Narooma: Discover the Coast, Water and Trails

Narooma combines experiences on the water with coastal trails, unusual rock formations and a distinctive oyster culture. This lets you shape your stay around different interests: spending time at Wagonga Inlet, heading out to sea on a tour, or exploring on foot and by bike. When choosing your holiday rental, it’s especially important to consider which of these sides of the town you want to focus on during your trip.

Water experiences at Wagonga Inlet and offshore

Wagonga Inlet is home to diverse marine life. Seabirds can be seen there, and fur seals are occasional visitors. If you want to get out on the water, you can launch a kayak from the Old Punt boat ramp, located beside the highway on the south side of Narooma Bridge. This provides a specific starting point for your own paddling trip.

Charter experiences are also available in Narooma’s clear waters. These include deep-sea fishing, whale watching, diving, snorkelling with seals, and trips to Barunguba (Montague Island). The Narooma Charters vessel for trips to Barunguba departs from Narooma Wharf on Bluewater Drive. The Narooma Seals and Whales Discovery Tour, by contrast, starts from the upper car park at Narooma Bar Rock Lookout. If you’re planning a tour, these different starting points help you distinguish between the experiences.

Narooma Bar Rock Lookout is also a vantage point for watching whales during their annual migration. Australia Rock offers a different highlight: this rock formation, shaped by coastal erosion, resembles Australia. If you’re interested in how landscapes form and how old they are, Glasshouse Rocks offer another striking sight. They are estimated to be between 510 and 440 million years old.

Exploring on foot and by bike

The Mill Bay Boardwalk runs 350 metres along the water from Apex Park on the north side of the inlet. Information boards bring Narooma’s history to life beside a group of heritage-listed boat sheds. The path is wide enough for walking, cycling and fishing. The short, clearly defined route and the longer coastal circuit offer different options for planning your day.

The Narooma to Dalmeny Coastal Trail is a 21-kilometre loop on a mostly flat, shared path for pedestrians and cyclists. It follows the coast past beaches and headlands, as well as Wagonga Inlet and Mummaga Lake. If you enjoy covering a longer distance, you can include this trail in your trip plans; those interested in mountain biking have another option in the Narooma Mountain Bike Trails. This purpose-built trail network covers almost 100 kilometres and offers riding opportunities for beginners through to experienced mountain bikers.

Oysters, local history and discoveries of your own

The wooden boat sheds beside the bridge are a place to buy fresh local oysters and seafood, sold directly to the public. Oysters can be opened on site if you wish. The Narooma Oyster Festival on the banks of Wagonga Inlet provides a bigger showcase for the Rock Oyster. It is held every year on the first weekend in May. Saturday’s program includes Oyster Farmer’s Alley, Betta Cooking Demos, and tastings with mobile oyster shuckers. If you’re interested in regional cuisine and local traditions, the festival offers a specific reason to discover Narooma’s food scene as well.

For a cultural excursion, School of Arts Hall, better known as the Kinema, is notable as one of the longest-operating cinemas in New South Wales. This means you can discover Narooma not only through its landscapes and activities, but also through its local history and culture. Depending on whether you mainly want to paddle, explore coastal trails, sample oysters or combine several of these interests, you can shape your stay in different ways.

If you’d like to explore more local area pages, you’ll also find Dalmeny, Batemans Bay, Mossy Point, Potato Point, Kianga, Moruya, Long Beach and Broulee here.

For the broader travel overview: Eurobodalla Shire Council.