5 Organic Adventures in the Shoalhaven

With ‘organic’ no longer just a buzzword but a viable way of life, there are plenty of options offering an all-natural experience while you’re visiting the Shoalhaven region. We’ve naturally selected five of our favourites:

Organic coffee fix: Treehouse Cafe

If caffeine is your thing, you’ll love the trail you can blaze across the Shoalhaven – sampling many organic delights along the way. A highlight is Ulladulla’s Treehouse Cafe, a popular family-run wholefoods spot with ethical, humanitarian and sustainable practices at its core. 

Their direct trade, organic Art of Espresso ‘Kombi Blend’ beans make the finest coffee around! Its peppery chocolate base, malty and nutty overtones with a brown sugar and honeycomb sweetness are sure to satisfy. 

STAY AT: At Holiday Haven Ulladulla 

Organic lunch: Milk Haus

Situated in an old cheese factory from the early 1900s, Milk Haus is a wholefoods café passionate about delivering “fresh, honest, simple fare – free of toxins, preservatives & anything artificial”. Now, that’s a mantra we can all get behind!

The site is an actual working farm, allowing them to start from the ground up in preparing delicious dishes from farm ingredients as well as making good use of other produce sourced from local farmers, fishermen, gardeners and artisans – all while being respectful to the land and its inhabitants. This includes a thorough approach to recycling and composting, avoiding landfill where possible to create as light a footprint as possible.  

STAY AT: Nearby Holiday Haven Lake Conjola

Organic browsing: White Earth & Bundya

Located in Huskisson, the White Earth boutique store offers products that inspire people to reduce the toxic load on their bodies by switching out chemically laden products to more natural alternatives. All ingredients of their natural skincare products have been verified as safe for bodies and our environment, are cruelty-free and Australian-made. Likewise, their clothing brands are ethically made with the majority using natural fibres. 

At nearby Vicentia, Bunya Wholefoods is a retail eco store where you can stock up on a range of organic bulk dry goods — nuts, seeds, spices, flours, grains, dried fruits and teas — alongside plastic free and zero-waste lifestyle products including bamboo toothbrushes, cotton produce bags, glass/stainless steel containers, silicone bowl wraps, menstrual cups, sunscreen, lip balms and more.

STAY AT: Nearby Holiday Haven Huskisson Beach or White Sands

Organic wine: Lyrebird Ridge Winery

As well as providing a quaffable experience through its sustainable wine selection, this special spot on 16 hectares of land between Nowra and Kangaroo Valley is also a surprisingly fulfilling destination to take the whole family – with its small farm boasting itself as the ‘ideal playground for city kids who need a little time in nature’.

Lyrebird Ridge has been in operation since 1994 and makes its wine from organically grown grapes. This means that the grapes are all hand-picked, and basket-pressed and enjoy no added preservatives throughout the process. Their pet-friendly cellar door is open Friday, Saturday and Sunday (other days by request), with Chambourcin a popular variety to sip in this truly natural setting.

STAY AT: Nearby at Holiday Haven Kangaroo Valley

Organic dining: Bangalay

Bursting onto the scene in spectacular fashion, this Shoalhaven Heads destination provides a sublime dining experience that showcases some of the best flavours in the region. It’s a must-do treat during your stay!

Local growers and suppliers feature heavily in Bangalay’s menu, with an abundant choice of sustainable and organic producers to select from. These include best-practice and regenerative farms for beef, chicken, duck, lamb and pork, all-natural egg and dairy producers, plus seasonal vegetables sourced from Strong Organics – a small certified local grower based in the rich soils of Terara. What a naturally wonderful way to end the day!

STAY AT: Holiday Haven Shoalhaven Heads