There’s more to Engadine than McDonald’s and a former PM

If I’m not at the beach or the New Year’s Test at the height of summer, chances are you’ll find me close to my childhood home in Engadine, sandwiched between the bush and coast, in the heart of the Sutherland Shire. Picture it: sun beaming down on a backyard swimming pool, frangipanis dropping onto the grass, lorikeets hurtling between the gum trees.

Engadine’s earliest European landholder, Charles McAlister, named this area after the wildflower-filled hills of the Engadin Valley in the eastern Swiss Alps. Realistically, though, most outsiders would have heard of the suburb for the less flattering reason that it’s home to Engadine McDonald’s, where former prime minister Scott Morrison was confoundingly rumoured to have soiled himself after his beloved Cronulla Sharks lost the Super League grand final in 1997.

There’s more to it than McDonald’s… Engadine is surrounded by bush gullies and rocky outcrops.

Call me sentimental, or perhaps I’m on a mission to restore its reputation, but I prefer to think of Engadine as the laid-back neighbourhood in which I grew up: all big sky beauty, rowdy games of street cricket, cul-de-sac Christmas parties and antipodean bush magic.

I have to rack my brain as to what might lure the average visitor off the Princes Highway. There’s a pleasant shopping strip, plenty of coffee shops, and great parks. Mostly though, my mental map of top attractions traces a series of well-worn routes between my parents’ house, and those of my oldest mates. For me, Engadine’s pulling power during the holiday break has nothing to do with trendy cafés or bars, and everything to do with back decks and barbecues, time away from the bustle of my own inner-city suburb, and the grounding company of family and friends.

Come summer, the blow-ins and expats return: wines are poured, cheese platters are procured, and we gather in our old backyards to catch up on the year.

That’s not to say all Engadine’s highlights are invite-only affairs. Most streets are perched along the ridgelines, meaning many houses back onto gullies. The tracks that weave through the bush, some offering gun-barrel views of nearby Woronora River or the city skyline, are hidden gems but accessible to most.

They are the perfect spots to take a beat on the crest of a new year, inhale the quiet and marvel at the craggy rock faces, and the tangle of angophora, banksias and starry bursts of flannel flowers.

Even in your own city, there’s a sweetness to returning home for the holidays.

Best café?

I get my coffee at Hugh John Manors on Cambrai Avenue. The name is a play on words for “huge on manners” – the owners’ reminder to be kind in cafés and life.

Hugh John Manors serves Drumroll coffee from a bright, airy corner shop building on Cambrai Avenue.

Best restaurant?

Hoomiko Sushi. This long-standing local favourite, one street back from the highway, is worth a pitstop on the South Coast drive. My pick is the sizzling bibimbap, but there are no bad choices.

Best beach, park or pool?

Engadine Leisure Centre for its palm tree-studded lawns and classic suburban pool vibes.

Engadine Leisure Centre is a suburban oasis.Credit: Good Thanks Media

First place you take visitors?

What Engadine lacks in tourist drawcards, it makes up for in proximity to the spectacular Royal National Park. The nearest entrance is five minutes from the town centre and gets you to Audley, Wattamolla, Bundeena, Garie Beach, Burning Palms and onto Grand Pacific Drive.

Perfect night out in your suburb?

A friend’s house for sunset drinks, a swim and a barbecue.

The Royal National Park features stunning bushland and coastal walks. Credit: Keith Austin

What would make your suburb better?

Social amnesia regarding the alleged Engadine McDonald’s toileting snafu.

Best secret spot in your suburb?

The Needles, a natural swimming hole on the Woronora River accessed via bush track.

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