Bendalong is a small coastal town around four hours south of Sydney and 45 minutes south of Nowra in NSW. With its calm bay on a one side and surf on the other, it’s the perfect spot for a family trip from Sydney, a school holiday stay, or a weekend away. Add it to your Backyard Bucketlist for NSW and visit this year, and give local businesses a hand after the bushfires and pandemic cut tourism and trade for the first six months of 2020.
Bendalong Beach – it’s just so pretty
Bendalong’s usual population is around 95 people, with little houses gathered in a cluster on the peninsular. On weekends and holidays tourists flock here for the surf at Bendalong Beach, and the calm and kid-friendly Washerwomans Beach that’s perfect for stand up paddles, floating on boogie boards and floaties. Many people surf, fish, spear fish and dive here too, and there are lots of bush walks and tracks to follow too.
We acknowledge the traditional owners of the land here, the Budawang and Yuin people and recognise their continuing connection to land, water and culture. We pay respect to their Elders, past, present and emerging.
Getting there
Getting to Bendalong is so easy – it’s a marked turnoff on the Princes Highway between Nowra and Ulladulla, and about a 20 minute drive in. The caravan park is literally at the end of the road.
Our YOLO Apollo
There are two main beaches at Bendalong, the calm Washerwomans Beach and just on the other side of the peninsular, Bendalong Beach. A small u-shaped beach is on the headland in between the two. You can reach it, and Bendalong Beach along walkways through the bush. It only takes a few minutes to get there.
Fishing at Bendalong Beach
Washerwomans Beach
Washerwomans Beach is a short stroll from the campground and has a parking for day trippers, a boat ramp, toilets and picnic tables.
Everyone loves the friendly stingrays that trawl along the shallows for fishermans scraps. You can buy fish for them at the Caravan Park Office, and feed them during the day.
Most people come down here in the late afternoon and sit on the grass and picnic tables to watch the sun set over the bay and enjoy a sundowner before heading back up to the park.
Friendly stingray and pelican at Bendalong
Bendalong Beach
Bendalong Beach is a long stretch of beach that runs from Bendalong to the town of Manyana. It takes about 45 minute to walk this stretch into Manyana and you’ll see lots of surfers out there on the waves. The walks through the national park, and a coastal walk that goes along Washerwomans Beach and around the point.
Beautiful Bendalong Beach
Food and Coffee
The general store burnt down (before the bushfires) and a pop up coffee shop called The Hub makes excellent coffees and hot chocolates, and the food truck serves burgers and things like pork belly bites from 8am – 3pm. There is a small selection of fruit and vegs and pantry items. The shop is a few minutes walk from the caravan park – you will see it as you drive in.
Where to stay:
We stayed at Holiday Haven Bendalong on a powered site in our Apollo Caravan. The park has camping sites and powered sites and it has beautiful cabins too. There are lots of amenities blocks and the showers are hot and good pressure. I really liked that the doors were screens so the shower blocks didn’t get too hot and stuffy.
Our fabbo campsite
There are BBQ and cooking facilities as well as a camp kitchen. The Prawn Man comes around in his truck on holiday weekends and school holidays, selling prawns and fish. Just add some lemon and an avo and you’re all set.
PRAWN MAN!! He toots a little horn when he is coming
For children, when they’re not at the beach they can play at the water park and on the jumping pillow as well as ride around the grounds. And they’ll live spotting possums at night and roos in the early morning and twilight.
Between May and November you can rent fire pits ($20 a stay) and buy wood ($25 a bag) from the front office.
There are many gorgeous holiday houses AirBNB, you can check them out below.
And if you’re feeling nervous about travelling check out our comprehensive family travel safety guide HOLIDAY SAFE: The complete guide to staying safe when traveling with kids It has everything you need to know about traveling safely on our family holiday or extended trip.