Top 5 nature trips for 2025 you can get to on a budget from our capital

But you don't have to book the latest forest bathing retreat to tap into this swag of body and soul benefits. Here are my top five ideas to connect with nature that aren't too far away, and just as importantly in these tough economic times, don't cost the earth.

While many beachgoers who flock to Jervis Bay make a beeline for bustling Huskisson and the dramatic Booderee National Park on the southern peninsula, not only is Beecroft Peninsula on the northern side of the bay far less crowded but it also harbours its own share of natural treasures.

The most impressive of these is Gosangs Tunnel, an elevated sea cave that's been spectacularly shaped by a millennium of storms, and which after being locked for a couple of years for essential maintenance, has just reopened.

Hemmed in by coastal heath which not only frustratingly blocks any views but also the cooling sea breeze, the two-kilometre walking track to the tunnel is quite uneventful and if it's a hot day, at times you'll probably be thinking, is this trek really worth it?

But when you finally reach at the entrance of the 30-metre tunnel, you'll quickly change your mind. Wow!

In fact, you'll probably hear this natural marvel before you see it. Surging swell forcing water up through a chasm in the tunnel's floor, a natural fault line, often belches a fine mist into the air. Puff the magic dragon eat your heart out.

If you bend down at this point you can just glimpse a shaft of light at the end of the tunnel.

Now, unless you're a closet contender at the world limbo championships, you'll have to duck-waddle or drop down on all fours and crawl to reach the other side.

It's not the most comfortable crawl (tip: bring gardening knee pads) and probably not the most flattering view for the person behind you. Try thinking of this subterranean scramble as part of the process of leaving last year behind with the end of the tunnel which emerges on a dramatic cliff platform representing a new beginning. Go on, I dare you.

Just don't get too close to the edge, or your new year may be a very brief one.

If the weather is clear, there'll be an endless blue horizon to the east and to the north is a spectacular sweep of beaches leading all the way up towards Wollongong, and beyond

It's often as blustery inside the tunnel, which acts as a natural wind funnel, so even on a still day if you've got a hat, strap it on your head or it could end up in the briny.

Take me there: Gosangs Tunnel is one of several highlights on the 9km Coomies Loop walking track which starts at the north-eastern end of Beecroft Parade, Currarong, which is about a three-hour drive from Canberra. Due to the steep drop-offs at the end of the tunnel, I'd recommend against bringing young children here. Even with older kids, be sure to keep a close watch on them.

Did You Know? Seaside cliffs like Gosangs Tunnel are formed by wave action and salt eroding rocks, especially where rock strata contain joints, bedding planes, dykes, faults or other zones of weakness that are more susceptible to erosion. There are more than 200 sea caves along the NSW coastline.

As enticing as clambering in partial darkness on all fours is, you might instead prefer a sunset stroll across some of the whitest sand beaches in the country. I'll be brighter that's for sure.

In busy tourist season, my advice is to stay clear of that mecca for white sand seekers at Jervis Bay's Hyams Beach and instead embark on the White Sands Walk which leads you to several beaches of equally, if not whiter, sand.

Bring some shoes or sandals as the track snakes through the rainforest that bookends some the beaches, but in many places, this is a shoes-off, barefoot walk through squeaky soft sand. Go on, free those toes and feel the sand between them. You know you want to.

On a recent cemetery history tour in Canberra, a self-confessed "spiritually connected" participant removed her shoes "to bond directly with Mother Earth". Unfortunately, the only part of Mother Nature she bonded with were a few nasty thorns. Ouch. However, so long as there aren't any blue bottles, the main hazard on this seaside stroll is tripping over, not because of any flotsam and jetsam, but because you'll likely be distracted with the crystal-clear water lapping at your feet.

Oh, and no need to go to the beauty therapist for a pedicure as millions of pieces of fine white quartz will gently massage and professionally polish your feet ... for free.

White Sands Walk: A coastal track links Hyams Beach to Nelsons Beach via a network of boardwalks, viewing platforms, bush tracks, and of course celebrated crescents of that white sand. Allow two hours return (more with stops for lunch and swims). Don't forget the sunnies.

Did You Know? Jervis Bay's white sand is the result of thousands of years of repeated wave action depositing grains of white quartz on the shore. As no major rivers or industry deposit silt and minerals into the bay, the sand remains predominantly a bright white colour.

While 'wild swimming' in remote fast-flowing creeks and rivers is gaining popularity amongst thrill-seeking souls, a long-time summer favourite with the Yowie clan is an annual dip in the much calmer (and warmer) Yarrangobilly Thermal Pool. In recent years this 27-degree oasis in northern Kosciuszko National Park has become a star of social media and as a result can get crowded at peak times. But if you go early, you'll beat the Instagrammers who'll still be recharging their phones after their sunrise shoots. Either that or feverishly still counting their paid 'likes'.

You won't notice how steep it is on the track down to the pool from the car park, but you will notice how steep it is on the way back. And if you've dragged someone along with you, they'll probably be first to grumble about it. Respond by telling them to think about the great cardio-vascular workout they're getting. They don't want to give up on their New Year's resolutions quite yet, do they? Nor do you. A win-win.

Yarrangobilly Thermal Pool: Located within the northern section of Kosciuszko National Park, 6.5km off the Snowy Mountain Highway, 77km from Tumut and 109km from Cooma. Entrance fees apply.

If you prefer your pools salty and cooler, then beat a path to the coast. While Sydney and the Illawarra are blessed with dozens of man-made rock pools, it's likely you'll be sharing them with hordes of others. If you crave a revitalising solo swim, then take a dawn dive (shallow as you don't want to hit your head) into the Bermagui Blue Pools. Tucked away at the bottom of almost 100 steps and hacked into a rugged rocky coastline, some salt water therapy here will take your breath away. Literally. Or maybe that's just the cold water! Wonderfully refreshing on a summer scorcher.

Did You Know? The pool has become a shelter and ecological nursery for many marine creatures, some of which, including crabs and marine snails, are known to live in the pool their whole lives, while others, such as fish and nudibranchs, are only present in the pool for part of their life cycle.

While the South Coast escarpment is dotted with many lofty peaks, our own Namadgi National Park, which just celebrated its 40th birthday, offers an alternative if you don't want to travel as far.

You can huff and puff your way to the park's highest peaks or if you are feeling less energetic, drive right up to Hospital Hill lookout on the Boboyan Road. From here you can look deep into the spiritual and geographical heart of Namadgi and look down on the clouds, not up at them. Cast your eyes across the tranquil valleys below and imagine all the up and downs you'd need to make to reach them. A bit like life really. A good place to contemplate the year past and look forward to good times ahead.

Take me there: Hospital Hill Lookout is located on the Boboyan Road (gravel), about 35km south from Tharwa.