Coasting

Tanja Lagoon Camp on the far South Coast of New South Wales offers easy-going luxury in a stunning natural environment.

Story By Mark Muller

The smell of clean canvas, eucalyptus and sea air fills the early morning. Dappled sunlight filters through the gumtrees surrounding Tanja Lagoon and birdsong drifts through the air. There’s a delightful juxtaposition in lying on a large, comfortable bed while looking out through the flaps of a tent and into the bush. This combination is no small part of the appeal of Tanja Lagoon Camp. The camp, which consists of four large, beautiful safari tents, is nestled on the edge of Mimosa Rocks National Park on the Sapphire Coast of southern New South Wales. The small seaside town of Tathra is 12 kilometres to the south and the regional centre of Bega is up over the range about 20km to the west.
It is a beautiful, unspoilt and secluded spot, one now being shared by the Bright family. Sam Bright and Loz Hunt – and their young children Amber and Jasper – are outgoing, adventurous and friendly. Sam’s thick wrists, calloused hands, powerful frame and gentle smile speak of the strength, practicality and sensibility he brings to the operation. Loz is similarly lean, strong, warm and focused. They complement each other well, and have done so since they first met while working for the Outward Bound organisation near Canberra back in the mid-1990s.
Sam and Loz’s experience in remote-area guiding, education, outdoors leadership and community development and environmentalism all feed into their operation at Tanja Lagoon Camp.