South Coast - October Long Weekend 2024
Nothing says ‘long weekend’ like escaping Sydney and finding somewhere quiet to unwind, discover and explore. Of course there are plenty of destinations to choose from so finding the right place to journey to can be a mission in itself. Kelly came up with the adventurous idea to go horse riding. I had never ridden a horse before. Kelly has, quite a few years ago though. So we looked at places to do this and that’s how we came to choosing the South Coast for our long weekend getaway.
Coffee Stop
We left Sydney early Saturday morning. Our horse riding started at 9am. However we were asked to be there 20-30mins prior to sign some waivers and do some training. Google maps was saying 1hr 30min drive to Otford farm. We left just before 7am to make sure we would get there with some time to spare if needed.
We got to Otford with plenty of time to spare. Kelly found a cafe which was a 5min drive away from the farm. It was called The Otford Pantry. We got there a bit after 8am. It looked like they had just opened. We were the only customers there. Kelly got her coffee and we sat outside enjoying the nice morning sun. What was even better was that across the road from the cafe is an amazing view of the ocean.
Otford Farm
We chose Otford Farm to do our horse riding. There was another farm close by which we also looked at, but pricing wise and the sound of the trails we more appealing at Otford Farm. However, we did say that in the future we would also look at the other farm if we wanted to go horse riding again.
I guess being the first ride of the day, there was plenty of parking available. Once parked, you walk up a short path to a gate. There are plenty of signs everywhere showing where to go. You do need to unlock the gate then lock it again after entering. You will see the horses under a shed to the right. You will see this from the carpark too. There are some buildings where the office is. The staff there provided the waiver form which we completed. We were then given helmets and shown the instruction guide. It did seem like a lot to read, however the staff assured us that it was easier to understand once it was being demonstrated on the horse. Being a farm, there were chickens roaming around on their own which was nice to see.
Once the admin tasks were done, we headed down to the horse shed. A staff member told us the name of the horses we would be riding. Mine was named Champ and Kelly’s was named Tucker. Because of the amount of people that go through there, they said that they would refer to us by our horses name. Our guide’s name was Ava and she demonstrated how to control the horse using the reins. Pulling back to stop, using one hand to turn either way, leaning forward and backwards when going up and downhill. It seemed pretty straight forward, but it is a bit different when putting it into practice.
We hopped on our horses. They have a step so it’s easier to climb on, especially since Kelly and I aren’t tall people. I was the second one to get on my horse so there was a little bit of waiting around which is fine as you get accustomed to sitting on top of the horse. Most of the other horses just stood there patiently. My horse Champ, would wonder around a bit despite me trying to stop him. There were 6 of us in the group, all were couples. Once everyone was on their horses, we had to head out in a certain order single file.
Going past the fence onto the extended part of the property, there was already a creek crossing. Very shallow. We were informed that the horses may take a drink of water and if they did to lean forward and let the reins go loose, so their head can go all the way down to the water. Once past the creek we kept walking along and soon enough we were at another creek. Some horses did take a drink at this one. There were a few up hills and downhills which were fun, although can be a little scary as there is always a chance of falling off. Due to the seating position, which isn’t normal for non-horse riders, our inner thighs were starting to get sore.
We did have a stop and got off our horses. Our legs did feel a little like jelly. We got a few photos here and had a chat. Then it was time to continue on. There was a tree trunk that we were able to utilise as a step to get onto our horses which we were thankful for. On the way back there were more downhills which was a bit muddy. Even though we were single file, the horses do look, analyse and will choose their own path, not necessarily following the horse in front. At one point Champ decided to not follow Tucker on a downhill track and we ended up on a high point to which he stopped to look at where he was going. It was totally fine, and we ended up back in line. This is also evident when crossing creeks, they will take their time and look at the best path for them.
Champ did get quite snackish on the way back. Every little stop we made he would find a plant or grass and start eating. Even while walking he would stop and take a bite of something. Ava kept telling me to pull his head up so he wouldn’t snack. I tried but he does have a heavy head and trying to pull his head up when he’s puling it down takes a bit of strength. He did get a little bit better. He wouldn’t stop but he would take a bite of something while walking.
