Narooma & Tilba

A small town on the South Coast of New South Wales, where you can take a boat to Montague Island to see seals and little penguins, then explore the village of Central Tilba, an entire village listed as a heritage conservation area.

Narooma lies on the South Coast of New South Wales, in Eurobodalla Shire, about 350 km from Sydney and 200 km from Canberra. This seaside town sits at the mouth of Wagonga Inlet. Its main highlight is Montague Island (Barunguba), 9 km offshore. Boat tours head out to see thousands of fur seals, humpback whales migrating in spring, and little penguins returning to their burrows at dusk, and you can land on the island to see the granite lighthouse built in 1881. In town you can see Australia Rock, which is shaped like a map of Australia; seals lounging on the breakwater; and stingrays beneath the Mill Bay boardwalk. At low tide, you can walk to the southern end of the surf beach at Glass House Rocks to see the folded rock strata. You can also go kayaking and oyster tasting on Wagonga Inlet. About 17 km south is Central Tilba, an entire village listed as a heritage conservation area, with shops selling cheese, leather goods and wine. Tilba Tilba is the starting point for climbing Gulaga, the sacred mountain of the local Indigenous people. Further south are the rocky beaches of Mystery Bay, Wallaga Lake, Camel Rock and the Blue Pool at Bermagui. Spring (September–November) is the best season for whale and seal watching, and summer is for beach holidays. Winter is quiet, with fewer people and lower prices, and is also suitable for hiking. Getting around is mainly by car. From Sydney via the Princes Highway it takes about 4.5 hours, and from Canberra about 2.5–3 hours. Moruya has a small airport, and long-distance bus services run infrequently. Allow two to three days: one for a boat trip to Montague Island and the town, one for Tilba and Gulaga, and one heading south to Bermagui. Boat trips are often cancelled due to wind and waves, so allow some flexible time.

Top sights

• Barunguba Montague Island – A nature reserve island 9 km off Narooma, where boat trips offer sightings of Australian fur seal colonies, little penguins and migrating h…
• Central Tilba – A village of 19th-century timber buildings listed in its entirety on the national heritage register, lined with cheese, leather, wine and c…
• Australia Rock – A rock on Narooma's breakwater, naturally eroded into holes shaped like the Australian continent, and the town's signature photo stop.
• Mill Bay Boardwalk – A loop boardwalk built over the shallow seagrass beds of Wagonga Inlet, where the clear water often reveals stingrays and schools of fish.
• Wagonga Inlet – A calm bay sheltered by Narooma, known for its oyster farming and perfect for kayaking, boat cruises and tasting fresh oysters.
• Glasshouse Rocks – Folded rock formations at the southern end of Narooma's surf beach, a colourful geological wonder best visited at low tide.
• Tilba Tilba – A smaller historic village south of Central Tilba, with a foxglove garden and the starting point of the Gulaga climbing trail.
• Gulaga (Mount Dromedary) – A sacred mountain of the Yuin Aboriginal people, 797 metres high, with a rainforest trail leading to a cluster of granite boulders near the…
• Mystery Bay – A string of small beaches separated by dark rocky ledges, with clear rock pools that are ideal for snorkelling, beach camping and photograp…
• Bermagui Blue Pool – A natural seawater rock pool beneath the Bermagui cliffs, where waves wash over its walls, making it the South Coast's most photogenic swim…
• Camel Rock – A tilted rock on the beach north of Bermagui, shaped like a resting camel, and a classic sunrise photography spot on the South Coast.
• Wallaga Lake – One of the largest coastal lagoons on the NSW South Coast, with calm waters ideal for boating, fishing and enjoying the forest by the lake.

Where to eat

• Quarterdeck Narooma – A long-standing restaurant over the water at Wagonga Inlet, refreshed by Merivale, serving South Coast seafood and tiki…
• The Whale Hotel · Queen Chow – Inside a Merivale boutique hotel, Dan Hong's Cantonese restaurant serves local seafood and roast duck.
• Dromedary Hotel – A heritage pub from 1895 in Central Tilba, serving pub fare made with local produce and Tilba craft beer.