Chasing Status Points

Garry and I have just spent a glorious weekend on the South Coast. Regular readers will recall that pre-COVID we regularly attended the Narooma Oyster Festival in May each year. We'd normally base ourselves at a friend’s house in Central Tilba. However, thanks to the pandemic it’s been four years since our last visit.

Sadly, our extended group missed this year’s oyster festival. As a result, after a little diary shuffling, we all agreed to meet up for an extended break in Tilba last weekend. Getting there is normally a 5.5 hour drive from Sydney. However, this year we tried something new. Garry is currently chasing the status points required to renew his Qantas Platinum Frequent Flyer status. He needs just 15 more to secure it for another year.

After crunching some numbers, we decided to skip the drive to Tilba and flew with Qantas to Merimbula, which is located about 60 minutes south of Tilba. This 1:15-hour flight gave Garry a total of 20 points thus securing another year of Platinum privileges. We also had the perfect solution in place for our ground transport needs.

Rob and Jen, two Sydney friends who’ve always joined us for the oyster festival recently relocated to Tura Beach on the outskirts of Merimbula. As a result, shortly after lunch on Friday, they collected us from the airport and drove us directly to Tilba. The hour-long road trip gave everyone plenty of time to catch up on post-pandemic events and renew our friendship.

Our group of six then enjoyed a superb weekend filled with sunshine, great wine, and plenty of laughter. Garry and I managed the entertainment on Friday. We took advantage of our frequent flyer status and literally filled a suitcase with wine and goodies for an enormous charcuterie board heaving with meats, cheeses, and anti-pasta nibbles. 

Saturday dawned warm and sunny. We spent the afternoon walking the Bellbrook Loop Track, a 2km circuit that takes you around a bush-clad valley out the back of Tilba. Our hosts Liz and Eric then surprised us with a mini picnic at a hilltop table halfway around the track.

Saturday night saw us feasting at Queen Chow in Narooma. We’ve previously dined at this restaurant’s main inner Sydney venue. I’m pleased to report that its South Coast outpost is just as good.

After a leisurely start to the day, Sunday afternoon was spent enjoying more wine and dozens of freshly shucked oysters at The Oyster Farmers Daughter. This tiny outdoor venue sits on the shores of Barlows Bay, inland from Narooma. The food was excellent, and the venue’s serene aquatic landscape was good for the soul. Afterward, we ventured out to the headlands to watch the town’s seal colony frolic and loll around in the sun.

We then returned to Tura Beach with Rob and Jen to spend a night at their new beachside home. On Monday morning, Jen took us for a tour of the local coast before heading for the airport. We walked along the headlands at the picturesque Short Point Beach, stopped at Bar Beach, and finally walked along the coast to the mouth of the Pambula River. Without a doubt, the morning’s highlight was watching a large pod of dolphins surfing and playing along the shore at Short Point Beach.

Shortly before 2pm, we boarded our flight back to Sydney and we were back in the office by 3:45pm. Garry and I both agree that, despite a one-hour delay on the way down, the flights to and from Merimbula were a great way to travel. Merimbula Airport is also newly upgraded and is an easy-to-access facility. In fact, much of the town’s infrastructure looked surprisingly new and well-maintained. There’s clearly been a lot of investment in the area over recent years.

Unfortunately, the trip offered up one final surprise. On Monday evening a dose of diarrhea kicked in and duly kept me entertained for the next 24 hours. I suspect a slightly dodgy oyster may have been behind my bathroom antics. While inconvenient, there is a silver lining. I've been on a diet for the last couple of months so a little diarrhea has helped keep off any weight I've regained during such an indulgent weekend.