Road Tripping Part II: Merimbula, Yarra Glen, Metung and Jugiong

Road tripping to Merimbula and beyond. This is the second half of our road trip down the South Coast of NSW into Victoria after closing our beloved shop. The road trip was the perfect way to close that chapter of our lives and give us some space after what was a very emotional time. You can read about the first part of our road trip here.

On route from Bermagui to Merimbula, we stopped off at the Tathra Wharf and had morning tea at The Wharf Local, a fantastic cafe serving excellent food, coffee and other drinks, plus there’s a gallery of local arts and crafts to browse. Next time, I’ll plan to arrive for lunch, as the fish and chips, toasted sandwiches, and salads all looked delicious! As did the mouthwatering selection of cakes, pastries and biscuits.

Our next stop, Merimbula, was chosen because it’s a beautiful town flanked by coastline, and we had friends to visit. We stayed at the Hillcrest Motel because it has the most incredible view, and I had noticed it popping up on travel blogs and Instagram as a great place to stay. Although the motel was built in the 1970s, the rooms have been given a contemporary facelift, and the grounds, including a pool and tennis court, are beautifully maintained. For us, it was all about the view out over the oyster leases and the ocean beyond.

We didn’t eat out a lot during our stay in Merimbula because we caught up with friends on both nights and enjoyed home-cooked dinners at their place. I found an excellent eating out guide for Merimbula on the Australian Traveller website, and our friends confirmed that many of the places on the list were very good. A couple of years ago, I did an excellent 3-day guided walk with Sapphire Coast Guiding Co., which I highly recommend if you enjoy walking and learning about local history, flora, and fauna. They also incorporated lots of local, high-quality produce into our meals. Of particular note was the sourdough fruit and nut bread from Wild Rye’s Baking Co in Pambula, delicious toasted with lashings of local butter. If you’re passing through, I’d highly recommend stopping by for a loaf or two!

We’ll have to visit again to try some of Merimbula’s restaurants and cafes… It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it!

However, we did have a fantastic brunch at Sunny’s Kiosk. It’s located on the top lake with a waters edge position, so the view is ever-changing as birdlife and boats come and go. The day we visited, the sun was shining and the water was sparkling. We would have enjoyed a little more time in Merimbula to hire a boat and explore the waterways.

The view from our table at Sunny’s Kiosk

From the car park at Sunny’s Kiosk, there’s an excellent walk along a boardwalk that juts out over the water in spots, going all the way to the bridge that connects north and south Merimbula. The morning we walked, we saw an oyster farmer checking his lease, and the coastal vegetation along the path was interesting and varied. The mangroves were in flower, and their sweet scent drifted on the breeze. The mountains frame the view in the distance, and the birds sing to you along the way. It’s simply a beautiful place to be. You can continue along the path and walk to Merimbula Wharf overlooking the bay (about 6 km each way from Sunny’s), but you’ll need to cross the main road. Otherwise, return the way you came to Sunny’s to refuel with a delicious breakfast or lunch.

After a couple of lovely days in Merimbula, we jumped back in the car and drove the scenic route and crossed over the border into Victoria. We were headed to Yarra Glen to stay with friends, but broke up the long drive by visiting friends in Chiltern for one night. We were treated to a home-cooked dinner, followed by a show-stopping pavlova with cream and berries for dessert. We shared lots of laughs and caught up on each other’s news since our last meeting.

Onwards to Yarra Glen, where our dear friends have a fantastic kitchen and gift shop, Bake and Gather. If you find yourself in the Yarra Valley, be sure to call in and say hello to Juan and Justine. They are super friendly and are passionate about sharing their love of food and cooking with others through their cooking classes. Their shop is well-stocked with quality products; they are very knowledgeable, and it’s a family-owned business – that gets three big ticks from us! They also offer a wide range of products online, so if you’re looking for gadgets, cookware, or kitchenware, be sure to check them out.

Some other local businesses we can recommend in the Yarra Valley:

