Canoeing at Sussex InletJewfish Bay looking east

The shopping precinct of Sussex Inlet has everything you could possibly need during your stay. Supermarkets, banks, ATMs, a cinema, boutique stores, holiday letting agencies, doctors, auto service centres, churches, restaurants, cafés and take-away outlets all make Sussex Inlet an unforgettable holiday location. Call in to Thingamabob’s Place for some retail therapy and you will be pleasantly surprised at the excellent quality designer clothing, jewellery and knick knacks on offer.

Surrounded by Swan Lake, the beach and Conjola National Park, the tiny hamlet of Cudmirrah is perfect for some down time. In the local Aboriginal language, Cudmirrah means “home of the swans” – named after the black swans which congregate on the lake. The Sussex Inlet Mens Shed and the progress association spent many hours completing a shared pathway along the edge of the lake from Swanhaven to Cudmirrah which is suitable for all ages, strollers, bicycles and motorized scooters. Bird watching, photography, bushwalking and picnicking are favourite pastimes but for those seeking a more action packed adventure, the lake is open for water skiing, wakeboarding, tubing, knee boarding and jet skiing. Oceanside, Cudmirrah Beach is patrolled by lifeguards through the Summer season and is perfect for surfing, swimming and family fun.

Berrara, an Aboriginal word for “snapper”, is a great place to cast your fishing line. With the choice between the beach and the calm waters of Berrara Creek, there is always a new spot waiting to be discovered. Cast a line in the creek or from the beach or walk to Fishermans Rock picnic area where grinding grooves made by local Aboriginal people many years

ago are visible in the sandstone. Approaching dusk each evening, hundreds of kangaroos and wallabies leave the daytime coolness of adjacent Cudmirrah National Park and feast on the reserves and resident’s lawns. In the early morning you will see them stretched out on the warm tarmac of the local streets; treat them with respect and slow down as they can suddenly decide to cross the road.

Sussex Inlet is the venue for an exciting Family Fishing Carnival, held annually in July, where there are big prizes to be won and lots of fun to be had. The popular flea market, held on the 2nd Saturday of each month, brings the town together with a variety of local produce, crafts and entertainment.

Accommodation venues are wide and varied and will satisfy even the most discerning traveller. Self-contained apartments and cottages, rustic camping areas, waterside holiday parks and beachside chalets all provide a diverse mix for everyone to enjoy. And if you think you have found the perfect sea change, the friendly local real estate agents will be happy to show you around!

Natural Attractions – Starting and ending in Cudmirrah, the 22 kilometre Heath Circuit in Conjola National Park is a signposted, unsealed, purpose built mountain bike trail which can be easily accessed by bike or foot. In Spring there is an abundance of flowering heathland, wattle and banksia; keep a look out for kangaroos and echidnas. Birdwatchers will appreciate the sightings of sea eagles, white-faced herons, sooty oystercatchers, lorikeets, kookaburras, honey eaters and hooded plovers throughout the park and villages.

Monument Beach and the nearby picnic area is the starting point for a walk to the monument of the Walter Hood. A wooden clipper bound for Sydney from London, the Walter Hood struck a reef off Monument Beach in May 1870, losing eleven passengers and crew along with the vessel. The graves of those lost were originally laid close to the beach, but were moved to their current location after bushfires and coastal erosion caused damage to the site. Today, a monument stands here for all to reflect on the trials of that fateful day and offshore, the wreck lies in about ten metres of water and has become a popular dive spot.

27www.maps.com.au