Bimbimbi House Over looking the Bermagul river New South Wales

General Visiting

Bimbimbi HouseBimbimbi House Over looking the Bermagul river

For peace and quiet you can't go past this spot on the NSW South Coast. Bimbimbi house is situated two kilometers from the township of Bermagui. Sitting on a hill above the Bermagui River.Close to Bermagui is Wallaga Lake, one of the state's largest coastal lakes and a place of special significance to the Dyirringany Aboriginal people.

Close to Bermagui is Wallaga Lake, one of the state's largest coastal lakes and a place of special significance to the Dyirringany Aboriginal people.

Billy Connolly knows a good thing when he sees it. The comedian fell in love with Bimbimbi House on the NSW South Coast when filming The Man Who Sued Go and chose to stay there wile on location

It wasn't just the charm of the original old homestead or the rambling Edna Walling-inspired gardens which hooked him; it was the local bird life.

With more than 70 species of birds in the area, it's a great place for bird watchers and early mornings can be something of a hallelujah chorus of kookaburras, whipbirds and lyrebirds.

I even glimpse a female koel, a large cuckoo rarely seen but well known for its loud repetitive calls, which are particularly noticeable in the morning.

Set on a high hill overlooking the Bermagui River, much of the property is a pure stand, of spotted gum forest and it is enchanting to sit in the garden or on the balcony in the late afternoon and watch the sun streaming through the trees. If you listen carefully, you'll also hear the surf pounding on the beach below. Despite all these natural sounds, there is a wonderful stillness to the place throughout most of the day something which Connolly also must have appreciated.

A long winding driveway studded with spotted gums and agapanthus leads to the house. Built in the 1940's, the Southern Highlands-style weatherboard house exudes old-worn charm.

Main Bedroom in Guest HouseThe Riverview Suite, where I stayed, is self-contained with a 1940's-style kitchen (complete with vertical glass louvres), a bathroom, laundry, lounge and dining area and two spacious double bedrooms.

There's also an old-worldly cottage and a smaller garden suite, both with breathtaking views over Jaggers Bay.

The garden is tendered by the owners: there are chooks sheep, a goat and a couple of randy male ducks to entertain you.

In a vegetable patch at the back a variety of things are grown, some of which (such as the rhubarb)end up in your fridge for breakfast.

The Brays who are caretakers of the property, have lived here for 20 years and are a veritable mine of information.

Peter Bray, a former film producer, is a great raconteur, who peppers the conversation with the names of local identities such as Jane Turner (of Kath and Kim Fame) who has holidayed in the area for years,
the finn Brothers, political activist Helen Caldicott, Neilma Gantner and architects Philip Cox and Daryl Jackson, who own properties nearby.

Five minutes down the hill is the little fishing town of Bermagui, really no more than a strip of shops. Deep sea and big-game fishing is a popular pastime, especially when marlin and yellow fin tuna are close to the coast.

Foodies will be delighted by Cream, a new patisserie with excellent coffee, Gelato and two good restaurants (Morrisons and Saltwater).

Five minutes from the shops is the heavenly Blue Pool, an ocean pool set into dramatic coastal rocks where keen swimmers can do laps while enjoying the wild ocean spray. Come here on a sunny day and you'll understand why this sublime coastline is called the Sapphire Coast.

There's plenty to do and see in the area especially if you're keen on water sports and bushwalking. Eight kilometres south of Bermagui is Cuttagee Lake, another good fishing and swimming spot.

Not far down the road is the Mimosa Rocks National Park, a 17 km stretch of beaches, rocky coves, spotted gum forests, historic wooden bridges and coastal lakes and estuaries.

Here, overlooking the upper Wapengo Lake, you'll find Georgina's Cucina, where you can lunch, take a cookery lesson and have a few laughs. Run by well-known , local chef Gerogina Adamson, it's part of the Art, Fine Food and Natural Wonders trail that takes in the Mimosa winery
and a number of classy art and sculpture galleries.

Georgina has held classes in her large open kitchen for the past five years, and one of her passions is to identify and make use of locally grown produce.

She goes around with a basket collecting fresh herbs and fruits and vegetables, you will often see her own your trip.

If you are an oyster eater, you will find the oysters from the lake are just sensational and a must.

The road from Bermagui through the national Park to Tathra and Merimbula has only been sealed for five years and the area is still relatively unknown.

Just like Billy Connolly, you'll recognise this unspoilt jewel when you see it. The Main house at dusk