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It’s the first Thursday of autumn, and the weather has taken note – casting a thick blanket of grey across the sky. It mutes the sunlight and wraps the hills in stillness. Down a bush-shrouded track just minutes from the coast, we find Worrowing: a hillside property dotted with rustic wooden huts and clusters of gum trees that reach their elegant, ageless shapes into the sky. We find our hut at the end of a boardwalk that curls around the lake, pour a bottle of local wine and set up camp on the deck that reaches over the water. Swallows swoop to drink and ducks cut lines through the surface, painting nature’s pattern. The air smells of eucalyptus, laced with the layered orchestra of frogs and crickets and the thud of kangaroo tails on damp earth as they bound through the rain-jewelled fields.
Why stay at Worrowing?
Home to a stunning homestead with formal gardens, and accommodation to sleep up to 41 guests, the 250-acre estate is often occupied by wedding parties for exclusive use. The historic property, hidden in the hills just a few minutes drive from the sparkling white shores of Jervis Bay, is a popular wedding destination for locals and Sydneysiders seeking an idyllic countryside location for tying the knot.
And while it would be a particularly special place to celebrate a milestone, this charming farmstay is a delightful base for a south coast getaway regardless of the occasion.
With accommodation options ranging from repurposed stables to deluxe villas (with capacities for between two and nine guests), you’ve got options for every group size, with rates starting at $390 per night for a two-person lake hut.
What are the rooms like at Worrowing?
Perched above the lake in a tree-studded pocket of the property, our room was one of three lake huts: compact, carefully-designed studios suspended above the water. Heroing the surrounding environment, the décor in the lake huts is clean and minimalistic: long, thin windows run along the bottom edge of the wooden walls, revealing the gently rippling surface of the lake below.
Like the interior aesthetic, outdoor furniture is simple and understated: a table and chairs wait on the balcony overlooking the lake, and there’s a Webber barbecue by the entrance for your lakeside feast. Inside, you’ll find a coffee machine in the small, compact kitchenette, and a bathroom complete with shower, hairdryer, locally-made toiletries and a good supply of fluffy towels. There’s everything you need and nothing you don’t, which seems in-keeping with the ethos: a place to celebrate what really matters.
If you’re looking for a larger base for your South Coast escape, Worrowing is also home to a converted stable block (sleeps four), a house that sleeps nine and several other cottages that sleep between two and four guests.
Where to eat near Worrowing
With most of the accommodation options (bar the lake huts) fully equipped with stove tops and ovens, it would be tempting to eat at Worrowing for every night of your stay: settle in with a bottle of wine, cook up a feast with veggies foraged from the local markets, and spend the rest of the night around the fire pit.
If you’re looking for somewhere to eat nearby, Huskisson (11 minutes by car) has something for everyone: Wildginger Huskisson for exceptional Asian fusion, Pasta Buoy for handmade pasta, Huskisson Hotel for pub classics overlooking the water and a high street lined with all of your other holiday faves (pizza, Thai food, Indian curries – you name it).
You’ll also find a good range of great cafés along Huskission’s main street: our faves are Jervis Bay Coffee Co for coffee overlooking the water, Salty Joe's for a healthy smoothie and 5 Little Pigs for on-point scrambled eggs.
What to do in the area
The Shoalhaven region is a place I keep on going back to: a dreamy pocket of rolling hills, secluded beaches and beloved sleepy beach towns. Just 11 minutes’ drive from Worrowing, Huskisson is one of the busier towns in the region: complete with an abundance of cafés, a bustling craft brewery and a good selection of shops selling holiday essentials (everything from sunscreen and beach balls to designer linens and natural fragrances). Huskisson is also home to an adorable cinema (Huskisson Picture House) screening a carefully curated program of new(ish) releases and beloved classics from the canon.
Keen to get moving? The surrounding natural parkland boasts hundreds of stunning hiking trails, there are plenty of watersports hire centres in the area (you’ll find Jervis Bay Kayaks in the centre of town) and Woebegone will get you under the water with their incredible freediving and scuba diving tours.
With its world-class beaches (Hyams Beach is famed for having the whitest sand in the world) and seemingly endless stretches of rich, native bushland, the region is a beloved tourist spot for very good reason. While it’s not as shiny as the more well-known Byron Bay, its natural beauty is on par, its dining scene is on the up, and the relative lack of fame results in (slightly) fewer crowds and a dreamy, slow-paced energy.
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If you’re looking for an idyllic venue for a big group getaway, add Worrowing to your list: the historic estate is made for big group takeovers.
The key details:
You’ll find Worrowing Estate at 81 The Wool Road, Worrowing Heights, NSW, 2540.
Rooms start at $390 per night for a two-person lake hut. You can learn more and book over here.
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