Bundeena

Bundeena is literally sitting pretty on the fringes of the Royal National Park. It's the sort of place where even people in a hurry seem to be in slow motion. Begin your journey to Bundeena by taking the Heritage-listed M.V. Curranulla ferry across from Cronulla to explore Bundeena's curve of beach and bushland.

Regarded as one of the jewel's in Sydney's south, Bundeena has rapids, caves, waterfalls, swimming holes and a creative community that remains inspired by a rugged landscape rendered beautiful by brute force. You can see examples of this inspiration in the tucked-away township nudging the 'Nasho' when 26 resident artists flings open their doors for the Art Trail, on the first Sunday of every month.

Using Bundeena as your base, you can walk to Monkey Face, where you will find water cascading over a rock face, and ride the rapids at Bonnie Vale where the picturesque Cabbage Tree Basin changes with the to-and-fro tango of the tide.

In Bundeena, freedom beckons - be it a picnic at the playground, a moment's quiet contemplation as you paddle up-river in a kayak or an afternoon spent enjoying having an entire swathe of beach to yourself.

What you will notice in Bundeena is that there is a real flourish of pride from the residents who lay claim to living in one of Sydney's most sought-after watery playgrounds.

The tranquil village has many quiet corners where you will feel that sense of neighbourhood pride as you follow the directions of locals as they point you toward the Aboriginal rock carvings that have been cordoned off for preservation, the café where they like to go for coffee and the heritage walking trail that directs visitors around places of interest.

During winter, you can sometimes spot whales from the cliff tops on the Coast Track, just east of Bundeena. And it's from awe-inspiring vantage points such as this that Bundeena seems the furthest you can get from Sydney while still being within its borders.