You have 48 hours in South Coast...

Looking for whales, dolphins and seals? Cosy accommodation instead of hotels, eateries serving local produce, and over 100 white sand beaches, most of them empty and many filled with friendly kangaroos? Look no further than the New South Wales South Coast in Australia. It seems like another world, considering how unspoilt it is, but is just a few hours from Sydney.

This is a place that you need to explore beach by beach, day after day. But if you have only 48 hours to spend there, here’s what to see and do.

Day 1

Rise early to hit the road. Just two hours south of Sydney is your first stop: HARS (Historical Aircraft Restoration Society) Aviation Museum. Join a general tour for an explanation of the museum’s aviation displays and out-of-use hangars, or book a tour of a B747. The Wing Walk will see you teetering on the aircraft’s wing 16 metres above the tarmac.

For lunch, head for 5th Ave Café, a block from the beach in the sprawling coastal city of Shellharbour. Breathe in the salty sea air in between sips of kombucha tea or flat white, a coffee drink that is an Australian favourite, and bites from a big gourmet burger or a prettily presented health food bowl.

Post meal, slip into the crystal clear, calm waters of the aquatic reserve Bushrangers Bay, or watch the skilled surfers from the grass or beach at surf spot The Farm in Killalea State Park.

Pairing well: Go for a food and wine tasting tour at the Silos Estate

Wiping off your sandy feet, hop back in the car to drive 30 minutes south and inland to the quaint country town of Berry. Stop at the winery Silos Estate. Gape at its grazing resident alpacas before ducking into its Cellar Door for a wine and local food tasting session in its outdoor courtyard. Take in the rolling green scenery and warm sunshine as you make your way through cheeses, meats and antipasto paired with award-winning wines.

Then it’s back to the coastline to Shoalhaven Heads, home to Bangalay Luxury Villas. Drop your bags in one of their 16 apartments and cool off in the forest-shaded outdoor pool before getting ready for dinner. You won’t need to travel far: Bangalay Dining, serving Australian fare with ingredients from local suppliers, is just at the far end of the resort.

Day 2

With so much still to do and see in the South Coast, you’ll again want to wake early to hit the road. Less than an hour south of Shoalhaven Heads is the town of Huskisson in Jervis Bay. On the way down, swing by the locals’ favourite Hyper Hyper café in inland town Nowra for an Italian-style espresso.

Foreign accents: The Quarters Huskisson serves Australian food with a Mediterranean and Asian twist

Continue on to Huskisson for breakfast at Pilgrims, a vegetarian café. Tuck into a sourdough bread topped with a generous dollop of smashed avocado and drizzled with lemon juice or buckwheat pancakes sprinkled with berries, as you take in the area’s white sandy banks and aquamarine waters. It’s these waters you’ll be hitting next for a boat tour with Dolphin Water Cruise.

If you’re here between May and November, opt for a whale watch cruise. Between November and April, book a seal watch. The company’s dolphin-spotting cruise is a year-round activity, and easily their most popular. On it, you’ll get an introduction to Jervis Bay, and a guaranteed sighting of its resident pod of 80-120 bottlenose dolphins. If you’re lucky you’ll catch them showing off, vessel-side.

For lunch, make your way to The Quarters Huskisson, just a block from where your cruise will dock. Housed in a 100-year-old cottage, the new restaurant serves modern Australian cuisine with a Mediterranean and Asian twist — think chargrilled eggplant with red miso and crispy pork belly with nahm jim (a Thai dipping sauce) and apple sauce.

After your meal, it’s time to hit the beach. Said to have the whitest sand in the world, Hyams Beach is one of the major tourist attractions of the South Coast. If you’re here on a summer weekend, there’s a good chance you’ll find yourself at a standstill near it, for everyone will be scanning for a parking spot.

Sea level: Book yourself a tent on the beach with inflatable loungers

Only two beaches away — Chinamans Beach is in between — is Greenfield Beach, or slightly further away, Murrays Beach. Hyams Beach Hampers will set up and dismantle a blanket, a V-shape canvas tent and inflatable loungers. At the Greenfield Beach picnic area, stroll the 2.5-km loop of White Sands Walk, keeping your eyes peeled for birds and dolphins.

You’ll want to give yourself enough time for the drive back to Sydney — it’ll take nearly three hours.

Sangeeta Kocharekar is a freelance journalist based in Sydney

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