10 spectacular outdoor adventures on the Sapphire Coast

Paddle to paradise with Navigate Expeditions 

If you're looking for the ultimate antidote to the routine of everyday life, floating atop crystal-clear sapphire-hued water surrounded by sea birds and lush mangroves comes pretty close. Navigate Expeditions offers a variety of kayak tours to leave your worries on the shoreline and explore the Sapphire Coast’s natural wonders on water. Led by an expert guide and featuring a locally sourced morning tea, join a relaxed three-hour cruise along the pretty blue Bermagui River or glide along the Pambula river mouth, as wildlife and stunning Beowa National Park pass you by. Amp up the indulgence on their Kayak and Shuck tour, where you’ll taste award-winning Broadwater Oysters in between paddles. 

Bermagui River Kayak Tour with Navigate Expeditions

Discover hidden gems in national parks 

With the Sapphire Coast covered by so much protected land, the area offers a utopia of secret beaches, uncrowded picnic spots, pristine waterways and secluded campgrounds just for you and whoever you choose to bring with you. In Mimosa Rocks National Park, climb the steep walking track to discover secluded Moon Bay, and stop by Wajurda Point lookout for incredible ocean views and the chance to spot dolphins all year round and whales from August to November. In Bournda National Park, find a cosy coastal picnic spot at Wallagoot Gap (also known as Turingal Head) near the wildlife-packed wetlands of Wallagoot Lake and glistening waters of Wine Glass Bay. And in Beowa National Park, pitch a tent at Saltwater Creek Campground, an intimate bush spot surrounded by rough-barked apple gums, serene lagoons, creeks with good fishing opportunities, and a beach you’ll likely have all to yourself. 

Aerial view of Saltwater Creek Campground in Beowa National Park - Credit: John Spencer | DPE

Lace up your hiking boots on a day walk

The Sapphire Coast is threaded with less-travelled, wild walking trails that lead you to the best sights in the region, whether you want a gentle wander or a more adventurous hike. Start with the elevated 1.5km Camel Rock to Murunna Point Walking Track and get up close to Camel Rock, a spectacular formation created by underwater avalanches, as well as the 500-million-year-old Horse Head Rock. On the 1.1km Pinnacles Loop Walking Track, marvel at the spectacular red and white cliffs as you meander the easy trail. 

Horse Head Rock

Find an underwater world in the Blue Pool 

Clamber down the cliff in Bermagui’s east and you’ll be greeted by an aquamarine oasis – the Blue Pool – a 50m-long seawater swimming hole carved into the rockface. During low tide it’s a natural treasure trove: dip your head under water with a snorkel and you’ll likely be greeted by a cornucopia of marine life, from anemones and sea stars to crabs, fish and marine snails. If you’re not quite ready to take the plunge, head to the viewing platform for dazzling views over the pool and coast – with whale sightings possible over the winter and spring months. 

Blue Pool, Bermagui

Feel the freedom of exploring Tathra on two wheels 

Leave your worries at the top of Tathra’s coastal peaks and descend a eucalypt-edged dirt track as it twists and turns through lush green forest, over wooden bridges and down epic gully drops. The winding Tathra Mountain Bike Trails are some of NSW’s best – featuring more than 50km of dirt track hand carved by the local Tathra community alongside volunteers from the Bega Aboriginal Lands Council. Known as the Bundadung Trail Network, riders will climb both beginner creek tracks as well as challenging sections (like the sharp twists and turns, and big dips of the ‘Humpty Dumpty’) that are met with stunning beach views at the trails’ bottom. 

Tathra Mountain Bike Trails/Bundadung Trail Network, Tathra

Enjoy the vistas from Green Cape Lighthouse

Pharologists (aka lighthouse geeks) will wax lyrical about the 29m-high Green Cape Lighthouse, which was not only Australia’s first concrete lighthouse tower but is also the second tallest of its kind in the state. Built between 1881 and 1883, the impressive white-washed structure is now heritage listed, nodding to its importance in the state’s seafaring history. From here, your vista is of enormous cliffs cleaving into a wild ocean. So wild, in fact, that a number of ships now lie under the ocean’s surface just offshore. During migration, this perch offers one of your best chances of spotting whales offshore. Check in to one of the three lighthouse keeper's cottages, where you’ll fall asleep to the sound of a crackling fire and pounding seas in the distance and wake to misty mornings and maybe even a bandicoot on your doorstep.

Green Cape Lighthouse

Set up camp at Bittangabee Bay

Bittangabee Bay’s scalloped cove of opaline water may be small, but it offers plenty of natural wonders to take your breath away. Explore quietly and you might come across a menagerie of wildlife – from wombats and bandicoots to possums and lace monitors. The bay is within easy reach of a campground; rise at dawn to hear the chorus of birdsong that will become your soundtrack while you’re here. Nearby trails take you south to Green Cape Lighthouse and north to Twofold Bay, where you’ll journey through the eucalypts of Beowa National Park and breathe in the calm that this patch of NSW seems to manifest at every turn.

Bittangabee Bay, Beowa National Park - Credit: John Spencer

Tackle the multi-day Light to Light Walk

Starting at historic Boyds Tower and finishing at the iconic Green Cape Lighthouse, the spectacular 32km Light to Light Walk weaves through an ever-changing landscape of red cliff tops, sheltered coves, eucalypt forest and coastal heathland. Over three days and two nights, experience the trail as a self-guided walk or a guided experience, with overnight stays at campsites along the route. 

Hegartys Bay on the Light To Light Walk - Credit: Remy Brand | DCCEEW

Get up-close to gentle giants

While it’s a thrill to watch humpback whales breach and blow from shore, there’s nothing quite like witnessing their antics in close quarters. Jump aboard a tour with Cat Balou Cruises from Eden to enjoy the show, which often features pods of dolphins, fur seals and penguins accompanying these gentle giants on their southerly migration (August to November). Be prepared for the adrenaline to kick in when a whale sidles up to the boat, teasing with the glimpse of a flipper before somersaulting and sending spray skyward. Over the course of three hours, you’ll hopefully enjoy many such encounters, while the Cat Balou staff impress you with their encyclopaedic knowledge of these waters, the marine life that calls them home and the company’s ongoing commitment to conservation. 

Whale watching cruise with Cat Balou Cruises, Eden

Follow ancient footsteps on the Bundian Way Story Trail 

There’s nothing more humbling than coming face to face with signs of what life was like tens of thousands of years ago. On the Bundian Way Story Trail in Eden, you can follow pathways Aboriginal people from Yuin, Ngarigo, Jaitmathang and Bidawal Country have walked for generations. The full 365km trail goes from Turemulerrer (Twofold Bay) to Targangal (Mount Kosciuszko), but in the Sapphire Coast you can embark on a more accessible 1.8km snippet that starts at sheltered Cocora Beach and travels around the headland to the quiet fishing spot of Quarantine Bay. Through the trail, eight signposts offer information about traditional meeting points, native flora and fauna used as bush food and medicine, and ceremonial performance spots, plus you’ll experience sweeping views of the entire bay at Budginbro Lookout. 

Cocora Beach, Eden - Credit: David Rogers Photography