You won’t be the first to finish, but you sure as hell will have a good time trying. Besides, you’ll feel good doing it too. A win-win for everyone.
The honour of first person completing Shoalhaven’s 100 Beach Challenge went to Shane Tracy, an Irish native, back in 2017. It took him about three months to visit the whole 100, each weekend taking his children up and down the 170km stretch of coastline. But that’s not to dissuade you from going because, really, he had it easy living in the area.
So pack your bags (remember, only clothes because you’re taking an @emptyesky), get the crew together and get out your phones because Shoalhaven even made an online game to help you cross off every beach on the list. Or, to remind you of how many more you have to go.
(The photos, though, do help pull you into clear blue waters and showoff quite possibly the whitest sand on Earth. At least that’s the claim by Hyams Beach, which is recognised by the Guinness Book of Records. However, Canberra Times journo, Tim the Yowie Man, has a little something to say about the matter.)
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The other option is to pretend like you’re playing. Choose a beach or two on the map but take a detour or two because the journey is just as important as the destination.
One detour will take you through Kangaroo Valley – said to be our land’s most beautiful anywhere – and over Australia’s last remaining wooden-suspension bridge. Its gothic Victorian sandstone towers contrasting with the landscape make for the perfect photo-op.
And if the valley is as beautiful as they say it is, you might just want to stay. Keep an eye on Terrewah Farm at the foot of Mt Scanzi as they’re creating homestyle accommodation on the farm where you can enjoy the clean country air and breathtaking valley views. Meanwhile, you can pick up any of their produce at the Kangaroo Valley farmer’s market every second Sunday of the month.
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Keep on driving and you might come across Ben’s Walk, a 5.5 km track that loops you around the Shoalhaven River. Or take the easy 10-minute walk to the suspension bridge for a fun, or frightening depending on who you are, crossing of the river.
If you follow the river out to sea towards Greenwell Point, you’ll come across Jim Wild’s Oyster Service where Sydney Rock Oysters or Pacific Oysters are shucked right in front of your eyes and you can eat to your heart’s content. And you can also gorge on quality Australian prawns. Tours are available for groups of ten or more where you might be able to catch your own oyster.
With just a short drive down the road, you can get back to the 100 Beach Challenge and knock off close to 10 beaches from your list including Abraham’s Bosom, Wilsons Beach and Lobster Bay. However, if you’re looking for a specific kind of beach, like pet-friendly, Shoalhaven has you covered with beaches categorised to make it easy for families, animal lovers, walkers, campers, and Instagrammers.
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For more to do in Shoalhaven and to support the local community, visit the Shoalhaven website to plan your road trip.
Going west, instead? Make sure to check out the Secret Sydney Guide to the Blue Mountains before you go.
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