Stunning island just 4 hours from Sydney looks like Greece

An incredible island just up the coast from Newcastle is leaving travellers grasping for European isles for comparison.

Hella hellenic? Images via Instagram (left: @alanamcdonald_, right: @outwithstout_)

Broughton Island is bringing some wild comparisons to the fore, after it has been snapped looking like the love-child of Mykonos and Malta. 

There is an island in the Pacific Ocean where grass covered cliffs plunge into peacock blue water. There are also volcanic peaks, secluded coves, mutton birds, fairy penguins and sun worshippers (who spend their time in various states of repose, turning their skin into crispy pita bread on their gleaming white yachts). Plus camping, hiking, bouldering, fishing and Scuba diving.

Sounds like Paradise Lost, no? Well, it would be, except it's not lost. It's been here forever. Broughton Island, despite looking like some exotic Mediterranean beauty, has always sat just off The Barrington Coast - a pretty, humble, and often overlooked stretch of the NSW coastline, about halfway between Sydney and Coffs Harbour.

It's a lot closer than Europe, too: Broughton Island just a 2 hour and 45 minute car journey (plus an hour's boat ride) from Sydney. In recent years people have been cottoning on to this, with many videos and photos of Broughton Island now building up on social media. There are now 3,071 photos that have been posted under the Broughton Island hashtag on Instagram, for instance, and a steadily increasing stream of TikTok videos.

Broughton Island is the alternative to Europe you didn't know NSW had... Images via Instagram (left: @lilycostello, right: @cristinamentoza)

Expect to see more cropping up soon, too. After Alana McDonald took a photo of Broughton's Coal Shaft Bay (and had a follower compare it to Greece) in 2020, when we couldn't travel overseas, more and more people have been comparing Broughton to Greece.

In January last year, the Barrington Coast Instagram account reposted Alana's photo, sparking many people's European wanderlust, writing: "There’s no need to jump on a plane to Greece for these conditions, we’ve got our very own Mediterranean island oasis here."

Aside from hoping "they had plenty of people looking for sharks" to take a photo that far off the beach, commenters were thrown into a friend-tagging frenzy ("ya comin?"), making plans to go and see this 'home brand' Santorini for themselves. Another Instagram user, @sunday_flemming55 posted a photo of their own, writing: "No we didn’t just pop to the Med! This is NSW."

If you're looking for a sign to skip Europe this year, it doesn't get more crystal clear than this... Images via Instagram (left: @sunday_fleming55, right: @megsmaguire__)

As for what it's like to visit, Megan Maguire, an Aussie who has visited Broughton, told Escape that if you're planning on going, try to spend at least a couple of days there. "One day wasn’t enough," Ms Maguire said. 

"Feeding the stingrays from the shore was a big highlight! It was incredible to watch them swim by as we stood and fed them. We then got out snorkelling gear on and jumped into the water to swim with them. Watching them glide through the water was amazing."

She added: "The beaches and many short walks were beautiful! White sandy beaches with blue, clear water. Camping is also an option on the island and I will definitely be planning a trip back to camp. I couldn’t imagine a more peaceful camp spot with just yourself and the few other campers, surround by wildlife and stunning views."

Plenty to do both above and below the surface of the water. Images via Instagram (left: @sav_sav_x, right: @faderwetsuitscrew)

 

Regular Broughton Island visitor, Bruce Murray, likewise told Escape that part of the attraction of Broughton is "pristine waters with shelter from every wind direction." He also said "it has a Croatian coast taste, but better." 

 

That said, not that many people (compared to some of the more oversaturated spots on the coast) have visited Broughton, according to Mr Murray, because of its remote nature. He told Escape: "Broughton Island is a place that’s well known to many who live in the Greater Hunter Valley area, however it’s a place many few have been lucky enough to visit."

 

"To most, Broughton is remote, and when the weather turns for the worse you are a long way out. The seas can be rough and the wind can be fierce, if one is not prepared for all the elements you can be left exposed and vulnerable."

Intimidating as that sounds, if you're looking for a sign to skip Europe this year, however, it doesn't get more crystal clear than this...

Originally published as Stunning island just 4 hours from Sydney looks like Greece