On our way to Pretty Beach Campground, we also stopped by Kangaroo Valley and Berry Town to explore these 2 vibrant, peaceful towns on the South Coast of NSW. I finally had the chance to experience ancient British architecture in Australia. These both are famous tourist spots in New South Wales, Australia with the beautiful green roads down to the valley.
Kangaroo Valley Village
According to 2016 Census, the population in Kangaroo Valley was only 879 people. The village is just 2 hours from Sydney and offers many outdoor activities including kayaking, canoeing, hiking, beach picnics, and more. Once you've had your fill of all of the outdoor activities it's time to explore the boutiques, craft shops, cafes, and tea rooms in the village, and just generally relax. Each of the towns in NSW has different features. Kangaroo Valley town is loaded with boutiques and craft shops. I would say Kangaroo Valley is one of the most unique towns I’ve ever visited during my 2 years staying in Australia. For sure there are much more beautiful cities for me to explore. And I’m not saying this is the most beautiful town in my eyes, but I'm a pretty nostalgic girl, I love things that look old fashioned and vintage. Therefor Kangaroo Valley is my most favorite place in NSW Australia so far.
To get into the town centre, we needed to cross the Hampden Bridge. It is a Gothic wooden suspension bridge built over a cliff measuring 76.8m long and 5.5m wide. Built in 1898 across the Kangaroo River, Hampden Bridge is the oldest and only wooden suspension bridge still in operation in Australia. The river below the bridge is a popular swimming and canoeing spot.
We then drove to Kangaroo town center where we parked the car and walked around. Since this was the beginning of December, there are also a few Christmas decorations in the shops. In the center, all of the shops maintain their ancient architecture, making us feel as if we were in an 80s movie. As what I've known, to build a complete house in the past, they imported all the materials and equipment from England by ship to Australia.
We could only spend a bit of time here because we both were a bit hungry and we’d like to head to Berry to get some food for lunch. Our initial plan was hiring a canoe to discover the Kangaroo River but then we didn’t have enough time. Well, that’s still good! Make us a good reason to come back.
Berry Town Center
It took us only 20 minutes to drive to Berry town center via Kangaroo Valley Road. This charming country town is famous for its gardens, trees, arts, crafts and market. Having been to this lovely small town once on the way back from Canberra last time, and the main attraction that keeps us coming back is the best hot and fresh cinnamon donuts at Berry Donut Van. At the moment I’m writing this post, it’s rated 4.4 stars based on 1.325 reviews on Google. It may seem strange, and you're probably wondering how a food truck selling the standard donuts can be so popular and always busy. Go for it and you will know. Anyone who drives past this busy van will be curious about why there are too many people always gathered around it. From what I have researched, this business started nearly 60 years ago. The Van once travelled around Australia for one year, and then decided that Berry was to become its home.
There are fantastic boutique shops, award-winning restaurants and wineries, popular food producers in the village. It also offers a wide range of outdoor activities for nature lovers, including spectacular scenery, sandy beaches, whale/dolphin watching opportunities, cycling, hiking, kayaking, etc. A dolphin tour was a very interesting experience, which I will write about in my next post.
Berry is an ideal romantic getaway for couples, foodie lovers, family and groups. This little town attracts lots of Sydney visitors every weekend. We did a research just yesterday, and the fact that house prices in Berry are so high when compared to some Sydney suburbs is so surprising. That ridiculously high price comes from the consequence of fast growing demand compared to limited growth in supply. That leads to an undeniable result that Berry is not only a popular destination for tourists, but also a very livable and safe place.
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Wish you have a nice weekend!!