Mollymook

Mollymook is a beach resort holiday destination just north of Ulladulla on the South Coast of New South Wales, Australia, three hours drive south of Sydney, and just over 2 hours from Canberra.

Mollymook is a vibrant, scenic seaside town located between the harbour town of Ulladulla and historic, inland Milton, on the southern New South Wales coast. Its fine, sweeping surf beaches, exceptional golf courses, proximity to a number of natural attractions and easy access from both Sydney (3 hours drive) and Canberra (2.5 hours drive) make it a popular destination for both weekend breaks and longer family holidays. There is plenty to see and do both in the town itself and in the neighbouring areas and there will be something here to appeal to people of all ages, no matter what their interests.

The beaches are renowned for being some of the best the state has to offer - beautiful, clean and safe - making them popular for both swimming and surfing. Surfers travel from near and far to compete in summer carnivals and state and national competitions, of which there are several each year.

The town also has a very good range of accommodation, suiting all budgets and tastes (from 5 star luxury hotels and self-catering complexes to motels and camping grounds). Most options are only seconds away from the golden sands and surf. There are also some excellent restaurants and cafes, offering a range of different cuisines and catering to every budget. The arrival in 2009 of Rick Stein’s restaurant at Bannisters Point has really put Mollymook firmly on the culinary map.

Mollymook’s advantageous position, between a number of other places of interest and sights, makes it a popular base for touring this pretty stretch of coast and nearby inland national parks. The two closest parks are the scenic Morton National Park with its spectacular waterfalls and the imposing Pigeon House Mountain and Murramarang, which is a nature lovers’ paradise. Both offer exceptional opportunities for bushwalking, ranging from easy trails to lookouts through to more challenging hikes through old coal mines and steep escarpments.

The name "Mollymook" is believed to derive from ‘mollymawk’, a small species of albatross. The first white settlers, in 1859, built a house called 'Molly Moke'. It is widely believed that historically, the area was an important settlement for a number of different Aboriginal groups. When Captain Cook stepped ashore back in 1770, he noted there were inhabitants who 'appeared to be of a black or very dark colour'.  Various caves and preserved Aboriginal artifacts are also testament to the history of the area.