Culburra Beach or Culburra to those in the know, is 185 kilometres south of Sydney and 25 kilometres east of Nowra. It is a perfect place for everyone - families, couples, dogs, water lovers, surfers and fishermen. Book your Culburra Holiday House now on Search and Stay.
It may not be considered in the same realm as Palm Beach and Whale Beach in Sydney or Central Coast glamour spots such as McMasters and Avoca, but South Coast's Culburra Beach is a well-known secret holiday spot for Sydney-siders and Canberrans alike.
Rumored to be designed by Canberra's town planner, Walter Burley Griffin, Culburra's wide sweeping semi-circular streets and set-back houses give an impression of a mini-city, ideal for the 3500 residents.
Known until 1916 as Wheelers Point after the first white settler, it became Culburra (meaning sand in the local Aboriginal dialect), which, in itself, is a good reason to visit. An added bonus is the beach is off-leash dog-friendly between 4pm and 8am and on-leash at other times.
Culburra's long cream-sand beach; Penguin Head guarding Warrain Beach and the lookout, which has majestic north-south views to Shoalhaven Heads and Point Perpendicular; ocean-fed Lake Wollumboola with its variable water depths depending on in-flows; the well-patronised beachside caravan park adjacent to the Crookhaven Heads lighthouse; or the mouth of the Crookhaven River, which has safe boating but somewhat tricky access to the ocean.
Rarely feeling busy, the thousands visitors who swarm at peak holiday times tend to be spread out among these attractions.
The diversity is part of the charm, but you certainly don't go to Culburra for the glamour or for the shopping. All essential supplies can be bought in Culburra Beach but for extended stays, stock up in Nowra or at Greenwell Point for fresh seafood.
I would suggest most people who rent one of the many excellent beachside homes are there for RnR and not much else. Book your Culburra Beach House now on Search and Stay. Whatever the weather conditions, a stroll along the beach or feet up reading a good book with the backdrop of the Pacific Ocean is hard to beat.
At the top of summer, the sandhills can get mighty hot, even when temperatures are below 30 degrees, so footwear is a good idea, and locals say red-bellied black snakes make occasional appearances. Bluebottles occasionally come to shore with an east wind.
It's best to surf at the patrolled southern end of the beach or around Penguin Head at the northern end of Warrain Beach, where the Culburra Beach and Nowra Surf Club is located because, like many long sweeping beaches, Culburra Beach can be susceptible to rips and, occasionally, big swells. Learn to surf at beautiful Culburra Beach with Culburra Beach Surf School. It has some of Australia's best beginner waves, making it easy to be up and riding in no time. Advanced surfers can be sure to get some good waves too.
Almost daily in summer, you'll see pods of dolphins lazily heading north and, in winter, migrating humpback whales are an ever-present sight.
Prime coastal locations aren't complete without good fishing and Culburra is no exception. Every morning in summer the boat ramp at Orient Point, where the Shoalhaven and Crookhaven rivers meet before flowing to the sea, is busy from daylight to dusk with trailers unloading and loading fishing craft. Some boaties choose to stay in the river or motor towards Greenwell Point and the entrance to the Shoalhaven River, where there are plenty of leatherjackets and smaller fish. Better equipped and more seaworthy craft usually head to the open sea where marlin, tuna, other game fish, decent-size snapper and other varieties are abundant. Fish-cleaning facilities next to the boat ramp attract an ever-present flock of pelicans.
Culburra's proximity to other attractions is a plus. Hyams Beach and Booderee National Park in Jervis Bay are less than an hour's drive, oyster and prawn suppliers along the river at Greenwell Point sell fresh seafood.
Book Water Haven @ Culburra today on Search and Stay and take a deep breath and relax. At the beautiful Water Haven, you are surrounded by water. It offers the best location to access all of the outstanding waterways surrounding Culburra Beach, yet set in a quiet location a 5 min stroll to the beach with a delightful café/general store only 2 mins walk. Relax in the sun, play with the kids at the sheltered waters of Tilbury Cove or Paddleboard, kayak, swim, fly kites and go bird watching at Wollumboola Lake. Fish from the beaches or in the Crookhaven and Shoalhaven Rivers. Catch a wave with great surfing at either Culburra Beach or Warrain Beach. Jervis Bay National Park and Jervis Bay Marine Park are only a short drive away with many tranquil beaches, bays and bush walking tracks for you to enjoy and explore.
When staying here you will be able to enjoy the breezy, tropical feel of a hot summer's day and begin every day with a dip in your private solar heated pool, or take a short stroll to the ocean. You could spend an hour or two reading a book on your sun lounge, before walking or cycling along the cycle path to the shops, cafes and local club. During the cooler months, relish in the mesmerizing warmth of your very own fireplace where you're able to toast marshmallows to keep the kids entertained, whilst enjoying a nice glass of wine or you could enjoy the cozy gas fireplace in the media room.
Don't hesitate, you deserve a Culburra Beach break so book now at Search and Stay.