We got back to the shed and hopped off our horses. There were other people there getting a demonstration for their upcoming ride. Once we were off there were some other horses around which we took pictures of. There were also small donkeys roaming around the property. We handed our helmets back then headed out to find some lunch.
Accommodation
When it comes to AirBNB’s, Kelly is the one to find where to stay. We wanted something close to the farm although we didn’t really need to. We found this nice place in Helensburgh. The pictures looked nice. But once we arrived, it was amazing. We were allowed to park in the driveway. There is a private gate and a footpath which leads to the residence which is separate from the main house. The property was like a granny flat. But on luxurious and fancy proportions. It was a one bedroom place, with a big bathroom, a walk in shower plus a full size tub. There was a full kitchen, laundry and living area with a huge tv. There was even a patio with seats at the back. We have stayed in a few AirBNB’s before and this one was definitely the most luxurious we have ever stayed at. In saying that though, it was a bit more expensive than our previous stays.
The location was perfect too. It is set in a quiet cul-de-sac. But there is a small laneway nearby to be able to do a quick 5min walk to the shops. If you did want to drive, it would take you 1min, if that. We do prefer a quieter area than being close to the water, or beach where all the action is. However all the things we planned to do was fairly close by anyway. Not only was the residence amazing, but so was the treats they provided. They not only had chocolate but they also had some alcohol in the fridge too! There were some beers and some wines. We’re not big drinkers, or regular drinkers at all but I did have some beers. But that touch was definitely unique. No other places we have stayed at had provided this. Small treat yes, but a fridge with such a variety of alcohol, never.
Upon checking out, there weren’t any real instructions about rubbish. Usually they ask you to take the rubbish out or leave it out the front. Kelly messaged the host about this and they said we could simply leave our rubbish there and they would take care of it. We tidied up as best we could, but leaving the rubbish like that made me feel a little bad considering how great the place was. So if you’re ever looking for a nice quiet and luxurious getaway not too far from Sydney, we highly recommend this place.
Princess Marina Track
Kelly is lucky enough to have a waterfall named after her. So naturally we have to check it out. It was less than a 10min drive from where we’re staying. Once you have parked your car, there are 2x tracks to choose from. Kelly’s Falls track and Princess Marina track. When were deciding which one to do, we heard and saw a few people on Kelly’s falls tracks so we decided to to the Princess Marina track first.
It was a short and easy track. There wasn’t much to see really. There were a few lookout points but other than more trees and bushland, nothing too exciting. The track ends on the main road. We headed back and we did notice on the way there, there was a stone sort of shelter. While on the track all you can see is the back of it, with 2 hearts painted on it. Once you go around to the front of it, there’s actually a bench you can sit on. No view really, but it was a nice feature.
Kelly’s Falls Track
So after making it back to the carpark we looked at the information sign. It said that Kelly’s falls track was hard, with creek crossings and several obstacles involved. Kelly and I aren’t the most hardcore bush walkers but we had to give it a go of course. As we walked, we saw some fencing to the right. The track we were didn’t head that way so we kept to this track. I thought it would meet up eventually. It didn’t. There were several paths to choose the entire way.
We did come a cross a few creeks to get through. But they were pretty easy to walk through without our shoes getting wet. We were lucky enough to see a water dragon which was pretty casual and didn’t mind that we were there walking through. We ended up on a larger fire trail. There was quite a few horse poop on the trail so we knew horses were using it. We didn’t come across any though. We ended up at a gate, which was open. But it said something about farming and only authorised personnel allowed. We knew we weren’t in the right place. So we had to track back. We ended up finding a few more creeks and a small waterfall. But nothing what the picture looked like.
We ended up back to the start where the fencing was and we could see the waterfall there which was pretty much right next to the carpark. We followed the fence for a bit but there wasn’t much else to see. It was getting a bit late so we decided to call it a day.
Jingga Pool/O’hares Creek Lookout
The weather we thought was meant to be hot all weekend. Turns out it was only going to be hot in Sydney and not down south. We had a plan to go to Jingga pool. There was minerva pools and O’hares creek there as well. So three tracks all in the same place is pretty good. We got to the carpark and read the information signs. It said that Jingga pools was a pretty hard track. Minerva was medium and O’hares was easy. So we decided to hit Jingga first.
