Who Could Say ‘Neigh’ to Visiting Bermagui’s Horsehead Rock?

15/05/2019Lachy Firmstone

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15/05/2019Lachy Firmstone

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Camel Rock? Horsehead Rock? If you’re a fan of quadrupeds and flaming big rocks, you’re literally going to be in heaven in Bermagui.

We acknowledge that this adventure is located on Yuin Nation, the traditional Country of the Yuin people who have occupied and cared for this land and water for thousands of years. We pay our respects to them as the Traditional Custodians and recognise that sovereignty was never ceded.

Highlights

The drive down the South Coast is stunning
Watching the sunrise behind Horsehead Rock
Golden hour at Camel Rock

Galloping Down to Horsehead Rock

My girlfriend and I decided we’d go away for the long weekend at the very last moment, and one of the last places on the South Coast of NSW with any accommodation left was in Bermagui. A perfect opportunity to see the famous Horsehead Rock if there was ever going to be one!

So we left my place in the Shire early in the morning, and began the long five hour drive south. We stopped for coffee in Kiama, and then again in Berry, before grabbing a bite to eat and a glass of wine at Cupitt’s Winery in Ulladulla. No sponsorship here, they just do terrific froths and whites.

One of the best things about the drive, ignoring the winding roads through towering gum trees, is the number of great excuses for rest breaks.

Our last stop was at about 3pm when we pulled into Pebbly Beach. Quite a few tourists here, but we saw a group of kangaroos spring their way across the sand in the late afternoon sun; which I can’t say I’d ever seen before, despite living in the country for almost 23 years.

After that, we finished the last leg of the drive and found ourselves pulling into Bermagui’s local pub for a chicken parma and a beer before an early night.

Camel Rock for Sunrise

We woke up at 5am to a blaring alarm.

Rubbed the eyes, brushed the hair, tried putting jeans on the right way, and jumped into the car. If you stay in the town, you’ll be a 7-minute drive from Camel Rock, which was terrific for the sunrise session we’d planned.

Park in the small car park for Camel Rock, which fits maybe a dozen cars (no real problem at 5am), and wander down onto the beach. You can’t miss it. It’s the enormous rock jutting out of the ocean which looks exactly like a camel. Go figure.

A word of caution on tides! At low tide, it’s a tad sketchy to walk along the rocks on the coast to see Camel Rock and eventually make your way to Horsehead. At high tide, it’s impossible. Check that the tide lines up with what you want to do there!

Rounding the Corner to Horsehead Rock

For photography, I wanted low tide, so I could get to Horsehead for sunrise. Which is exactly what we did. It’s a five minute walk around the shore of rockpools from Camel Rock to Horsehead Rock.

Horsehead Rock has a presence far too imposing for you to fully appreciate from photos. I knew it was going to be big, but not that big. It’s incredible that these rocks actually look like their names imply, too; it’s not like cloud-spotting when you’re a kid where you need to use all of your powers of imagination.

It’s an incredible piece of Australia’s coastline, and more than worth the long drive south from Sydney.

Personally, I have no interest in seeing the Big Banana or the Big Merino or whatever else we’ve made as tourist attractions; you’d think we were compensating. Go see the big horse instead. There’s less tackiness and more nature. I know I will definitely be going back sometime.