• Cunliffe & Waters – we stocked these excellent preserves in our store for at least 15 years, if not longer. Many of you got hooked on the Tomato and Basil pasta sauce, or the Old Tarts sauce – both excellent as a pasta or pizza sauce. We called in to the factory to visit the owner, Simone, who gave us a tour of the kitchen and warehouse. If, like us, you can’t live without Cunliffe & Waters sauces or preserves, you can order online directly. Or, Juan and Justine of Bake and Gather also have a nice selection of Cunliffe & Waters products, and they’d be happy to help you with a mail order.
• Imm Oon Thai – a very delicious Thai meal! There were five of us, so we shared the Betel Leaf, Chicken Satay, Pork Doughnuts, and Curry Puffs to start. For mains, we ordered the Massaman curry and the Red Duck curry, and both were excellent. We also tried the crispy Pork Belly and Ginger stir-fry of vegetables. It sounds like we ordered a lot, but the food was light and tasty, so we managed to clean our plates. If you’ve got room for dessert, the sticky rice comes highly recommended. It’s one of my favourite things to eat, and this version did not disappoint! Imm Oon Thai is located in Lilydale.
• Locavore Studio – I love stopping by here for coffee or lunch when I’m in the YV. I also enjoy browsing the shelves of gourmet food products, including local items, cheeses, cold cuts, and ready-to-eat meals. There’s always a fantastic selection of breads and sweet treats to choose from. Locavore is located in Lilydale.
• There are lots of excellent wineries, cellar doors, distilleries and brewing houses in the Yarra Valley. However, I do like to visit Domaine Chandon for a glass or two of bubbles and a selection of small plates to snack on, while overlooking the gorgeous vineyard. If you’re interested in gin, Stag Lane Distillery is worth a visit. I also met the owners of Spots Drop Winery, a small, family-owned Yarra Valley vineyard that produces only Pinot Noir, at Bake and Gather. I found a kindred spirit in Erin, who was kind enough to share some excellent recommendations for our next stop, Metung.

Stag Lane Distillery
Photo: Justine Corradi

The BEST pasta sauce!

Full shelves at Locavore Studio
Photo: Locavore Studio

On our trip north, heading towards home, we ventured into Metung, a relaxed village nestled on a narrow peninsula on the Gippsland Lakes between Bairnsdale and Lakes Entrance. Perhaps it’s our time spent living by the water that makes any place located on or near water feel like coming home. We felt very comfortable here with water all around us. Metung is surrounded by natural beauty, with the Lakes and bushland.

We’d heard about the Metung Hot Springs and decided to book a session for the afternoon after a day in the car. This was an excellent idea! The Hot Springs are located on a parcel of land overlooking the Lakes, so the views are stunning. There’s a variety of pools to soak in, of various temperatures, including the popular wine barrels at the very top of the property, which boast spectacular views. You could easily while away a couple of hours going between the different areas in the park.

We stayed in a holiday apartment close to the harbour and dined both nights at the Metung Hotel. It’s one of those iconic hotels, like our Pacific Hotel in Yamba, that seems to gather people from all walks of life. It’s located overlooking the boats and the water, which is a drawcard in itself. The food was also excellent; I chose the whole flounder with herbed butter and crispy potatoes on both nights – it was beautifully cooked and delicious. A glass of Pikes Riesling was a perfect accompaniment. The menu offers a good variety and caters to most diners.

Be sure to stop by The Local Metung for a tub of their homemade ice cream. We sampled the Metung Honey and Sea Salt – smooth, creamy, and delicious – as we strolled along the foreshore to watch the sunset. Their pizzas looked tasty too.

The next morning, we took a lovely walk on the boardwalk, which hugged the shoreline, stopping now and then to watch the black swans tip upside down to feed. We also rented a boat for a few hours to explore the area by water. It was lovely to see boats with family and friends enjoying time together in a beautiful setting. We thoroughly enjoyed Metung and vowed to return one day.

Lots of black swans call Metung home.

Our last stop on the way home was Jugiong, situated on the banks of the Murrumbidgee River. We had heard about the famous Long Track Pantry and the Sir George Hotel, a historic pub that has undergone a thoughtful renovation. Both are located next door to each other, along with a handful of other foodie businesses.

The rooms at the Sir George are spacious and beautifully decorated, and the breakfast hamper left in the room was impressive. It included a loaf of house-baked sourdough, Pepe Saya butter, Long Track Pantry jams, fresh berries and yoghurt.

We had dinner in the hotel’s restaurant; there’s also fabulous outdoor seating, and lots of cosy rooms inside to sit and sip a glass of wine and enjoy some good food. We shared the 12-hour lamb shoulder with sides of roasted carrots and beans; everything was delicious! There was too much food for the two of us, but the team kindly packed up the leftovers, which we enjoyed the next day.

The next morning, we stopped by the Long Track Pantry to pick up some excellent gourmet foods and did some shopping in the well-stocked boutique and gift shop. It truly is a gem and a one-stop shop that has helped put Jugiong on the map.

We stopped in Sydney to visit family and break up the drive home. The M1 from Sydney to Yamba was a tad boring after all the scenic back roads we’d been driving on, but sometimes you want to get from A to B as quickly as possible. As much as I love travelling, there’s no place like home. Crossing over the Shallow Channel and looking out over the water on both sides signals that we’re home, in this special place called Yamba.

Thanks for reading, and I hope you’re inspired to take a road trip soon!