birder

Hi everyone, we are now in Canberra and loving it. We will have our 20 year wedding anniversary in a month, and we've decided to take our 4 year old to the coast for 4-5 days for a beach vacation. We want something within reasonable driving distance of Canberra - no more than 3-4 hours. We would like a laid back community with decent facilities (a range of food shops, a few playgrounds, etc) and most of all a beautiful, quiet beach. We'd probably prefer something with a lifeguard because I'm reading all the stories of deaths on unpatrolled beaches in NSW!

We have been in Australia for less than a month so we definitely need some help!

farrermog

Hello Birder -

Good to hear you are settling in. Warmimg up now - 31-34C in the next few days, with a change later in the week - but should still be quite pleasant because we rarely get long spells of high humidity. Can usually count on it being very warm by Australia Day, with the school year starting shortly thereafter (great timing!) and accommodation rates on the coast starting to ease.

Batemans Bay, and going south, Narooma and Merimbula are all good bases.

Don't get to the coast much these days, but we have enjoyed staying at these 'family friendly' places [going back a while so you may need to check recent reviews] -

at Batemans Bay -

http://www.coachhouse.com.au/

at South Durras, a little north of Batemans Bay -

http://murramarangresort.com.au/

at Narooma, between Batemans Bay and Bega -

http://www.naroomaholidayaccommodati...ommodation.php

near Merimbula, just south of Bega -

http://www.woodbinepark.com.au/index.html

farrermog

And these threads may be of interest -

http://www.fodors.com/community/aust...-adventure.cfm

[you'll see that in 2009 we stayed in a quiet family room at the Comfort Inn Lincoln Downs on the northern side of the river at Batemans Bay - http://www.lincolndowns.com.au/]

http://www.fodors.com/community/aust...ra-to-live.cfm

A reminder to watch your 4 y/o on or near Canberra's bike paths (and of course the lake).

Susan7

If you go to Narooma make sure you go to Montague Island to see the fairy penguins.

farrermog

Montague Island in the news today -

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news...s/2407785.aspx

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news...d/2407789.aspx

as well as another south coast attraction, the Mogo Zoo -

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news...px?storypage=1

love_travel_Aus

I was researching this area last week - as we have family in Canberra - and came across the Whale Motor Inn in Narooma - and it looked appealing.
http://www.whalemotorinn.com/

Now - I haven't been there - but sure wish this had been available when our children were younger as we had to regularly travel around here to do the holiday family visits!

We have also visited a number of houses in the smaller towns along the coast - my family usually find them on Stayz. Hopefully some of your local work colleagues can help out with the better and safer beaches. I also remember that this site:
http://www.takeabreak.com.au
had lots of holiday houses if that interests you.

Not sure that you will find a lot of patrolled beaches - with lifeguards - mid week after the school holidays.
Look at this for further information:
http://www.safewaters.nsw.gov.au/patrolled.htm

Enjoy your summer holiday and Happy Anniversary.

farrermog

Timely review of Batemans Bay Beach Resort - off Beach Road (the main drag along the bay and then coast from Batemans Bay CBD) at Corrigan's Beach, Batehaven

http://www.smh.com.au/travel/holiday...106-1pnuc.html

Note that the 'long, firm beach' is a bay beach rather than surf beach and so recommended for walking and toe-dipping only.

From the Coachhouse resort mentioned previously there is access to the far northern end of the beach adjacent to the breakwater/ seawall, which is a good spot to watch boats entering and leaving the channel to the 'port' and estuary.

And speaking of long beaches we may have missed specifically mentioning the very popular Broulee surf beach further south off George Bass Drive beyond Malua, Rosedale, Guerrilla Bay and Tomakin.

Check out all of these on Google Maps.

farrermog

Mogo Zoo, near Batemans Bay -

http://www.smh.com.au/travel/holiday...126-1qj4m.html