There’s an access road that you walk along from the carpark and it’s somewhat of a short walk to get to the start of the Jinnga track. The first part is pretty flat. Then, it’s steep descent all the way to the pool. And I mean steep. Small calculated steps didn’t stop us from slipping on rocks and dirt from time to time. It’s a little scary. We both only had sport shoes on. Not sure how much of a difference hiking boots would have been.
We finally made it to the bottom where the pool was. It was very scenic. There’s a small waterfall as well. There was two couples that were there already. One couple were sitting on a rock over looking the water and the other couple were crossing the waterfall and heading to the other side of the pool. Kelly and walked up the river to a calm peaceful and secluded part. We took our shoes and socks off and stepped into the water. It was freezing. There were some rocks towards the middle of the water where we walked to. On one side of the rock we were on drops off and you can wade into the water that way. The other side the rock slopes down gradually into the water, but that part is very slippery so we avoided that. Neither of us were game enough to wade all the way into the water. I took some photos and we just soaked in the scenery. It was a little bit of a shame it wasn’t hotter as it would be an amazing place to swim in.
After we put our socks and shoes back on, before we headed back up, we took another look at the bottom pool. There are ways to get down there but there may not be much room to lie down. You would have to find your own path down there as well going through the bushes. We headed back up the steep hill. Going up didn’t feel too bad, for me anyway. And it was only one big hill and we were back to the flat part.
We got back to the main access road and headed towards O’Hares creek lookout. It wasn’t too far from the Jingga walking track. The actual track to the lookout wasn’t long either and it was all flat. The lookout was ok. A lot of greenery with views of some buildings in the far distance. We could only catch glimpses of the water below from where Jingga pool is as trees were obstructing the view. It was lunch time so we skipped minerva pools. We were ok with this because we figured the water would be just as cold as Jingga pools and we most likely wouldn’t swim. Once we were back on the access road, it was a flat easy walk back to the car park.
Thirroul Beach
Kelly suggested going to Thirroul beach for an afternoon swim. She found a cafe to eat at which was 1min away from the beach. This area was a lot busier than Helensburgh. We managed to find parking and went into the cafe. There weren’t many tables available but it didn’t seem too busy. We ordered food. We both ordered burgers. It took about 40mins, maybe even more for the food to arrive. It was 2:30 and Kelly went up to check on the food. The lady said that there is a bit of a wait time on the food. They didn’t say this when we were ordering. The place wasn’t packed either, there were people there but didn’t seem busy really. Luckily the food arrived a few minutes after.
We headed to the beach. There was plenty of parking. We found our spot and dumped our stuff. Walked into the water. It was freezing. The sun also wasn’t very hot so we weren’t warming up that much. We lied down on the beach for a little bit. Because we didn’t end up swimming, we still had a bit of time on our hands so we took a drive to Sublime Point Lookout.
Sublime Point Lookout
This lookout is just off the Princess Highway. There were a few people already there but we managed to get a car park. From the car park the lookout is right there. It is a very scenic view of the coast. It was half urban with the rest of the inland showing it’s greenery. We could even spot Thirroul beach from there. We didn’t explore too much. It looked like there was a path to the right but we didn’t walk down it. The view from the main lookout was plenty. It did start getting a bit crowded. I was lucky enough to get some decent shots quickly.
Maddens Falls
Maddens falls was the last stop for the day before heading back to the accommodation. From the reviews and information it was meant to be a short walk. I put in Maddens Falls on my phone to get directions. We got there, but it was telling me to turn left into a Fire station. Luckily I did notice some cars and what looked like those track information signs at the start of most tracks. We back tracked just a little bit and sure enough that was the entry for the track. It is opposite the Glenbernie Orchard. So if you put that into maps, you will see the parking for the track on the opposite side.
The walk was short and easy. You Get to a fenced look out. The view is ok. Some people did back track a bit and were standing on top of the falls. There are some tracks along the main track that lead into the creek which flows to the waterfall. It was nice especially it being an easy short walk. If someone stays at the lookout point, another person can stand on top of the waterfall for a good photo. As for the photo below, we walked onto some rocks so we can see if we can get a better view of the waterfall. But that is the lookout at the top right.
