We love our home, and consider ourselves incredibly lucky to be able to share the Shoalhaven with our visitors. For this reason, we’ve put together our top tips for sustainable travel and your best way to become a Conscious Traveller, while you’re here!
The below tips will help you tread lightly and follow the Leave No Trace principles during your stay. Read on to discover how you can reduce your footprint while still enjoying the many experiences of our beautiful region.
Take 3 For The Sea
Get involved with Take 3 For the Sea by taking three pieces of rubbish away with you wherever you go! Be on the lookout for pieces of rubbish and be part of a movement that has removed 10 million pieces of rubbish away from waterways.
Recharge at our Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
You will find numerous charging stations for your electric car while you travel around the Shoalhaven. Many of our wineries and hotels have dedicated charge points for guests travelling in electric cars. For those eco-friendly drivers who are staying overnight, you can choose to stay at Silos Estate, Mountain Ridge Wines, Bangalay Luxury Villas or Bannisters by the Sea and Bannisters Pavilion and know that you’ll be able to recharge overnight before a new day of adventures. Berry NRMA also offers complimentary EV charging for members. You can also visit My Electric Car to find out all of the different charge points available Australia-wide.
Reduce your Single-Use Plastic
Did you know that the Shoalhaven recently won the gold medal for best tasting water in New South Wales? It pairs perfectly with a reusable water bottle! Our cafes also serve incredible coffee, so bring along your reusable coffee cup too. Many of our local cafés will even reward you with a discount. Our Visitor Information Centres in Nowra and Ulladulla also sell reusable KeepCups and totes, making it easy for you to tread lightly.
Stay in Eco-Friendly Accommodation
Staying somewhere sustainable doesn’t mean that you need to sacrifice all your creature comforts. Quite the contrary! We have a range of eco-friendly accommodation options that are also super luxurious. Broger’s End is a restored dairy farm at Kangaroo Valley, restored to reach eco-certified accommodation. The bushland that surrounds the property is regenerated to help the native flora and fauna in the area thrive. In 2010, Silos Estate Winery achieved its goals of self-sufficient energy and became a carbon-neutral venue. The Silos are solar or wind-powered, and all guests now use rainwater in their rooms. They could even become carbon negative soon! At nearby Crystal Creek Meadows, the luxury eco-cottages have one of the lowest carbon footprints in Australia for accommodation. They also offer a digital “My Green Butler” service that provides customised, sustainable holiday advice that helps guests tread lightly during their stay. Join the slow travel trend, stay longer for a deeper sense of place, and reduce your holiday’s carbon footprint.
Eco-Friendly Tours and Activities
One of the best things to do whilst in the Shoalhaven is to go whale or dolphin watching in Jervis Bay. It’s often a case of who is watching who and there are generations of resident seals and dolphins who love to play in the boat’s wake and investigate who is on board. Jervis Bay Wild and Dolphin Watch Cruises are certified in Advanced Ecotourism and offer eco-boat tours that operate with respect to our visiting and resident creatures.
Support the Makers and Shop Second-Hand
Fancy souvenir shopping with a difference? She Hunts Op Shops has created an extensive library of all the best South Coast op shops. Leave plenty of time to fossick among treasures at antique shops in Kangaroo Valley and Berry. There’s also a massive Salvation Army store in South Nowra, plus a Recycling and Buyback Centre in Nowra. The Shoalhaven is also home to some outstanding makers and creators who sell unique and ethical wares and share their craft through workshops. Our Craft & Artisan page features a list of establishments where you can find goodies that local makers have handcrafted.
Look but Please Don’t Touch
The Shoalhaven is home to many wonderful and sometimes rare and endangered animals and birds. From wombats to kangaroos to fragile shorebirds, spotted quolls and green frogs too! There are a lot of locals and organisations who look after these creatures and their environments. You can help tread lightly by slowing down on our roads, only camping at designated campsites and keeping a respectful distance to admire our wildlife so that they feel safe in their own home. We ask that you refrain from sharing your meals with them. Shorebirds like Little Terns and Pied Oyster Catchers nest on our beaches during the spring, so please look for signage and observe from afar so these little guys have the best chance to grow. Download the Bird Walks Guide for some great places to observe our little feathered friends, and if you want to cuddle a koala or play with a wombat, check out the close encounters at Shoalhaven Zoo.
Find your New Favourite with the 100 Beach Challenge
During the summer months, some beaches become very popular and we encourage you to take the 100 Beach Challenge game and try to tick off as many of our stunning beaches as possible – it’s a fun way to find a new favourite beach and explore a different swim or surf spot. There are 10 categories to explore, including best for picnics, best for families, surfing, pet friendly and more!
