Visit the Sapphire Coast, Australia

Named after the sparkling colour of the sea, this region offers much for fans of the great outdoors and stretches from Eden near the Victorian border to Bermagui, just six hours south of Sydney.

The Bega Valley, famous for its rich dairy farming, is the main hub and has a softly rolling landscape which cradles many small villages.

Merimbula has miles of white sands and a beautiful lake lagoon and is an ideal stop for a night or two.

In Tilba Tilba time appears to have stood still and as well as being an area renowned for cheese, there are a number of craft workshops to be explored.

The reserve of Montague Island is a sanctuary for seabirds, seals and penguins and is easily reached from Tilba Tilba on a guided cruise.

The town of Eden, on Twofold Bay, has a deep and long relationship with whales and the skeleton of the legendary Orca, ‘Old Tom’, lies in The Killer Whale Museum. Whale, dolphin, seal and penguin watching are high on the agenda as this coast is one of the best places for viewing.