Shoalhaven Coast

The Shoalhaven Coast is an emerging wine region on the South Coast of NSW that covers such locations and towns as Gerringong, Gerroa, Berry, Nowra, Jervis Bay, Ulladulla and Durras Lake. Best known for Chambourcin and Chardonnay, the Shoalhaven is located south of Wollongong and its major town, Nowra, is 160 km (or a 2.5 hour drive) south of Sydney. Its vineyards extend from the rolling hills of the hinterland down to the coastal plains.

The main town of the region, Nowra, is undoubtedly of Aboriginal origin but it is unclear if its meaning is "camping place" or "black cockatoo". More certain is the origin of the nearby Jervis Bay, which was named after the British Admiral, Sir John Jervis who commanded at the Battle of St. Vincent in 1797. Another aboriginal name, Parronrah, was the name of what is now called Kangaroo Valley, and was early referred to as Kangaroo Ground, because of the great number of kangaroos found there early in the nineteenth century. However by 1840, it was reported that they had disappeared from the valley. Nevertheless, the name of the area was gradually changed to Kangaroo Valley.

Alexander Berry, for whom the town of Berry is named, planted the first vines at the Coolangatta Estate on the slopes of Mount Coolangatta, in the 1820s. The estate, now fully restored, produces medal-winning wines. The Shoalhaven’s modern wine industry was established during the 1980s and today’s wineries extend along the NSW south coast from Kiama in the north as far as Beagle Bay in the south, making a total to more than 16 vineyards and wineries.

The Shoalhaven River dominates the district, rising in the Great Dividing Range about 350 kilometres southwest of Sydney and beginning its flow north through pastoral districts near Braidwood. By the time the river enters the coastal lowlands at Nowra it is quite broad and is spanned by the historic Nowra Bridge. The main tributary of the Shoalhaven is the Kangaroo River, which was once renowned for its Australian bass. Unfortunately, the Tallowa Dam created a barrier to these migratory native fish and greatly reduced their range.

The region’s climate is maritime, with a high summer rainfall, high humidity and cool sea breezes. While the high humidity in general diminishes stress on the vines and improves growth, the heavy summer rainfall also increases mildew. As well, the hours of sunshine are not particularly high in the northern parts of the region but then frosts also are very rare. The high summer rainfall can cause problems, but this problem lessens the further south you go within the region. While even an area such as the Hunter suffers from this threat to good harvest, its higher probability in the Shoalhaven keeps the vineyards small.

There are 14 cellar doors in the region and local foods aplenty that include fish, oysters, shellfish, cheeses, vegetables, fruit, tomatoes, beer (Nowra), beef, dairy, berries and stone fruit. Wineries worth a look at include the Crooked River Winery at Willow Vale in Gerringong; a dairy farm for over 100 years, the vineyards are only three kms from the sea and from its restaurant can been seen mountains, the ocean, green fields and herds of black and white dairy cows. The vineyard specialises in a Chardonnay White Port. Another winery of note is the Jasper Valley Wines & Vines Café, established in 1976 when 12 acres of vines were planted at Jaspers Brush. Dining is available in a vine covered verandah overlooking the beautiful valley, or for those chillier times, there is a log fire inside. The Coolangatta Estate can boast of being the site of the first European settlement on the south coast and its historic convict-built estate has accommodation and a restaurant, as well as the opportunity of course, to taste their wines. Finally, Lyrebird Ridge in Budgong is the first organic wine producer in the area.

Food and wine events are the South Coast Wine Show, in January; the Shoalhaven Coast Wine Festival, in June, and the Kiama Wine Show, in September. Other local attractions are the Booderee (Jervis Bay) National Park, Minnamurra Rainforest Walk and Falls, the Kiama Blow Hole, Morton National Park, and Jervis Bay Marine Park.

One of the delights of the region is definitely the little town of Berry, found just 16 kms north of Nowra. Berry is packed with heritage buildings, many classified by the National Trust, and its shops are full of local crafts, antiques and cafes. Set in rolling hills amid dairy farms, the town is only a 15 min drive from stunning Seven Mile Beach. The first Sunday of the month is the Berry Country Fair where there is sure to be something for everyone.

Another attraction of the region is Bundanon, close by Nowra. This was the rural property of Arthur Boyd given by him at his death to the nation as a retreat for artists. It is open to visitors on the first Sunday of each month. Bundanon is a dramatically beautiful property on the banks of the Shoalhaven River and was the inspiration for many of Boyd's most famous paintings.

The ubiquitous and ever-flexible Chardonnay is planted up and down the length of the Shoalhaven Coast zone. It produces a pleasant wine with a gentle peachy flavour and a soft finish. Other varieties to be found are Chambourcin, Verdelho, Shiraz/Cabernet and Semillon.