Broughton Island is bringing some wild comparisons to the fore, after it has been snapped wanting just like the love-child of Mykonos and Malta.
There’s an island within the Pacific Ocean the place grass coated cliffs plunge into peacock blue water. There are additionally volcanic peaks, secluded coves, mutton birds, fairy penguins and solar worshippers (who spend their time in varied states of repose, turning their pores and skin into crispy pita bread on their gleaming white yachts). Plus tenting, climbing, bouldering, fishing and Scuba diving.
Appears like Paradise Misplaced, no? Nicely, it might be, besides it isn’t misplaced. It has been right here endlessly. Broughton Island, regardless of wanting like some unique Mediterranean magnificence, has all the time sat simply off The Barrington Coast – a reasonably, humble, and infrequently neglected stretch of the NSW shoreline, about midway between Sydney and Coffs Harbour.
It is loads nearer than Europe, too: Broughton Island only a 2 hour and 45 minute automotive journey (plus an hour’s boat journey) from Sydney. Lately folks have been cottoning on to this, with many movies and photographs of Broughton Island now increase on social media. There are actually 3,029 photographs which have been posted underneath the Broughton Island hashtag on Instagram, as an illustration, and a steadily growing stream of TikTok movies.
Anticipate to see extra cropping up quickly, too. After Alana McDonald took a photograph of Broughton’s Coal Shaft Bay (and had a follower evaluate it to Greece) in 2020, once we could not journey abroad, increasingly folks have been evaluating Broughton to Greece.
In January this yr, the Barrington Coast Instagram account reposted Alana’s photograph, sparking many individuals’s European wanderlust, writing: “There’s no want to leap on a airplane to Greece for these situations, we’ve obtained our very personal Mediterranean island oasis right here.”
Other than hoping “they’d loads of folks searching for sharks” to take a photograph that far off the seashore, commenters have been thrown right into a friend-tagging frenzy (“ya comin?”), planning to go and see this ‘residence model’ Santorini for themselves. One other Instagram person, @sunday_flemming55 posted a photograph of their very own, writing: “No we didn’t simply pop to the Med! That is NSW.”
As for what it is like to go to, Megan Maguire, an Aussie who has visited Broughton, advised Escape that if you happen to’re planning on going, attempt to spend a minimum of a few days there. “At some point wasn’t sufficient,” Ms Maguire mentioned.
“Feeding the stingrays from the shore was a giant spotlight! It was unbelievable to observe them swim by as we stood and fed them. We then obtained out snorkelling gear on and jumped into the water to swim with them. Watching them glide via the water was superb.”
She added: “The seashores and lots of quick walks have been lovely! White sandy seashores with blue, clear water. Tenting can be an possibility on the island and I’ll positively be planning a visit again to camp. I couldn’t think about a extra peaceable camp spot with simply your self and the few different campers, encompass by wildlife and gorgeous views.”
That mentioned, not that many individuals (in comparison with among the extra oversaturated spots on the coast) have visited Broughton, in keeping with Mr Murray, due to its distant nature. He advised Escape: “Broughton Island is a spot that’s well-known to many who dwell within the Larger Hunter Valley space, nonetheless it’s a spot many few have been fortunate sufficient to go to.”
“To most, Broughton is distant, and when the climate turns for the more severe you’re a great distance out. The seas will be tough and the wind will be fierce, if one shouldn’t be ready for all the weather you will be left uncovered and susceptible.”
Intimidating as that sounds, if you happen to’re searching for an indication to skip Europe this yr, nonetheless, it would not get extra crystal clear than this…
