Eurobodalla Nature’s Own Playground
Contents
- 1 Eurobodalla Nature’s Own Playground
- 2 Where is the Eurobodalla Region?
- 3 A Little About the Region
- 4 Whale Watching
- 5 Recommended
- 6 Montague Island
- 7 Recommended
- 8 Walks and Bike Tracks
- 9 Mount Gulaga (Mount Dromedary)
- 10 Hint
- 11 Fishing
- 12 Kayaking
- 13 National Parks of the Eurobodalla Region
- 14 Where to stay in Eurobodalla
If you want to experience a playground of a very different kind, then visiting Eurobodalla, on the south coast of New South Wales, Australia will more than meet these needs. Here the playground is a little different because it is full of kangaroos and wallabies, whales, seals and penguins, birds and fish and the playground is in the unspoilt Australian bush and the Australian waterways.
So popular is this area, that Eurobodalla is known as nature’s playground.
Where is the Eurobodalla Region?
The Eurobodalla region is located about 4 hours south of Sydney and 2 hours east of Canberra. It spreads down the coast for over 100 kilometers and inland as well. Within Eurobodalla, you will find coastal towns, old historic gold mining villages, and just one or two hippy enclaves. There are also islands including the National Parks, protected nature reserve of Montague Island.
A Little About the Region
The Eurobodalla region is rich in Aboriginal history.
The name Eurobodalla came from the traditional people, and means ‘Land of many waters and with the shining waters come many fine fish’, and nothing could be closer to the truth.
This is an area rife with beaches, lakes, estuaries, and rivers. Bordered by rugged mountains on the western edge of the region there is ample opportunity for wilderness adventures in both the forests and mountains. The flora and fauna have found an excellent adventure park here.
Whale Watching
The whales love this area a lot and are brought in on warm, krill-rich currents as the continental shelf dips closer to shore than anywhere else along the east coast of Australia. Humpbacks, Southern Right Whales, Fin Whales, Brydes whales, Sei whales, Blue whales and Orcas will often come right up to the boats to check out the humans.
Recommended
September to November is the best time to see the whales. During this period, it is their southern migration, and the whales are moving slowly. They are often with calves and seem to travel closer to the coastline.
Montague Island
With thousands of years of Aboriginal history, a 130-year-old lighthouse and set amidst nature’s playground, the island is a big draw card for tourists. Montague Island Nature Reserve, is located just 9km off Narooma, and is a haven for marine and animal life. The boat ride to the island takes you through some of Eurobodalla’s finest children – the fur seals and the whales, and numerous marine and bird life.
You can also stay on Montague Island in the heritage listed Lighthouse Keepers Cottages and have a unique Australian experience. Here you will find thousands of little penguins and 15 different bird species. The fur seals frolic on the shore and whales and dolphins pass by.
The Eurobodalla region is home to many towns and many more activities to help you to enjoy your playmates. Better still there are ample opportunities to scuba dive with 20-30-meter visibility among the fur seals and to explore the old shipwreck, the S.S. Darling. If reef fishing is your thing, and this is one of the biggest draw cards to this aptly named region, then you are well catered for with all types of fishing excursions available.
Recommended
Island Charters Narooma – offer the Meal with a Seal, which will take you to Montague Island, a guided lighthouse tour by the national park ranger, and a guided snorkel tour with the seals. You will learn more about the history and tales of Montague Island. Island Charters Narooma works with some other companies in the area to bring you the best of all of the activities available in here to get you up close and personal with nature. Whale watching tours remain firm favorites. They also offer a Sydney pick up and delivery for their various package tours.
Charter Tour Enquiries
Phone: Call Chris on 0408 428 857 – 7am to 7pm
Wharf: Bluewater Dr, Narooma NSW 2546
Walks and Bike Tracks
Immerse yourself in nature on a walk in the mountains, forests and coastal trails. With the rich bush land of eucalyptus and casuarina among other Australian flora and fauna, the Eurobodalla is very popular with trekkers and riders.
