nvl325

We're arriving Sydney mid-March, then proceeding directly to Canberra for approx 4-5 nights (going there by bus or train). Ending the 13 night trip with 5 nights in Sydney, which we have visited before- planning on some new adventures along with revisiting some of our favorites.

Question- we'd like to spend the remaining nights somewhere between Canberra and Sydney, which we could reach by public transportation. Read in a guidebook about Ulladulla, and the Ulladulla Guest House- is that a good destination? And can it be reached and departed from by bus or train?

Any other suggestions would be welcomed. We have also already visited Melbourne, which we enjoyed immensely. But would like to find somewhere in between Canberra and Sydney that would be worthy of a visit, and not too troublesome to travel to/from. Thanks!

cathies

I'm not sure how you'd get there using public transport, but the area around bowral is lovely if you haven't already seen it.

Bokhara2

Ummm ... Have you looked at the map?
Ulladulla is only "between Canberra & Sydney" in a cross-country 200 km detour sort of way.

My Rome2Rio app tells me Murray's run a bus to Nelligen, and you'd have to take a car the last 58kms, if you want to go to Ulladulla by public transport.

Better option - Cathie's suggestion of Bowral. 2 1/2 hours by train & they run 3 times daily.

nvl325

Yes, I see that Ulladulla is on/near the coast, not a straight shot between the two. Just looking around for a good place to explore for a few days.

Bowral- enough to do there? Wondering with no car if it's easy enough to see it and the surrounding area. But I like the suggestion- that's why I asked on Fodors- it's not in my guidebook, so wouldn't know about it otherwise.

Rome2Rio- looks like a cool app, thanks for mentioning it!

Any other ideas? I guess it doesn't have to be in between Canberra and Sydney, just seemed to make sense. (Considered the Blue mountains but we took a full-day bus tour last time and kinda think we saw most of the sights, vs going back and staying several days.)

cathies

The Hunter Valley could be a nice guided day trip. You couldn't do it via public transport though. Depends if you are interested in wine, although there are pretty gardens and gourmet shops as well.

I think you would need transport to see the area around bowral properly. It's trickier that it seems!

keithfromcanberra

If you wish to go to Ulladulla, you can travel there by Rixons., They offer a door-to-door service and they are very helpful. I have travelled with them many times over the past few years.

http://www.rixonsbus.com.au/

Ulladulla has good beaches in the area such a Mollymook. Alternatively, you may want to look at the southern Highlands which is more directly on the route between Sydney and Canberra.

lavandula

Ulladulla - Mollymook - MIlton are lovely (beaches, scenery) - but I think accessing the area without a car is impractical. There is also no train south of Bomaderry (just north of the Shoalhaven River at Nowra). However, I don't know if all your transport problems would be solved by going to the Southern Highlands. There is a train service there, and just possibly you could catch taxis or buses once there (I admit I don't know much about that). Berrima is charming; there is an old jail there and a book barn (Berkelouw), and Bowral is nice too. Most of the charm of the Highlands though is pottering around the local shops and eating and drinking in nice restaurants, and driving between the small townships. You could catch a train between them; this will give you some ideas:
http://www.sydneytrains.info/timetab...2#landingPoint

Lavandula

lavandula

Oh, just some help in interpreting the timetable - the area between Picton and Bundanoon is the most interesting. Actually, Picton is a little less interesting but I am including it because of the George IV pub, which is the oldest surviving pub in Australia (or so they used to say).
http://georgeiv.com.au

Lavandula

nvl325

I think we've decided to spend those extra nights in Sydney and take day trips on the train to some of the places mentioned- Bowral, Picton, Berrima, Wollongong... I hope some of these places are walkable to putter around from the train stations...

Thank you all for the suggestions!

Bokhara2

Have fun & please come back to tell us where you went, how you got there and what you experienced.

nvl325

Yes, will do.

Actually, I'm thinking I should ask specifically- which of those stops mentioned, or any others, would be good to visit- where the train station is right in the "downtown" area that would make it easy to explore for an afternoon?

lavandula

Usually we go by car but I am pretty sure the station at Bowral (which would be my starting point, as it's the main township in the Southern Highlands) is just on the outskirts of town, but you can still walk comfortably into town. The businesses are clustered around Bong Bong St and Station St. Further into the town there is a museum dedicated to the famous Australian cricketer Don Bradman and a cricket hall of fame. Don't know if you are into that but Bradman is sort of a folk hero, and if you 'get' him, you will 'get' one of the national sports. In spring there is a tulip festival which is a big drawcard. Canberra does tulips too (Floriade in September / October). Bowral also has a slightly posh edge, and some nice accommodation.

For Berrima I think you have to catch a bus from Moss Vale, which is two stations away from Bowral (no station in Berrima). Burradoo (the next station between Bowral and Moss Vale) is not of much interest IMO. Moss Vale is sort of quietly rural, and the second biggest town, and a little more unspoilt / undeveloped by tourism, but conversely probably less to hold the visitor's attention. The local architecture is similar to Bowral.

Lavandula