TAKE A HIKE
Roadtrip a pole lot of trouble, but well worth it
By Ashlee Betteridge
A relative of a friend of a friend had hooked my
gal pals and I up with some cheap digs in Broulee,
a small beachside spot 20 minutes south of
Batemans Bay, for a long weekend retreat.
But before we could kick back in our quintes-
sential 1960s holiday house, we had to get there
— roadtrip style.
The drive was going so well. We stopped in
Kiama at a grand place called Sails Family Bistro.
Keen to take in the sunset, we opted to dine on
the outside terrace, which gave us a stunning pan-
oramic view of a large carpark and several blocks
of run down flats.
The locals didn’t take too kindly to our city
snob sniggering, and we copped some evil glares.
After a delightful meal of pasta-like substanc-
es, we got back on the road.
We were making good time until the car tyre
blew out, sending us careering into a pole and ul-
timately, to wandering around the outside of the
car looking confused with hazard lights flashing.
Don’t you hate that!
All we could do was wait for the NRMA.
My car companions believed the incident was
a plot by a disgruntled diner we may have offend-
ed in Kiama. They swore they could see some-
one lurking in the bushes brandishing a stale ba-
guette.
38 VILLAGE VOICE EASTERN HARBOURSIDE May
The NRMA eventually got us back on the road,
and we clanged along to our beachside retreat.
Broulee is a tiny town, but it is graced with
three beautiful beaches and its own island with a
nature reserve, which you can walk out to along a
sandbar. The island is a beautiful place for walks.
There is a general store and a petrol station that
stocks life’s essentials, and Bateman’s Bay is only a
short drive away if you need an emergency beach
towel or a bulk order of cocktail ingredients.
Our weekend was spent going to the beach,
making cocktails, swimming, sleeping, walking
and going to the beach.
But that’s what a coastal holiday is all about re-
ally, isn’t it?
We also took a drive around some of the near- Clockwise from main picture,
by small towns, like Mogo, which is home to a zoo Broulee in the Eurobodalla region of the
and a number of antique and craft stores. NSW South Coast has three beautiful
There’s many delightful spots to make a road- beaches without the crowds, and only
side stop on the way back as well. We found Berry one shop/petrol station ensuring you can really
was a great place to stretch one’s legs and look at unwind from a consumer-driven city life.
more antique and craft stores. Luckily our car was Nearby Mogo was an antique store hub, with
fully loaded and my credit card maxed, otherwise an abundance of furniture, collectables and
I may have returned with a retro dining set that I handicrafts.
didn’t really need.
I contemplated leaving one of my friends be- Want to see your travel yarn published? Then
hind to fit it in, but since there were car repairs send in your 350 word travel tale and photos
to be paid for, I really needed the extra petrol to editor@villagevoice.com.au.
money.