In the first week of January, Gary and I spent a week down the South Coast - at my parents’ place at Shoalhaven Heads to be more specific. It was bliss - even with the overcast weather we had for a few days, it was still pretty special. 

We spent our time -

• Drinking good coffee - The Tin Shed at Nowra was our absolute fave.

• Catching up for lunch at The Albion in Braidwood with our good friends (hello - Kerrie, Darren, Becky and Jenna!) 

• Driving through the countryside with harsh reminders of our devastating bushfires this time last year. 

• Meandering through Berry, resisting a donut at The Donut Van and having coffee at Harvest.

• Lunching with cousins at their home in Tomerong.

• Hanging out with mum and dad and cooking dinners for us all.

I love the South Coast - its quaint towns, its lush rural landscape and its stunning beaches! 

And now that I’ve mentioned beaches - with over 26 000 kms of coastline, Australia has more than its fair share of beaches. And the beaches range from the unspoiled, naturally immaculate to the crowded busy beaches that are just a stone’s throw from the city. They all have their allure. 

If you ask me which beach I think is the most beautiful in Australia I’d firstly say that I haven’t been to all of them - duh! And even if I had, it would be almost impossible to choose just one. Apparently there are over 10 500 beaches in the country. 

So, I’ve narrowed it down.

My favourite beach in Jervis Bay, (and probably on the South Coast, or in the whole of NSW, if not Australia) is. . . 

Chinaman’s Beach

(not the one in Sydney, although that’s a very pretty beach as well, but Chinaman’s Beach in Jervis Bay, just south of Vincentia). 

It’s a slice of paradise. With its crystal clear water painted the perfect turquoise shade, the powder-soft white sand and the greenery as a backdrop, it has a wonderfully tropical feel. It’s actually easy to imagine you are in the South Pacific. 

Quieter than its more famous cousin Hyams, it’s easily reached from the Greenfield Beach picnic area, at neighbouring Greenfield Beach (which is also stunning). It’s a great place to park as well! The walk from Greenfields is along a track which is part of the longer White Sands Walk and winds its way along the coastal forest of Jervis Bay. What can I say - it’s beautiful. 

My advice is to get to Greenfield Beach car park early - especially during the peak summer season - to get yourself a carspot. Each time we went, we got prime park position and were the only ones at the beach for the first hour or so. 

Our favourite spot (I shouldn’t be really giving this away) is at the north end of the beach by the rock platforms, which cast just enough shade if you forget your sunscreen. We had our own little beach within the beach there. It’s nicely tucked away from the rest of the beach and the hustle and bustle. If truth be told, there’s really no hustle or bustle at Chinaman’s - “we’re not in Bondi anymore, Toto.” There are no shops or cafes lining a street - all you see when you look up from the water, is bushland and greenery and beautiful white sand. 

The water is generally calm - no surf here, folks. It’s perfect for snorkelling, stand up paddle boarding, swimming and even learning to swim. And, even though the clear turquoise water is of Pacific Island standard, it’s not warm. It’s rather fresh on first dunk but you get used to it quickly. 

This beach is perfect for families and romantic getaways, and makes a great side-trip from Sydney. I guess it’s about a three hour drive. Who knows? - I might bump into you there, one day!