FRIDAY 9 OCTOBER 2026 | WHAT’S ON IN JERVIS BAY: Promenade through village streets for the Milton Gallery Walk, catch gravity-defying family acrobatics in Nowra, and pick up fresh native Waratahs benefiting local community programs. From Oktoberfest steins in Huskisson to live silent film scores in Kangaroo Valley, explore this week’s curated roundup of culture, food and weekend gatherings across the Bay and Shoalhaven.
Things to Do Right Now
Take a Walk in Milton, tonight, as part of Escape ArtFest: Promenade along the village streets this evening for the Milton Gallery Walk, from 5pm. Start at Bar Yuki on Wason Street and follow the trail to pop-up galleries while enjoying live entertainment from musicians and performers, tasting great snacks and drinks, and ending up at the historic Milton Theatre around 7pm for ‘Meet the Music Makers’. The full weekend program is online and packed with local culture.
End the School Holidays with a bang at Wolfgang in the Stars at the Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre, a spectacular family show filled with gravity-defying acrobatics, live video projections, puppetry, music and a heartwarming message of connection. There are two shows tomorrow (Saturday) at 11am and 1pm with plenty of seats available. To access the special $80 for a family of 4, use the code FAMILYTIME80 at the checkout.
Buy a Bunch of Native Waratahs, grown in the coastal hinterlands at the Salt Care-owned farm in Sassafras and know that your money is helping to support the most vulnerable people in our community. Salt Care, which supports people into housing and employment as well as DV prevention, is selling these magnificent blooms at The Local Jervis Bay café in the Vincentia village and Hyper Hyper coffee in Nowra.
Catch the Last Day of Incomplete Diorama, the exhibition by Taz Witcamp in Melaleuca at Worrowing Estate tomorrow (Saturday) before the gallery installs a brand-new exhibition. Taz’s landscapes are inspired by often-unnoticed pockets of bushland and feature raw and incomplete elements that emphasise something authentically human. Enjoy a barista-made coffee while you’re there from the on-site café plus light snacks, pastries and a selection of retail items. The café and gallery will be open tomorrow 9am-12pm.
What Else is Happening Around the Bay & Basin
Friday 9 October–Saturday 10 October, Be what you are becoming: Final days to visit the first live art event and exhibition by Barbara Dawson and Natalie McDonagh. See an exhibition of new work and join the artists in some mindful stitching as they create a wearable, textile artwork during the six-day event, 11am-4pm at the Artfulmind Studio, Erowal Bay. Email natalie@mcdonaghdesign.com for street address.
Saturday 10 Oktober–Sunday 11 Oktober, “Prost!” at Sandbar Huskisson: Famous for their Oktoberfest every year, thanks to the strong German ties of the proprietors, Sandbar Restaurant Huskisson is dishing up the classics this weekend alongside strudel for dessert and of course, steins of lager. Book a table from midday each day till well into the evening to dine on pork knuckle, brats and jaegerschnitzel or order a plate of everything for $85.
Sunday 10 October, Crooked River Walk: Take the short drive up to Gerringong for the annual Crooked River Nature Walk, a three-hour guided walk through lowland tropical rainforest on the Crooked River Estate which is also home to the winery of the same name. For under $20, the tour by the estate’s sustainability and operations manager, Joel Walsh, will explain their environmental work supporting local flora and fauna through minimal intervention land management.
Sunday 11 October, Willinga Sculptures: As part of ArtFest, the Willinga Park equestrian centre at Bawley Point presents Art in the Park plus guided tours of the expansive gardens with the person who designed them, Darren Dimoff of DZ Designs. Register online for free entry at the gate, open from 9.30am to 4.30pm.
Thursday 15 October, Bush Fire Prep Meeting: Bay & Basin residents are encouraged to attend a special meeting focused on preparing for the bush fire season, at Vincentia Public School at 7pm. All the relevant services will be there including Rural Fire Service, Police, Ambulance, Red Cross and Shoalhaven City Council. The predictions are serious and this is your chance to hear directly from the key emergency services, followed by a Q&A.
Friday 16 October–Sunday 18 October, KV Folk Fest Expands: Alongside the troubadours and the sea shanties, the blackboard performers and the minstrels, this year’s Kangaroo Valley Folk Festival is putting on a host of complementary services. You can take a sauna, get a hair cut, pop into the sensory regulation tent for people and families with different needs (thanks to Uniting) and support a Youth Market (thanks to Head Space Nowra). See the full program of music and other acts and buy a ticket from $75-$220.
Friday 16 October, Art Café with Jenny McIntosh: Take a little time to explore sketching and painting alongside renowned local artist, Jenny McIntosh, enjoy coffee and cake and soak up the views from Peckish on the Park café in Nowra. For two hours from 9.30am, tickets are $50+bf for everything including materials (or byo for $45+bf).
Friday 16 October, Revegetation Talks in Berry: Climate-ready revegetation is the subject of a workshop in Berry, hosted jointly by Landcare Shoalhaven and Landcare Illawarra, from 10am-3pm. Register for this free workshop exploring the science and practical implications of developing climate-resilient revegetation practices. There will be talks from researchers and local practitioners, a panel discussion and review of a new web tool, Restore & Renew. Register online.
Friday 16 October, Dark Skies Talk: Light pollution and the “dark skies” movement will be the topic of a free talk by Marnie Ogg, titled “The Night is Not Lost” at UOW Shoalhaven Campus, West Nowra, at 7pm hosted by Shoalhaven Astronomers. This group of local amateur astronomers gathers to share their love of the stars and all things astronomical at 7pm on the third Friday of each month.
Saturday 17 Oktober, Oompah at South Yeast: Immerse yourself in the Oktoberfest gemütlichkeit at South Yeast Brewing as the Nowra Town Band brings its best oompah sound to the craft brewery from 4pm till 6.30pm. Make a gold coin donation to help support the local band, dress in your finest lederhosen or dirndl and sip on the North Nowra brewers’ finest steins.
Monday 19 October–Sunday 25 October, Aussie Bird Count: It’s never been more important to sign up as a citizen scientist as we face new perils to our native fauna. Right now, one in six Australian birds faces the threat of extinction, according to the Aussie Bird Count website. So sign up and spend 20min recording the feathered friends in your backyard using the “bird finder” tool to help with identification. You can count as many times as you like for 20min at a time.
Saturday 24 October, Silent Films, Live Music in KV: Two Buster Keaton classic silent movies from the 1920s will be brought to life with music by the renowned pianist Robert Constable, who will evoke the cinema vibe of yore in the Kangaroo Valley hall from 5pm. Suitable for the whole family, this evening of classic entertainment is $30 and kids under-12 are free. Refreshments will be available.
