Heavy traffic on the Kings Highway may have frustrated those escaping Canberra for the south coast, but it also brought smiles to the faces of Braidwood traders.
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Staff at art galleries, retailers, cafes and restaurants are working seven-day rosters to make the most of holiday season trade, with many hoping to make up for quieter winter months.
Annie Clarke, vice-president of the Braidwood and Villages Tourism Association, said the annual summer exodus was a chance for Canberrans to realise the town was more than a convenient toilet and fuel stop.
Ms Clarke, who moved to Braidwood from Sydney's northern suburbs and hasn't looked back, said many ACT residents may have noticed a change in the town this summer.
"There's been a shift in energy in this town over the last 12 months and everyone here can feel it," she said. "We've become so much more than a piss and pie stop this year."
Ms Clarke said the street was just as busy as it had been in previous years, although retailers were more optimistic about chances of success.
As usual, the Braidwood bakery proved popular throughout the afternoon but the foot traffic also spilled to local antique shops, cafes, bookstores and, of course, the pub.
Cherry farmers from the region were on hand to sell their produce to Canberrans who may have exhausted their stocks over the Christmas period.
Kirsty Altenburg, who established the Altenburg & Co gallery and gift shop on the Main Street in 1978, said more travellers were willing to stop and browse through stores on their way to the coast.
While not all of them were willing to spend inside the store, she said the increased patronage was great for businesses and the town.
"There are long and cold winters here so this is the time when the town comes alive," she said. "It's good for everyone here, not just the bakery."
Management of the gallery, which is currently showcasing porcelain, stoneware and linen works by Aledia Pullar, has been passed from Ms Altenburg to her daughter, Francesca.
Traffic came to a familiar standstill further down the Kings Highway on Sunday afternoon, close to 10 kilometres from the Batemans Bay roundabout.
Those already on the coast were treated to a mostly sunny day with temperatures reaching the mid-20s during the afternoon with light cloud cover.
The mercury will gradually increase from 23 and sunny on Monday to 28 and fine on Thursday afternoon.
