Wild and tranquil, South Durras treats the weary city worker with cuddly kangaroos, cackling kookaburras and endless beaches dusted with sugar-white sands.
South Durras is just a handful of kilometres North of Bateman's Bay on the NSW South Coast.
While it is technically not a part of the Sapphire Coast, the water surrounding the area glistens with a cool palate still very much worthy of the name and offers much the same experience - peace and quiet.
I'd go on to talk about finding a resonant harmony of the mind, body and spirit with your surroundings, but that true sense of peace can be obtained almost anywhere and is an entirely inner mindful resolution.
This was just a pleasing little getaway.
'The Shack' offers quaint seclusion and a homely outdoor dunny.
Don't let the bathroom facilities put you off. This was the best part of 'The Shack'. It was charming and offered a unique experience. The evening we stayed [23 June] was pretty cold. The air temperature fell into single digits (Celsius). As a result, you can imagine my reluctance to brave the cold even for just the few moments to disrobe and shower. Hayley did though. And she loved it.
I took my turn the following morning. It was glorious. When you take a hot shower in cold temperatures and see all the water vapour swirling about in the air, you can't help but feel entranced. Underfoot, instead of tiling, our hosts chose to concrete the shower space adding coloured glass stones in a colourful mosaic-style pattern possibly influenced by Aboriginal art.
Many a creative moment occurs in the shower for me. It's the only time during my waking hours when I'm forced to put down my phone.
As the sun began to dip after we unpacked, we tied our laces and walked down to the resort.
Big 4 resorts are aimed at families and grey nomads. However, at this time of the year the wintry weather drives the greys to more joint-friendly climates, while families are busy watching Disney movies and crafting on weekends in onesies.
The Big 4 Murramarang Holiday Park was about a ten minute walk down the road from our residential retreat. It was ghostly quiet.
As we strolled past a notice board sharing the evening's entertainment, it starred blankly back at us. We kept walking along as Hayley recounted times she had stayed here as a child. During the warm months, you can hear a litany of children's cries to "Watch me! Watch me!" as they escaped the restraints of their bmx training wheels in front of applauding mothers. You can smell the salt waft on the hot summer breeze and you're assaulted by the sight of middle-aged overweight men wearing budgie smugglers holding a stubbie of New complaining how they just busted another pair of double pluggers.
A chilling breeze tickled the fronds of the palms as they guarded the frigid pool. I didn't actually check the temperature of the water first hand lest I be scolded by the manager. After all, we weren't guests of the resort.
Keep walking. The beach awaits.
I noticed something peculiar in the distance. It appeared a woman was patting a kangaroo. Now, I've lived in Australia my entire life and I'm not unfamiliar with our wildlife. I didn't grow up on a farm, but I've seen enough roadkill to know that Australians and wildlife don't have the best relationship. And this wasn't a zoo. It's a National Park. Kangaroos typically do not behave this way, so I thought she was either feeding it or had some special rescue relationship with it.
We walked closer. By the time we reached the kangaroo, the woman had already departed back to her cabin. I slowly approached the roo. It didn't baulk. It didn't retreat. I asked Hayley to move in for some photos. She was hesitant to touch it, worried it might bite or kick her.
It was time to prove I had some semblance of manlihood within me. I calmly touched the nonchalant, innocent, fluffy-looking marsupial. It's fur was smooth and softer than I could have imagined. The sensation was addictive and I found myself not wanting to stop. I could easily have accommodated a good kanga-kuddle at this point.
At this closeness, I could see it's long eyelashes and twitching nose. It's mouth contorted about as it gnawed on the grass. Getting this close to trusting innocence only reinforced my daily choices as a vegan.
Hayley got somewhat closer but decided against touching the kangaroo (wallaby?).
It was very odd being able to get this close to a wild animal. I'd say it had a lot to do with human familiarity. Having this trust imbues an extra level of responsibility on our part (keep children away unless closely supervised and do NOT feed under any circumstance) to keep them reliant upon themselves for food and survival.
The B-52's hit song could have been playing upon our arrival and it would not have been weird.
You've seen the shower and toilet, but how was the rest of our stay? It's best to be honest and constructive bearing in mind that any experience is subjective.
What I loved.
The cozy space.
Ample additional blankets and heating options.
Outdoor setting positioned under an awning.
Full kitchen including fridge, oven and microwave.
Tea, coffee and sugar available.
Chocolate in the fridge!
Decent wifi connectivity.
The bushy view from the shower.
While showering, you're treated to views beyond the corrugated water tanks of eucalypt forest, foreground palms and the sweet twitter of birdlife.
Opportunities.
- A fluffy rug between the bed and kitchen would have been a welcomed buffer between my feet and the icy cold floor.
- Sadly, the mattress on the bed isn't top quality. It was very metallic and the springs could be felt. Hayley had a rough night, while I seemed to sleep ok. It could be improved cheaply by adding a thick foam layer for extra support and softness. A more long term solution would be to buy another mattress. Gorgeous bedding, though! I'm quite partial to calming blues.
Things to note.
They're on tank water, so you can't have long showers. Get in, wash, rinse, spend one minute savouring the hot water, then turn off the taps.
The electricity trips if you've decided to get a bit eager on heating and cooking. Turn the heater off while you're boiling the kettle or using the microwave.
Bring a book or your iPad. There isn't a television and it is fine. Was there no aerial connection in 'The Shack' or was it a deliberate choice? I never asked.
Take your time along the coast. It's pretty and deserved of your attention.
Driving down the coast to South Durras from Wollongong took us around four or five hours including all our beach walking and lunch stops. If you drove directly, it takes around two hours and thirty minutes.
We wanted to have a cheap and relaxing weekend with little interest in going out for dinner. We brought a lot of our own food with us, including spaghetti and red sauce for dinner. We did pick up some grocery items for lunches and snacks at Kiama on the way down.
Some wholemeal rolls, avocado, tabbouleh, salad, hummus and some Tofurky snags made a terrific, hearty lunch.
A short stop within Jervis Bay Territory.
Hyams Beach is within the Jervis Bay Marine Park and was around the halfway point on our roadtrip down to South Durras.
Sitting and starring is completely understandable. You'll be free from the swarms of tourists that flock to major tourist attractions. Idyllic and picturesque vantage points from grassy patches overlooking crystalline seascapes are as abundant in this region as McDonald's restaurants are on Manhattan island.
We thought we would leave our own mark on the scribbly gums before we left JBT. It isn't the brightest thing to do - especially if everyone starts hacking into the tree life. Take only photographs, leave only footsteps (and the rare child-friendly etching on a tree).
For more information and reviews, visit 'The Shack' at South Durras on Airbnb.
See you later, travellers.
All the best,
Nick.
Please UPVOTE this post if travel articles inspire you. Your vote keeps me writing my best content.
All content is original and belongs to @nickmorphew. [25 June 2018]
Disclosure: This article was not a paid promotion and was not self-upvoted. Nor were there any affiliate links.
I’m looking for an artist to cover my fantasy adventure saga, Adventures in Elowyn Glade. Click the link!