder kangaroos. It's 9km northwest of Merimbula on the road to Bega.
The zoo is named after potoroos – skittish, bunny-sized marsupials also housed here. There's also a cafe with daily lunch specials.
19.23 MILES
Divided into two sections north and south of Eden is 104.85-sq-km Ben Boyd National Park. Boyd was a Scottish entrepreneur in agriculture and whaling who…
13.44 MILES
A supermarket mainstay in Australia, Bega cheese isn't the stuff of a gourmet detour, but the heritage centre devoted to the brand (established 1899) is…
17.68 MILES
At the end of Edrom Rd is the turn-off for Boyd’s Tower, built in the late 1840s from Sydney sandstone. It was built as a lighthouse, but the government…
10.19 MILES
The 2655-hectare Bournda National Park has empty surf beaches, rugged headlands and forested walking trails. Around 200 bird species flit around its…
29.9 MILES
At the southern tip of Ben Boyd's southern section, elegant 1883 Green Cape Lightstation offers awesome views. There are tours (by appointment only) and…
5.16 MILES
An admirable community project has protected 77 hectares of wetlands for native bird species. The well-managed realm of mangroves and salt marshes is…
12.69 MILES
Tathra Wharf is NSW's last remaining coastal steamship wharf; today it's a listed building and an attractive place to watch local life unfold, from…
15.19 MILES
Between late September and late November, a good spot to look for whales is at the scenic lookout south of the wharf. This can also save you the time and…
4.47 MILES
Following the estuary for 1.7km, the boardwalk is a pleasant stroll past mangroves, oyster farms and melaleucas. You'll spot seabirds, scuttling crabs and…
5.16 MILES
An admirable community project has protected 77 hectares of wetlands for native bird species. The well-managed realm of mangroves and salt marshes is…
5.55 MILES
Get to know your wrasse from your kingfish at the aquarium beneath the very good seafood restaurant Merimbula Wharf. It's an educational, if not very…
10.19 MILES
The 2655-hectare Bournda National Park has empty surf beaches, rugged headlands and forested walking trails. Around 200 bird species flit around its…
12.69 MILES
Tathra Wharf is NSW's last remaining coastal steamship wharf; today it's a listed building and an attractive place to watch local life unfold, from…
6. Bega Valley Regional Gallery
12.96 MILES
This small regional gallery adjoining Bega's library hosts high-calibre temporary exhibitions featuring the work of artists from around the South Coast.
13.23 MILES
Sombre photographs of Bega's early European inhabitants cover the walls of this creaky regional museum, housed in the town's first hotel (1859).
8. Bega Cheese Heritage Centre
13.44 MILES
A supermarket mainstay in Australia, Bega cheese isn't the stuff of a gourmet detour, but the heritage centre devoted to the brand (established 1899) is…