Grand Final - Pizza night - Rant incoming
It was the NRL grand final tonight and Kelly was keen on watching it. She suggested ordering pizza and getting it delivered so we could watch the game. There was a pizza place nearby called Allegro but on my bank transaction it would come up as Gallardo. They didn’t have a website and weren’t on google maps. They advertised $3 delivery fee within Helensburgh. The menu looked very good too with a big variety being offered. Since the food at lunch was late, we didn’t mind having a late dinner. I rang up and ordered the pizzas before 7:30pm because it was just before kickoff. I also asked for mine to have no olives to which the lady on the phone confirmed.
Fast forward an hour later and there was still no pizzas. I looked at the brochure/menu and it said that they close at 8:30pm. The time was now 8:35pm. I rang the number but no one answered. Rang multiple times and no one answered. I had paid by credit card over the phone an I was in a panic that they had just taken my money and there’s no pizza coming since I couldn’t get in contact with them. We were getting hungry by this stage. It was half time so I ended up going for a run to the store. By the time I got there it was 8:50. The store was half opened. I informed the lady working there that we had ordered pizzas and it had been over an hour. She said that deliveries will take up to 90mins. 90mins! This was not communicated to me over the phone when placing the order. We were a 1min drive away and ordered 2x medium pizzas. I understood it was Grand Final night but 90mins! She said that the pizzas had already gone and were on the way. As I was leaving she yells out sarcastically ‘you’re welcome’. This was a rude shock to me. I luckily had some control over myself and just left instead of engaging and saying some impolite things. Just as I had arrived back at the place the driver showed up with the pizzas. He came just before 9pm. I go in and Kelly and I sit down to eat the pizzas. I open mine and there’s olives when I had requested no olives. So lack of communication, rudeness and incompetence. This put a cloud over our experience. As mentioned earlier their store isn’t on Google so I can’t leave a review that’s why I wanted to write it here and share my experience.
National Falls
We didn’t really have a plan for today. While packing up and tidying up we discussed ideas on what we could do before heading home. We always have a plan to go to Wattamolla beach but we know that it’s always crowded and full so we always have a backup plan. We decided to go to the Royal National Park. We were going to visit the National falls there. Afterwards we would go past Wattamolla and see what’s it like then there was Winifred falls as well. Our backup would be to just go to Bundeena beach and have lunch there.
We go to the carpark for the National Falls. We were the only car there, but we did see some bicycles chained up. There’s fenced area but there’s not too much of a view. We did see people down below. We were looking for a way down and Kelly spotted steps a bit further down from the carpark. It’s a very short walk down the steps to a enclosed fenced area. You can’t see much and there’s barely much room in this area. The people that were there had jumped over the fence. We did the same. As far as danger goes, we have been on other trails and on the tops of other waterfalls without fences and they were more dangerous than this. So I’m not sure why it was fenced off. Maybe to stop people from littering or destroying the area, which I understand. But at the same time it’s a shame because you can’t see much at all in that small fenced area. The other people didn’t stick around long and we had the whole place to ourselves. It was really nice so we spent a bit of time there enjoying the scenery and the serenity. When we got back up to the car park there quite a few cars that had just parked so it was lucky that we had it all to ourselves.
Winifred Falls
It wasn’t a surprise that Wattamolla beach was full. So we went with our backup plan. The first part was Winifred falls. Depending on which side you’re coming from it can be easy to miss the turn into Winifred falls. We were coming from the south to the road was on the right. There’s a left hand curve you drive around then it’s quickly there on the right. I knew this because of google maps. On the drive back home we went past this road again. There is a street sign pointing to the road showing Winifred falls, but this is line with the road and covered by tree branches. So once you get past that left hand curve, you pretty much pass the street before seeing the street sign.
The carpark here was a bit more lively. We had park a little bit away from the start of the track. As we got to the start of the track I saw some guys at the pay station. Then I noticed that some of the cars there had fines on them because they weren’t displaying any tickets. I have an annual National Parks pass which makes me exempt. The pass is worth it if you visit National parks a few times in the year. You would have to weigh up how often you go to make it worth your money. But it is convenient to have.
The track starts off flat. But soon enough it gets steep, then steeper. It definitely felt a lot steeper than the Jingga pool track. It was longer too. We saw people doing it in thongs. We were slipping in our sport shoes so it would’ve been more uncomfortable in thongs.
