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Voykit pocket guide · Australia
Nowra and Bomaderry
Base here 1–2 nights only if you have a car: the town is a supply stop, the beaches and Jervis Bay are 20–40 min away.
Nowra is the service centre of the Shoalhaven, 163 km south of Sydney, and Bomaderry across the river holds the railway station. The town centre itself is a shopping strip away from both the river and the coast; the reason to stop is the surrounding coast, Jervis Bay and Kangaroo Valley. Without a car you are limited to the strip and the museum.
- Country
- Australia
- Best months
- Sep–Nov, Mar–May
- Avoid
- Dec–Jan (school holidays, heat, bushfire risk)
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- AUD
- Money
- Currency is the Australian dollar (AUD, A$). Contactless cards and phones are accepted almost everywhere, including public transport in the big cities; some small cafes are card-only.
- Daily spend
- Budget A$90–140 excl. bed · Mid A$150–230 excl. bed · High A$250+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Telstra has the widest outback coverage; Optus and Vodafone (TPG) are cheaper and fine in cities and along highways.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 000 · From mobiles 112 · NSW Rural Fire Service bushfire information 1800 679 737
- Plugs
- Types I · 230 V · 50 Hz · Angled two- or three-pin Type I, shared with NZ, Fiji and China; sockets have their own switch — turn it on.
- Tipping
- Cafés and casual meals: Nothing; a tip jar is optional.; Restaurants: Not expected; 10% for very good service in a nice restaurant if you wish.; Taxi / rideshare: Round up or nothing.; Tours and guides: Optional; A$10–20 for a great day guide.; Surcharges: Weekend and public-holiday surcharges of 10–15% are legal if shown on the menu.
- Water
- Tap water is safe in cities and towns; in remote places use signed drinking taps. Carry plenty on any outback drive or walk.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets in parks, beaches, shopping centres and petrol stations (servos); the National Public Toilet Map app lists them.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | A$4.50–6 |
| Counter lunch or pub meal | A$18–30 |
| Noodle soup | A$14–20 |
| Beer: schooner in a pub / six-pack at a bottle shop | A$7–10 / A$18–24 |
| Fuel, unleaded | A$1.70–2.10 per litre (check) |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | A$20–40 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- SYD · Sydney Kingsford Smith
- About 2 h 30 min–3 h 30 min by train via Kiama, or about 2 h by car on the M1/A1.
Typical fares
- Train Sydney Central → Bomaderry
- about A$12 on Opal, 3–3.5 h via Kiama (check)
- Bus Bomaderry → Nowra
- about A$4, extra fare on top of the train (check)
- Taxi Nowra CBD → Bomaderry station
- about A$20–25 (check)
Get around
A car is close to essential: the sights sit outside the centre and local buses run only a few times a day. The centre has painted cycle lanes on the Princes Highway; the lanes south of the river toward Comerong Island and Greenwell Point are better for riding. Bolong Road north of the river has fast traffic and narrow shoulders.
See and do
Known for
- Fleet Air Arm Museum
- Shoalhaven River
- Gateway to Jervis Bay and Kangaroo Valley
- Shoalhaven Zoo
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Jervis Bay and Huskisson | Drive via the A1 and Jervis Bay Road, or coach from Nowra | About 30–40 min |
| Currarong | Drive south-east via Culburra Road | About 40–50 min |
| Berry | Drive north on the A1, or train to Berry station | About 20–25 min |
| Ulladulla | Drive south on the A1 | About 45–55 min |
| Kangaroo Valley | Drive north-west via the B73 | About 30–40 min |
Sleep
- Nowra CBD
- Motels and apartments around Kinghorne St; walkable to shops and the entertainment centre, 3–4 km from the station.Motels and apartments around Kinghorne St; walkable to shops and the entertainment centre, 1.9–2.5 mi from the station.
- Bomaderry
- Next to the train station and the river bridge; best if you arrive by rail without a car.
- North Nowra
- Quieter, near the zoo; needs a car for everything.
- Jervis Bay side (Huskisson, Vincentia)
- 20–40 min drive east; pick this instead if beaches are the point of the trip.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me | Excuse me |
| Thank you | Thanks |
| How much is it? | How much is that? |
| Can I pay by card? | Card OK? |
| Where is the toilet? | Where's the loo? |
| Is it far? | Is it far? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake or 'G'day' / 'How are you going?'; first names from the start; avoid: Formal titles; long answers to 'how are you'
- Rounds: Buy your round ('shout') when drinking in a group; avoid: Leaving before your shout
- Queues: Queue patiently; sitting in the front seat of a taxi when alone is common; avoid: Pushing in — it is noticed
- Country: Listen to Welcomes and Acknowledgements; use local place names when offered; avoid: Touching artefacts or photographing ceremonies without permission
- Beach: Swim between the flags; respect lifesavers' instructions; avoid: Swimming at unpatrolled beaches alone
- Humour: Expect teasing and understatement; laugh along; avoid: Taking dry sarcasm literally or boasting
- Walking and driving: Keep left on footpaths and escalators; wave thanks to drivers who let you in; avoid: Stopping on the road to photograph kangaroos
Scams and watch-outs
- Bushfire risk is real in summer: check the Rural Fire Service app and local alerts before driving into the hinterland.
- The train terminates at Bomaderry, north of the river; a bus crosses the bridge to Nowra for an extra fare.
- Some South Coast Line services show Kiama as the terminus: you change from electric to diesel there, so check the timetable.
- Kangaroos and wombats on rural roads at dusk and dawn.
Low street crime; the real risks are summer bushfire, wildlife on rural roads and swimming at unpatrolled beaches.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Nowra and Bomaderry yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Fleet Air Arm Museum
- Shoalhaven River
- Gateway to Jervis Bay and Kangaroo Valley
- Shoalhaven Zoo
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Transport for NSW — South Coast Line: transportnsw.info/travel-info/ways-to-get-around/train
- Shoalhaven City Council — visitor information: www.shoalhaven.nsw.gov.au/
- Fleet Air Arm Museum: www.navy.gov.au/fleet-air-arm-museum
- Shoalhaven Zoo: shoalhavenzoo.com.au/
- Wikivoyage: Nowra and Bomaderry, revision 5319939 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5319939
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Nowra and Bomaderry
Can you take me to this address, please?
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance000
- From mobiles112
- NSW Rural Fire Service bushfire information1800 679 737
No embassies here; the nearest consulates-general are in Sydney.
English is the only language you need.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/nowra-and-bomaderry). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.