Ulladulla is a vibrant and dog-friendly coastal town on the south coast of NSW.
It has some magnificent surf beaches, with a spectacular rocky coastline.
Yet you will also find it has sheltered tidal inlets, which are perfect for a doggy paddle and play.
If you fancy a change from sand and surf, there are beautiful and culturally interesting coastal walks in the immediate area as well, along with the historical town of Milton close by.
About Ulladulla
Situated some 230 kms south of Sydney on the Princes Highway, half way between Batemans Bay to the south and Nowra to the north.
It is part of the Shoalhaven Region and a wonderful base for exploring the area.
It is likely that the name ‘Ulladulla’ is derived from local Yuin Aboriginal words, either ‘ullada ullada’ or ‘Woollahderra’, which means ‘safe harbour’.
Today the harbour is home to a fleet of commercial fishing trawlers.
However, the town has increasingly become a coastal holiday resort and popular place for retirement.
The main arterial route, the Princes Highway, actually passes right next to the harbour which is enclosed between two headlands.
On either side of the town you will find there are beaches, several lakes, state forests, mountain ranges and national parkland, which are ideal for bush walks and scenic drives.
New Friends
We landed in Ulladulla, NSW in July because we were offered a house-sit, to look after a lovely couple’s home whilst they were to be away on holiday.
Also, and more importantly, their delightful dog, a 10 year old Labrador Staffie X called Lucy.
I think that Lucy’s mum & dad sent us a photo of her in our early conversations, knowing that we wouldn’t be able to refuse having seen her gorgeous little face.
Leader of the Pack?
It can always be a bit of a lottery with regard to whether dogs are going to get on or not, especially with both dogs being mature & one dog entering another’s home.
Having said that, it is normally us ‘Hoomans’ who cause the problems.
We find that dogs generally tend to find their own level of dominance/submissiveness, which has certainly been the case with Lucy & Ash.
When in the house, there can be a certain level of wariness between them.
But when on neutral ground, say at the beach for instance, they will play together more than happily.
Where To Stay
The majority of our stay in Ulladulla has been a departure from our normal ‘caravan life’, to the spacial luxury of temporarily living in a house.
This certainly helps with 2 dogs.
We did however, spend a few days prior to and post our house-sit at the Holiday Haven Caravan Park in Ulladulla.
This is a seasonal dog-friendly park, professionally run and considerate to all their guests.
If you are travelling with a caravan, there are another 4 parks listed below, in the immediate area that are dog-friendly, one of those being seasonal.
Dog Friendly Days Out:
Beaches
The coastline around this area is absolutely magnificent, with rocky shorelines complimenting the gorgeous sandy beaches.
The sea has ideal surf conditions, so consequently can tend to be a bit ‘dumpy’ for dogs who like to have a bit of a swim.
We find that paddling however, causes no problem at all.
Not all beaches are dog-friendly sadly, but we found a few favourites we regularly visited.
Some are subject to seasonal and timed restrictions.
During the winter months however, we found that there seems to be an understanding by the locals that these rules and regulations are slightly relaxed.
We love the beach and it’s ours and Ash’s ‘happy place’.
Loads of fun to be had together, but there are some severe ‘rips’, so please be careful if your dog is not a strong swimmer.
Racecourse Beach
For our time in Ulladulla, this was our ‘local’ beach, being only a 5 minute walk from the house we were looking after.
A visit here was pretty much a daily occurrence for us.
Access is gained from steps leading from the car park on South Pacific Crescent.
Rennies Beach
Another ‘local’ beach for us, and is situated immediately to the north of Racecourse Beach.
Both beaches are linked by ‘Flat Rock’, which can be easily navigated for an interesting walk.
Dolphin Point
This is a great safe little inlet for your four legged friend to have a paddle, or you for that matter.
Although the drag from the current can be quite strong at the mouth of the inlet.
There are some benches and tables here where you and your best friend can watch the waves go by.
Even better whilst eating the best fish and chips, bought from The Fish Shop at Burrill Lake.
Narrawallee Beach
A gorgeous beach on which dogs have a designated exercise area.
This is about a 10 minute drive north from the centre of Ulladulla.
Bush Walks
There are some great dog-friendly walks in the immediate area which we enjoyed.
’One Track For All’ is a short 2 km track consisting of 2 separate loops, with fantastic Aboriginal painted & carved art throughout the walk.
There are also 4 separate lookouts where, if you’re lucky, you may see a pod of migratory whales.
We saw many just off the coastline during our stay in Ulladulla.
Another fun and interesting track is the ‘Coomee Nulunga Walking Cultural Trail’.
At 2.3 kms in length it’s a nice walk, which takes in the Warden Head Lighthouse.
This is another location you will find many people lining the fence with their binoculars looking for whales.
These are just a couple of the great tracks which are dog-friendly.
The Shoalhaven Visitors Centre in Ulladulla will be able to supply you with ample information about what you can do with ‘Man and Woman’s Best Friend’ and has a number of walking guides to help you enjoy the area.
As I have mentioned previously, not all beaches, walks and surrounding areas are exclusively dog-friendly.
The Shoalhaven City Council has produced a very comprehensive ‘off leash guide’ identifying the areas and times that you can enjoy playtime with your furry friend.
Eating Out
To read all about the great places we found to eat out with your dogs around Ulladulla and the surrounding region, you can check out our blog right here.
Markets
Berry is about an hour’s drive north of Ulladulla via the Princes Highway where a market is held at the town Showgrounds, between 8.00 am and 2.30 pm on the 1st Sunday of the month.
It’s very dog-friendly with a wide variety of local wares on show and for sale and great food stalls.
There is even a stall that exclusively sells dog coats and pyjamas.
At $10 a pop, regardless of the size of your dog, how can you resist!
We do love this area and keen to explore it further, with loads more cafes to visit with pies and cakes to eat 
.
So until our next post, woofs and wags from all of us at ‘Follow Your Nose’ 
