During the summer period, we often find ourselves in the area of the Sapphire Coast... so, towns around Bega and Merimbula. It is a nice area with a good mix of forest, mountains, and coast... catering for a mix of tastes. I prefer the forest and mountains, but most of the family prefer the coast... aka, the salty water desert. I really don't see the appeal...
Anyway, we all do manage to have little trips to do other things. And on this particular day, we all went to this Oaklands Cafe/Barn in the nearby smaller town of Pambula.
It is really quite hard to describe this "cafe". There are a mix of shops and different things to do... we were there primarily for the cafe and to have something to eat for lunch (BOOK AHEAD, this place gets busy during tourist season!).
However, f you wanted, you could get your hair cut at this very strange "chop shop" parked outside in the car park...
There is a nice nursery with lots of different types of native plants... and if you wanted, a few non-native ones as well.
There was also a large arts and crafts section featuring local crafters and makers, and also a homewares store that was attached to the garden nursery.
For those with little kids... there was barn with farm and native animals nearer to the back... past the cafe, pub, and pizzeria. Yes... there were quite a few different options for places to sit down and eat... but again, book ahead, this is a very popular tourist destination in the summer holiday break!
However, the most important part of the area for me was this lovely little chocolate and ice-cream place... also situated near the back. Hand made goods, and a very enthusiastic owner who kept giving out lots and lots of tasters!
So, if you find yourself in the Sapphire Coast area of regional New South Wales... drop by the Oaklands Cafe (and more...). This is definitely a nice place to spend a lazy afternoon... but book ahead if you are planning to arrive in the lunch or dinner hours!