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Clockwise from top left: Blowhole Point; eggs, barista and latte from milk&honey; Pilot’s Cottage museum; Mick and Liz from milk&honey; fields of green
Clockwise from left: Great homeware at South Coast Providores; Kiama Wharf; Carole Ruta and Ian Gray are settled in Berry; boats in Ulladulla
Cravings on the coast ew South Wales’ South Coast region has long been known for its powdery white-sand beaches, turquoise-blue water and sightings of majestic whales. It’s now fast gaining a reputation as a foodie hotspot – and it’s not just chefs and restaurateurs putting the stunning location on the culinary circuit. The growers, farmers, fishermen and producers are also responsible for making farm-fresh mainstream. In between time spent in the sun and sea, this road trip’s menu was filled with freshly caught fish, shucked oysters, local meats, just-picked berries and seasonal vegetables, along with homemade
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chutneys and smoked cheese. And as an added bonus, on a weekend set for food and frivolity, we ended up meeting some of Australia’s friendliest folk.
Kiama The picturesque town is about an hour-and-a-half’s drive from Sydney. Families, couples and groups of friends roam along the main street, picnic on the grassy knoll overlooking the sea, or check out Kiama’s famous blowhole. First discovered in 1797 – officially by British explorer George Bass, although Aboriginals had discovered it earlier – the erratic, wind-dependent water spurt has
been attracting travellers for many years. We arrive on a windy day, and the loud noise that accompanies the spray is as magnificent as we imagine. Hundreds of people watch in awe as the water surges out, then quickly disappears. A few steps away at Blowhole Point we find Pilot’s Cottage, a small museum that offers history enthusiasts the chance to immerse themselves in Kiama’s past. The cutesy traditional bolthole houses all kinds of paraphernalia related to Kiama’s renowned orifice, as well as information on shipwrecks, the dairy industry and historic buildings in the form of paintings, photographs, models and artefacts. After a quick history lesson
Dodging all fast-food pitstops on a weekend escape from Sydney, Tatyana Leonov and her husband encounter friendly farmers and innovative chefs eager to provide gourmet sustenance throughout their South Coast adventure we stroll to the recently opened milk&honey café. Recalling the beginnings of their establishment, husband-and-wife team Mick and Liz say they wanted to introduce something different to Kiama: “I wanted a point of difference,” says Liz while simultaneously serving a customer. “Remember when service was good and food was great? That’s what I wanted to bring back.” The café’s interior scheme exudes retro-cool – a pastel-colour palette of crèmes, pinks and browns, accentuated with the addition of quirky-cool furniture scattered around. “I spent so much time collecting and storing all these items,” Liz laughs, settling down on a comfylooking lounger. “This is our life.”
Berry About 30 minutes from Kiama, the perpetually busy inland town of Berry is renowned for its good food, trendy shops and eccentric atmosphere. Even the approach by road is nothing short of spectacular – think luscious, rolling hills and expansive fields. The Berry Sourdough Café and Hungry Duck have long been the town’s go-to eateries, but it’s the newcomers that are hitting those top gastronomy notes. “The last six months have been fantastic for Berry,” explains Carole Ruta, who together with her partner Ian Gray manages South Coast Providores, a shop where they sell their own homemade chutneys, relishes and jams.
The charismatic twosome are like schoolchildren in love, and quickly reveal their knowledge of all things edible. Carole has a few cookbooks under her belt, and has worked in restaurants and food stores all her life, while Ian has a strong background in both food and Champagne. Upon Carole’s recommendation – she noted the chef’s “way with fish” – we soon have our lunch spot sorted. She had been referring to John Evans, a Welshman who together with his partner Sonia Greig opened the modern, industrial-inflected restaurant South on Albany in the second half of 2013. His Welsh origins help give the food a gutsy oomph, while Sonia’s background in food presentation – she’s styled food for leading publishing houses – seals the deal.
How to get around Driving is the easiest way to get around the South Coast, which stretches from the Royal National Park halfway down the state to Eden in the far south. There are tourism offices along the route where you can pick up maps and information.
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