Fast facts
- Coastal town with superb beaches and abundant wildlife
- Set on foreshores wrapped around the Wagonga River estuary
- 348 km south of Sydney, population 3,500
Why go there
From canoeing to fishing, surfing and sandcastle-building, Narooma and its lazy, winding river were made for summer holidays. The seas around Montague Island, just 11 km off Narooma, teem with marine life making the island a haven for sea birds and seals, once a hunting ground for the local Wallaga and Djiringanj people.
Montague Island has the State’s only known colony of Australian fur seals as well as sea eagles, little penguins, mutton birds, hawks, terns, silver gulls, harriers and peregrine falcons.
The town has just about everything you need to make the most of its natural credentials, including various accommodation and dining options, sports shops and boat charter operators.
Narooma Golf Course is rated one of the country’s finest – a breathtaking course set on clifftops above a raging sea.
History
Narooma began in the 1880s as a port which gradually increased in size with the establishment of sawmilling in the area. Shipbuilding, oyster farming and fishing later became important local industries, and in recent years tourists have come to recognise and applaud Narooma’s natural assets.
Things to do
- Take a cruise to see the wildlife on Montague Island with a local charter operator, booked through the local visitor information centre.
- Plan a golf trip around the area.
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Go whale-watching on a cruise or from a headland overlooking the ocean during the migration season from September to November.
Events
- The Telstra Great Southern Blues and Rockabilly Festival in October is one of the friendliest and best-value music events around.
Don’t miss
- The ocean carry on Hogan’s Hole – or goodbye golfball.
- Fishing on Wagonga Inlet.
- Fresh local oysters.
- The seals and penguins in the waters around Montague Island.
- Inlet cruise aboard the Wagonga Princess with Charlie Bettini.
