Ulladulla Harbour. Photos: Author’s own.
On the edge of a pretty harbour, between two headlands, Ulladulla is a picturesque and vibrant seaside town near beautiful beaches, lovely coastal walking paths, sparkling lakes, charming villages, and rugged national parks. The popular holiday destination is fabulous for water sports, fishing, shopping and dining, or just finding a peaceful spot to relax, kick back, and breathe in some fresh sea air.
Once an important port for the timber and dairy industries, these days Ulladulla’s impressive harbour is home to a fleet of commercial fishing trawlers. It sit right on the Princes Highway, and the towns of Milton, Burrill Lake, Mollymook and Narrawallee are nearby. Ulladulla is the commercial and retail centre for the region so you’ll have no trouble finding shops, restaurants and things to do.
One Track for All.
Why you’ll love it
Find a spot overlooking the beautiful harbour and savour some fresh seafood and chips. There are take-away shops in the main street and surrounds. If eating in a restaurant is more your thing, then you have plenty of options Ulladulla Schnitzel and Oyster Bar comes highly recommended. Ulladulla Indian Restaurant and Carlo’s Italian Ristorante Bar & Seafood are other popular favourites.
Ulladulla is the perfect spot for fishing, swimming and surfing and there is a lovely ocean pool near the harbour to enjoy in the warmer weather.
Do some shopping – there are several galleries, surf shops and other retailers in the main shopping area. Here’s a listing of what’s in the area.
Go for a heritage walk. The walk to Warden Head and the lighthouse has been redeveloped and has lots of interesting information panels that tell you about what’s around. Keep an eye out for colourful bird life on this walk.
We also like the Coomie Nulunga Cultural Trail which is on the southern headland and takes you down to Rennies Beach. The walk features detailed, hand-painted “dreaming posts” which provide information about local plants and animals.
One of our favourites is One Track for All, which winds around the northern headland and has wonderful Aboriginal carvings that tell the story of the region.
If the weather isn’t being friendly and you have kids in tow, Funland has been offering a memorable indoor fun experience for decades. There are dodgem cars, laser skirmish, video games, soft play, rides, a photo booth and plenty of other activities kids will love.
One of the walking tracks to explore on the northern headland.
During whale watching season, the headlands are the perfect spot to keep an eye out for whales.
Pigeon House Mountain (Didthul) isn’t far away if you are up for a challenging but spectacular walk.
Getting there
The quickest way to get Ulladulla from Canberra is to take the Kings Highway through Queanbeyan, Bungendore and Braidwood. When the Kings Highway meets the Princes Highway just outside Batemans Bay, turn left and follow it north for around half an hour. You’ll see signs to Ulladulla as you go, and the town is right on the highway so there’s no missing it.
When to go
Check out the events calendar for markets, festivals and shows that happen regularly through the year.
The Blessing of the Fleet festival has been held regularly most Easter Sundays since 1956.
The tradition originated Italy and has been continued by the present-day fishing community. The religious ceremony also features fireworks displays over the harbour and markets on Easter Monday.
Key details
- Duration: the drive from Canberra takes around 2 hrs 45 minutes.
- Distance from Canberra: around 200 kilometres from the CBD.
- More information: Visit NSW: Ulladulla
There’s lots to see in the Ulladulla area, with something for just about everyone. We particularly love picking up fresh prawns from Lucky’s Freshest Seafood in Deering Street, and eating them by the water. Do you have a favourite activity to enjoy in Ulladulla?
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