We visited Australia’s prettiest street. Here’s what it’s really like

This may well be the best real-life depiction of Insta versus reality.

It’s a sunny yet brisk winter’s afternoon, and your correspondent finds himself in the picturesque town of Gerringong, a village nestled on the beach on the NSW South Coast.

Idyllically placed between cascading mountains on one side, and the ocean on the other, Gerringong has long marketed itself as a destination worth going out of your way for.

With surf breaks, coastal walks, excellent driving roads and a temperate year-round climate, it’s a happy home to its 4000 residents.

'Definitely worth the drive' has been the catchphrase bandied by its famous surf shop, Natural Necessity, for 40 years – and it captures the place perfectly.

But now there is now another reason to make your way through the Kiama bends and onward south to Gerringong: Tasman Drive.

Anointed the prettiest street in Australia, social media coverage has seen it go ‘viral’, with thousands of monthly visitors. Upon experiencing this picturesque area, it’s easy to see why.

Every weekend, a parade of tourists – predominantly from Sydney – jumps on big coaches or catches the train to Gerringong to get look at its rolling hills and the stunning Werri Beach at the centre of it all.

Not everyone is enamoured about this attention (more on that below).

What’s the best way to see Tasman Drive?

For the consummate Tasman Drive experience, follow Gerringong’s Fern Street thoroughfare and take a left at the roundabout, onto Belinda Street. Continue about 500 metres until you get to a bend in the road; this is where Belinda Street becomes Tasman Drive.

Follow the road around the corner and watch the outlook gradually unfurl as the landscape drops away to reveal Australia’s prettiest street. At one point it looks as though the road dunks straight into the Pacific.

It is pinch-yourself stuff and, to be fair to the hordes who have seen it on TikTok and social media, it quite rightly sets itself apart from any other street we’ve visited in Australia.

Driving is one way to see Tasman drive, but it’s not the only way. Busloads of foreign tourists disembark at the base of the hill and walk to various points to get their shots. Nearly all have a camera, selfie stick or phone in their hands.

 

What is Tasman Drive actually like?

We can positively say we got the full Tasman Drive experience, not only because we visited, but because we stayed the night on a stunning property at the base of the street.

In short, Tasman Drive more than meets the expectations it has stirred online. But there is a harsh reality to so many people crowding into such a small area.

Arriving at 4pm on a Tuesday, we were shocked to discover a street literally crawling with traffic. There were three tourist buses, multiple motorhomes and dozens of cars making a slow procession up and down the steeply graded road, many towing caravans.

With parking only on one side of the street, there were also no available parking spots along the entire stretch of road, either.

It is a stark contrast to what the same area looked like 15 years ago, when your correspondent would regularly surf at Werri Beach while working and living nearby in Wollongong.

Even amid the chaos, the charm and beauty of Tasman Drive is undeniable. It is a beautiful backdrop and quite rightly deserves it plaudits.

Of course, the crowds gradually fade away the further you get into the evening. By 5.30pm, there’s only a couple of dedicated sightseers milling about, before the tourism trade slowly fires up once again about 8am the following morning.

It must be said this was in the middle of winter. Summer could be more popular again.

What do locals think of Tasman Drive?

We spoke to several Gerringong locals to get their take on Tasman Drive and its viral social media following.

“Obviously we are all drawn to Tasman Drive because we live in Gerringong and we love the region,” says Barry, who has lived in the area for 15 years but has been surfing there much longer.

“It’s great for the local businesses here and it brings lots of people to the area. Every Saturday, there’s a constant stream of people walking from the train station up to the top of the street. It’s crazy.”

For home owners living on Tasman Drive, the fad has become onerous. One resident, who didn’t wish to be named, said while most visitors were courteous to residents and to the street, unfortunately some tourists were overstepping their mark.

“I don’t have a problem with people coming, looking at the view, supporting business and taking their rubbish with them – but that’s not always the case,” the resident said, recognising the irony of their words (just 15 years ago and Tasman Drive was merely a vacant hill).

“Because there is very little cover on the hill, when it rains there are tourists who take it upon themselves to stand under cover at my front door. That’s pretty unfair, and plain rude.

“Unfortunately not everyone leaves with their rubbish too. This is a beautiful part of the world – as residents, we ask that if you’re coming to visit, please leave it that way.”

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