Slow Coast
Slow Coast is Salty’s new home for stories about the South Coast’s food, festivals, and slow experiences.
It’s where we cover long lunches in paddocks, weekends away at small retreats, local makers’ markets, and seasonal gatherings worth driving for. Think wine festivals, harvest dinners, creative workshops, and the kinds of places where you can actually hear yourself think. This is where we document what’s happening — and what’s worth making time for.
Meet the Makers of the Gourmet Coast
The salt air carries more than ocean spray along this stretch of coastline, it holds stories.
From Batemans Bay to Eden, the Gourmet Coast Trail has become a constellation of passionate makers who've chosen this place to build something meaningful. We spent time with the early risers and late-night dreamers, the traditionalists and innovators, discovering that the best stories aren't told, they're tasted, sipped, and shared around tables that feel like home.
The salt air carries more than ocean spray along this stretch of coastline. It holds stories. From Batemans Bay to Eden, the Gourmet Coast Trail has become a constellation of passionate makers who've chosen this place to build something authentic.
The trail connects more than 75 businesses across the region, offering everything from curated itineraries to an interactive trip planner that lets you design your own culinary adventure. Whether you're seeking the perfect weekend getaway or planning a week exploring the coast's food scene, it's your gateway to discovering the genuine stories behind exceptional experiences.
Over the coming weeks, we're taking you behind the scenes with the early risers and late-night dreamers, discovering what drives the people behind the region's best food and experiences. Our journey unfolds across five chapters: First Light (the morning coffee creators), From Farm to Fork (producers and chefs), Home Away From Home(accommodation that feels like sanctuary), The Story Continues (fresh voices carrying on traditions), and The Thread That Binds (what connects them all).
Today, we begin where every great day on the coast starts: with first light.
Chapter OneFIRST LIGHT
Before the first customer stirs, there's something special happening across the Far South Coast. It's the quiet choreography of morning: coffee beans grinding, ovens warming, hands checking that everything is ready to welcome a new day.
Jane and Sandra pause each morning to ground themselves in the land and their animals.
"The true heartbeat of everything we do.”
Sandra in the dairy.
At Bodalla Dairy Shed, Jane and Sandra pause each morning to ground themselves in the land and their animals. "The true heartbeat of everything we do." Once the milk is checked and the hot chocolate taps are flowing, they're ready to welcome people into a village that's been a working community for 165 years. "Our village is alive with artisans, and we love knowing that the first customer through our doors will often go on to meet the other incredible makers up the street too."
Bodalla Dairy opened, more than ten female-led artisan businesses have flourished in the village. Their "Let's Go Camping" ice cream tells this story perfectly. Smoked clotted cream with butterscotch seam and macadamia praline, born from creativity and resilience. "It carries the essence of Australia," they say. Alongside it stand flavours built from the Australian bush: wattleseed, lemon myrtle, pepperberry, saltbush. Every scoop speaks of this land.
Further South, Kattalina's on the Marina, owner Kattalina feels the daily blessing of calling this place both home and work. Her journey here began in Victoria, but the call of coastal living proved irresistible. "I decided to pack up my life and move to the South Coast to buy my dream café."
““I hope when people leave Kattalina’s they feel relaxed, invigorated and revitalised,” she says. “Having had time to take in the beautiful views surrounding them.””
The ritual of a good morning at Kattalina's begins with locally roasted Coast Blend beans, brewed on a custom-made pale pink San Remo coffee machine with oak accents. Every detail has been hand-selected: coral scalloped-edge crockery, olive trees in white pots, Mediterranean-inspired outdoor tables where water views and careful curation converge. "I hope when people leave Kattalina's they feel relaxed, invigorated and revitalised," she says. "Having had time to take in the beautiful views surrounding them."
The morning light reveals more than just stunning coastal views-it illuminates the passion of people who choose to start each day creating something genuine.
Next up: From Farm to Fork, where we meet the growers, producers, and chefs turning the Far South Coast's exceptional ingredients into unforgettable experiences.