Wanderer’s home is a music adventurer’s dream destination. The festival takes place in lush green fields backdropped by pristine forest. The perfect place to dance under the stars.
Whilst you are here, we encourage you to embrace the Wanderer spirit! Immerse yourself in the magic of the region’s wild coastline, with secluded beaches, pristine estuaries, native forests & ancient landscapes.
Explore the unspoilt beaches in our National Parks, the family-friendly estuaries, the fast running river currents or our lakes and lagoons. Whether you prefer a remote post-festival unwind at a secluded beach, or a convenient dream location to cool off with your tribe, we’ve got you covered!
The festival is located only minutes from The Sapphire Coast’s picturesque Merimbula & Pambula beaches. No matter where you decide to roam, you will encounter abundant wildlife and incredible marine biodiversity.
Are you a Wanderer at heart? The national parks on the Sapphire Coast enjoy a wild unspoilt coastline, fringed by forests and mountains that are home to diverse flora and fauna. Nature lovers’ will be in awe!
Discover the coastline on foot, or head out with a kayak to explore the region’s rich marine life. Perhaps you prefer to go camping, fishing, mountain biking or take a picnic. You are absolutely spoilt for choice here with endless Spring-time adventures.
Rainforest, wetlands & mountain peaks await, with breathtaking cliff top views through melaleuca tunnels, boardwalks over lakes and wetlands and pristine beaches. Visit the Sapphire Coast’s stunning National Parks or try one of the spectacular walks or hikes before or after your festival adventure.
Do you like to embark on a foodie adventure wherever you go? You’ve come to the right place! From simple cafes to stylish contemporary restaurants, there are a swathe of delicious local options to tantalise your tastebuds. Straight from paddock or ocean to your plate. Seafood is fresh from the surrounding waters and produce comes from lush paddocks fringed by national parks.
Delicious local produce is complemented by spectacular ocean, lake, harbour & hinterland views. Indulge in the abundant fresh local produce in restaurants, cafes, on a picnic or from a local market or store. Here are a few of our favourite places to taste the regions’ famed local produce;
Merimbula Wharf is the perfect place to enjoy a meal with 180 degree views of the exquisite turquoise ocean. There’s even an aquarium to view the local tropical marine life. The locals love Dulcie’s Cottage and you will too! A reimagined 1920s cottage serving great burgers, good vibes, drinks and fine tunes to you and your family or mates. Toast Cafe is a unique little meeting place for locals and travellers with a love of flavourful and thoughtful produce and social dining.
Indulge in paddles of passionately crafted local beers and ciders at Longstocking Brewery. Brewed on site, amongst rich, green river flats and rustic buildings in Pambula. A family friendly destination with a petting barn and trail rides. For the gin-lovers out there, North of Eden is a tiny regional distillery producing internationally recognised and award-winning gins. The Cellar Door is a small, laidback space with beautiful views over the rolling green hills of the Bega Valley. Primarily an 18+ venue. Taste the gin-cocktails, buy a bottle, relax in the garden or bring your own picnic!
Valentina presents you dishes of Italian inspired delights, overlooking the beautiful Merimbula Lake. Relaxed and contemporary and perfect for a romantic date. Banksia is a lovely option for fine dining and is operated by award-winning restaurateurs who received a Chef’s Hat in The Good Food Guide for their previous venue Zanzibar. The boutique wine list is as enticing as the layered seasonal flavours of the food they serve.
Wheeler’s Seafood Restaurant specialise in mouth-watering fresh, local seafood and regional produce. Their oysters are to die for! Sourced directly from Wheeler’s Oyster Farm, located in the pristine waters of Merimbula Lake. Oyster lovers should also pop into Oyster Barn, Broadwater Oysters or Tathra Oysters for some freshly shucked delights.
A short drive away in Pambula, Wild Rye’s Bakery is serving up organic sourdoughs, fresh pastries and delicious cakes alongside locally roasted coffee. For those who love a stroll through the local farmer’s markets, you are spoilt for choice on the Sapphire Coast! Explore this market calendar to view market days during your visit.
If you have a bit more time to explore the region, Mimosa Wines is an amazing fine-dining experience, perched in the treetops on a sprawling property. Offering superb local produce, for which they earned a regional hat in the Good Food Guide. The Seahorse Inn is another fine dining destination for lovers of fine wine and fresh local seafood.
Only 20min north of Merimbula, you’ll find the beautiful seaside town of Tathra. Try Fat Tony’s Bar and Grill for quality meals in a relaxed atmosphere,, or Pividori’s for a fancier meal with sweeping views of Tathra beach. This is an idyllic place to sip cocktails at sunset, nestled before the sand dunes to the chorus of seabirds and waves crashing.
Turn back time and ponder the universe at Tathra Wharf, where you can enjoy coffee and a fresh local pastry. Or peruse gorgeous ceramics and artworks made by local artisans.
The Sapphire Coast offers a plethora of activities for explorers, adventurers or chilled-out holidaymakers. Swimming, boating, fishing, mountain biking, hiking, paddle boarding, surfing or relaxing and taking in the wild oasis.
Whale watching is at the top of our list of things to do in Spring! The festival takes place in peak whale season and the Sapphire Coast is one of the few places that whales feed, rest and nurse their young as they complete their long journey, migrating to Antarctica for summer.
The Sapphire Coast has been named Australia’s premier whale watching destination by Australian Geographic. We encourage you to get out on the trails to view this amazing sight from a cliff top or headland, or take an award-winning whale watching charter out to sea.
Goodenia Rainforest Track is a great nature trail for those with children. Discover magnificent temperate rainforest and a lush gully of ferns & understorey species. Listen out for the wonderful calls of the lyrebird or the song of the eastern whipbird.
Visit Sapphire Coast for more information on the abundance of wonderful local producers, fun activities and incredible places along the coastline to explore. There are endless opportunities for adventure and relaxation!
Here’s another great place to find more information for your Spring escape – Merimbula NSW – Plan a Holiday – Accommodation, Beaches & more (visitnsw.com)
Photos courtesy of David Rogers Photography, Sapphire Coast Destination Marketing and the venue owners.
Wanderer Festival acknowledges the people of the Yuin and Monaro nations, for whom music and art making have held a central importance for thousands of generations. We particularly acknowledge the Thaua people of the Yuin Nation as the Traditional Owners of the lands and waters on which this festival takes place. We pay our respects to elders past, present and emerging.
