7 Most Peaceful Small Towns In New South Wales
Many of the quiet towns throughout New South Wales have been shaped by ancient geological features, such as volcanic lava flows that have carved seaside blowholes that regularly erupt water in Kiama, or a submarine lava flow in Narooma. There are a multitude of places here to relax with a picnic and take in your surroundings, whether that's on the lighthouse hill of Kiama or a rockside lookout in Leura. If you're traveling to southern Australia and looking for something quieter than Sydney, here are the 7 most peaceful small towns in New South Wales.
Kiama
About two hours south of Sydney is Kiama, an area once filled with lava flows from volcanoes that have since eroded away. That lava has left behind beautiful landmarks that thrill visitors to this day. The most noteworthy feature in this town is the Kiama Blowhole, formed by basalt lava that causes pressure to build in an underground chamber. In the right conditions, such as during high tide, the blowhole can shoot up to 50 liters (13 gallons) of seawater 80 feet into the air. Despite the excitement of this natural phenomenon, the area around the blowhole is a lovely spot for a picnic or walk on the Kiama Coast Walk, where you can spot the Kiama Lighthouse.
Heading further south into the city, you'll see the smaller yet more reliable Little Blowhole, which shoots out water on a more regular basis. After taking in these interesting surroundings, spend some time exploring the cute museums in Kiama. The HRAS Aviation Museum contains historic aircraft used throughout the decades, and the Pilot's Cottage Museum explains the area's maritime history.
Yamba
Yamba is a small coastal town that draws on Australia's surfing culture to make it a family-friendly destination. Atop Pilot Hill, you can look down at the several beaches in Yamba or see Yamba Lighthouse, a white structure that has guided ships into port since 1880. Today, it's a peaceful locale for picnics or watching whales swimming by the shoreline.
Yamba Main Beach is the primary swimming beach, while Turners Beach offers small waves that are ideal for learning how to surf. Paddlers flock to the calm Whiting Beach, while hikers enjoy having access to the Yuraygir National Park. This park connects Yamba and Offs Harbour, and its most visited hike is the 40.3-mile Yuraygir Coastal Walk, which features the longest undeveloped coastline in New South Wales.
Mudgee
New South Wales charm extends beyond the coastline to its interior in small towns like Mudgee. Founded in 1837, Mudgee's population exploded with the discovery of gold in the 1850s, leading to a gold rush in the region. Because of that expansion, Mudgee is an ideal town for a history lover, as many of its original buildings are still intact.
One example is the Mudgee Post Office, built in 1862 and still retaining its colonial charm with a small tower and columned entrances. The Mudgee Museum consists of 60,000 artifacts spread across a historic church, hotel, and slab hut replica, a common, simple Australian dwelling made from slabs of timber. Getting outside in Mudgee, you can find several peaceful art installations, such as Sculptures in the Garden, set against a lush vineyard backdrop.
Byron Bay
Sitting on the northern coast of New South Wales, Byron Bay's rainforests, beaches, and animal watching has long drawn in hippies and artistic types looking for a peaceful place to settle down. That's still the case to this day, with surfers coming out to tackle the waves even early in the morning. The town keeps these surfers and swimmers safe with lifeguards patrolling Main Beach and Wategos Beach throughout the year.
Wildlife viewing is also a common activity in Byron Bay, with whales passing through the region from May to November. Cape Byron Marine Park is the best spot to view these creatures alongside endangered grey nurse sharks or dolphins. Moving away from the beach, you can hike through rainforest trails and up cliffs via the Cape Byron Walking Track or go into the larger Wollumbin National Park, which is part of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia.
Narooma
Narooma's name comes from an Aboriginal word meaning clear blue waters. This suits it perfectly as a coastal town close to the southern border with Victoria, with its turquoise waters on the Wagonga Inlet. Narooma is ideal for surfing, with Narooma Surf Beach facing Montague Island.
A short walk away from the beach is one of the most photographed places in New South Wales: the Glasshouse Rocks. These pairs of ancient rocks stand tall, looking out over the beach. Right by the rocks is an igneous pillow lava formed by lava from an underwater volcano. While visiting, take a tour of Montague Island, where you can see seals, dolphins, whales, seabirds, and adorable penguin colonies.
Leura
Leura sits outside the coast in the beautiful Blue Mountains of New South Wales and thrives on mountainside trails and majestic gardens. Leura is so proud of its gardens that property owners even open their estates in October for the Leura Gardens Festival, allowing residents and visitors to tour their beautiful grounds.
One of the best estates to view is the Everglades House & Gardens. Built in the Art Deco style in 1938, it gazes out into the peaks of the Blue Mountains and is open for tours and tea all year. The best way to see Leura is to go for a hike in the area. For accessible options, there's the Olympian Rock lookout, the Prince Henry Cliff Walk, or the Furber Steps Walk, which goes down Jamison Valley into a rainforest.
Bowral
Bowral was a summer retreat for the gentry class in Sydney, looking to sip wine in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales. But you don't have to be wealthy to appreciate the class and serenity of this rural town. Beautiful vineyards surround the town, including Centennial Vineyards, which comprises 80 acres and produces pinot gris, chardonnay, and other grape varieties.
From September to October, Bowral is filled with more than 75,000 tulips for the Tulip Time Festival, with the festival's central location, Corbett Gardens, open all year. With its position in the highlands, you can travel from town right to the summit of Mount Gibraltar, a collapsed volcanic core that looks out onto the town. Lastly, cricket fans can learn about the legacy of Australian cricket legend Donald Bradman at the Bradman Museum and International Cricket Hall of Fame.
Finding Peace In The Gardens Of Australia
In these towns, you can find gardens of all types to escape into. You can see the residents of Leura maintain literal gardens, or sip wine in the vineyards of Bowral. You can also traverse through "gardens" made not by humans but by Mother Nature, such as the rainforests of Byron Bay, or the extinct volcano of Mount Gibraltar in Bowral. If you come to these peaceful towns, make sure to bring along a lunch so you can have a great picnic with stunning views.
