We left Berry after lunch and continued on to the historic Coolangatta Estate. The Estate is situated on the site of the first European Settlement on the South Coast of New South Wales. It was settled in 1822 and was originally a convict built settlement owned by Alexander Berry and Edward Wollstonecraft and ran as a working farm. Many of the original buildings on the Estate have been restored and converted into accommodation. All the rooms now have modern facilities with ensuite bathrooms.
This Monster Bus "Big Foot" was our transport, up the steep grade, to the summit of Mt. Coolangatta - a thrilling 1 hour ride. From the top we had sweeping views over the Shoalhaven area.
Coolangatta Estate re-established vines on this historic site in 1988 and to-day 9 varieties are grown on 25 acres. The wines are vinified at Tyrrells Winery in the Hunter Valley. We had a cellar door wine and cheese tasting after our ride.
View from the summit of Mt. Coolangatta - a distant view to Seven Mile Beach at Gerroa.
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| Some of the accommodation on the Estate. |
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| Function room where weddings and parties take place. |
4 comments:
I have not visited Coolangatta estate but have camped at Gerroa. I remember noticing it and wondered if there is any link with Coolangatta on the Gold Coast. I am assuming that Wollstonecraft and Berry are the same people as the Sydney suburb and Berry Island are named after.
There is a link between the two Coolangatta towns. The Coolangatta in Qld was named after a boat called "Coolangatta" that was wrecked in a severe storm in 1846 when it tried to enter the Tweed River. The boat was built in the original town of Coolangatta in NSW. Yes the suburb of Wollstonecraft was named after Edward Wollstonecraft. Not sure about Berry Island but assume it was named after Alexander Berry.
I had a feeling you might know the answer.
We had a good commentary by the driver of Big Foot and that was one thing he spoke about, the link between the two towns.
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