We finally got to the bottom. There were a few people around already. There are quite a few places to sit and setup. There are rocks and ledges near the waterfall with a decent view of the water below. But you can’t really see the waterfall from there. You can walk through the trees and bushes on the other side to get another view. There are a few spots to be able to get into the water, but most involve climbing down rocks. The water is very clear though, you could see fish in the water along with rocks. It was a very nice area. I thought it was just a waterfall and not really a swimming area so we didn’t plan on swimming. We enjoyed the scenery for a bit but decided to head to Bundeena for lunch. It was a very steep climbe back up to the top. We also saw people carrying camping chairs and an esky going down the hill. That would be a big struggle. If you plan to stay there the whole day, the walk would be worth it. Best to bring food in backpack or easily carried bag. You could bring an esky if you’re keen but even if it’s empty at the end of the day, it might be a struggle carrying up that steep hill.
Bundeena
We had actually been to Bundeena on the October weekend last year (2023). But we didn’t stay overnight, just did a day trip. I knew that it was going to be quite crowded especially with parking. I did manage to find quiet streets to park on. It’s about a 5min walk away from the shops. But definitely worth it in my opinion. This year I parked close to the same street. As we walked down to the shops, there were huge crowds from burger shops. We kept walking and we saw the cafe that we ate at last year. It was empty. We walked up the stairs and the door was opened but they told us that they were closed. As we kept walking we saw more food places closed. There was a cafe that was open and it didn’t look as busy as the other shops.
So we decided to eat there. We managed to get a table outside. I made my food choice and Kelly went to order. She had disappeared for quite a while, then she came back to the table a little unhappy. She said that they weren’t making certain things from the menu. I wanted to the omelette and they weren’t making it. We had no reception there so she couldn’t call me either. So she had to lose her place in the line to come and ask me what else I wanted. I chose they brekky roll but said to just get me anything that they were making. She then disappeared for awhile again. She came back with some drinks that we ordered. Then one of the staff members came up and said that they had been having issues with their eftpos machine and that her payment didn’t go through. Because we had no reception Kelly couldn’t check her account balance to see if the payment had gone through. So she had to pay again.
They weren’t bringing the food to the tables, you had to wait inside for them to call out your name when the food was ready. Kelly asked me to wait for the food which I was happy to do as she had waited in line for a long time. I was about to, but she changed her mind as she believed that they might not give me the good because I didn’t order it and it would be under her name. So she ended up waiting a long time for the food to come. It eventually did and we managed to eat lunch a long time later. I don’t know what it is about the South Coast, but we had several issues with our food over the long weekend.
After lunch we headed down to the beach. We laid on the beach for a little bit to get warm. Once we felt like we were burning we headed into the water. As expected, the water was pretty cold. But there were quite a few people in the water. We summed up the courage to go all the way into the water then quickly got out and back to our towels to get warm. Once warm again we headed home.
Conclusion
Otford Pantry - Great coffee. Went there twice and both times it was amazing!
Otford Farm - Horse riding was a lot of fun and a great experience. Highly recommend. Legs can get sore from the seating position
Princess Marina Track - Wasn’t very scenic. Short and easy. The lovers bench was a nice touch
Kelly’s Falls - Follow the fence from the car park. There a are a few creek crossings which are scenic. Didn’t see a good viewpoint for the falls themselves though
Jingga Pool - A little steep to get to and climb out from. When we were there it was pretty quiet. Lots of places to swim and easy to find your own little area
O’Hares Creek Lookout - Short and easy walk. View wasn’t the best though
Thirroul Beach - Although we didn’t eat there, Thirroul pavilion looks nice with awesome views being right on the beach
Sublime Point Lookout - An amazing viewpoint of the coast. Definitely worth a stop to take in the view
Maddens Falls - A short easy walk to a lookout to see the waterfall. Nice for a quick stop.
National Falls - Although the waterfall wasn’t flowing that much, it’s still a very scenic area. Depending on when you go, can be quiet. Short and easy walk down some steps
Winifred Falls - Very steep! Slippery loose rocks and gravel on the way down. Steep climb back up. Good for a swim and if you plan to stay for a while there. Seems pretty popular though. Quite a few people were there
Bundeena - A bay area, no waves. Can be crowded. If you come on a public holiday, bring your own food. Food shops are packed and wait times can blow out