South Coast walks in Eurobodalla
Easy Walks
- Banksia Walk, Burrewarra Point
- Box Cutting Rainforest Walk
- Durras Discovery Trail
- Eucalypt Trail, Batemans Bay North
- Eurobodalla Botanic Gardens
- Mangrove Walk, Cullendulla
- Mill Bay Boardwalk, Narooma
Moderate Walks
- Broulee Island, Broulee
- Bingie Dreaming Track
- Mystery Bay to 1080 beach
Moderate to Hard walks
- Durras Mountain
- The Corn trail
- Gulaga (Mt Dromedary)
Mount Gulaga (Mount Dromedary)
Mount Gulaga is an extinct volcano rising 797 metres above sea level. Gulaga has been described by Aboriginal people as the place of ancestral origin for all Yuin people, while the mountain itself symbolises the mother and provides a basis for Aboriginal spiritual identity. The steep track up the mountain was built in 1894 for gold miners. You can walk this track starting at Tilba Tilba.
Hint
Choose the ideal walk with the help of some topographic maps. Both Batemans Bay and Narooma Visitors Centers can assist you with these. Alternatively, go on to their website to find out everything that you need to know.
Fishing
As Eurobodalla is named after its fishing prowess, it is hardly surprising that fishing is a major pastime/obsession for both residents and the thousands of visitors who flock to the region…including pelicans who like to eat the fish first.
Kayaking
Kayaking is another favorite activity, and it is hardly surprising given the environment which means that you can often paddle near to the seals, but not so close to the large whales.
National Parks of the Eurobodalla Region
Eurobodalla is blessed with some major national parks and reserves. These are protected and unspoiled areas of coastline, beaches, rainforests, bush, rivers, lakes and estuaries provide visitors an opportunity to see incredible landscapes, native plants, wildlife and bird life.
Where to stay in Eurobodalla
There is no shortage of accommodation option in the Eurobodalla region, ranging from budget to high end luxury. If you just need that extra bit of pampering, then you cannot go wrong by combining the Australian bush with a 5 star eco retreat, The Bower at Broulee.
Visiting this region will help you to discover that Eurobodalla is unspoilt and is definitely Nature’s Own Playground.
The writers were guests of Eurobodalla Tourism and we thank them for this and LBPR Public Relations & Media Consultancy for having us in this beautiful area of Australia. Our opinions are of course our own.
The Eurobodalla Region looks so diverse and enticing! Thank you putting this on my radar!
It is another area of Australia that offers a lot of diversity.
There are just so many beautiful and wonderful places in the world to explore. I’d never heard of Eurobodalla but it looks magical and I’d love to all the creatures and to in all the nature.
I agree, there are so many lovely places and this is quite unique.
I’d love to take one of those coastal walks at Eurobodalla – the wildlife looks amazing!
It is a great place to walk.
What a beautiful area. I would love to spend time on Montague Island. I’d definitely be getting out to watch the whales.
You would love it, post coming up soon on staying on Montague and having the island to yourself, sort of. Your companions will be all of the seals, penguins, whales etc It works
What an abundance of wildlife and things to do! Eurobodalla looks like a wonderful place to visit.
It is a great place and so much Australian wildlife and flora as well.
Hi Paula,
Having been to Australia before, I knew we wanted to return one day — you never see as much as you want in the time allotted — and now I have the perfect destination for our return. Eurobodalla. The land down under truly has it all! Thank you for enlightening us about this gorgeous region.
Regards,
Josie
Thanks Josie, Australia is an extremely diverse country, and it still amazes us, who live of all of the different parts of the land down under.
I had never heard of Eurobodalla until I read your very informative article. Some of the seals and whale photos remind me of what we saw in Alaska, of all places. Thanks for letting us discover that part of Australia!
Thanks Denis, that is amazing the similarities with Alaska. We are very fortunate here to have such diversity.
What a gorgeous area and wildlife, it really looks spectacular and yes I would love to visit Montague Island some day!
It is an amazing place and I have an article coming up on staying on Montague Island.
Eurobadalla looks like a great place to enjoy the beauty of nature.
It is Irene, it is right there in front of you wherever you look. Wombats cross in front of you, kangaroos abound and the marine life is phenomenal
Been to Australia but definitely not this part of the world. Looks so inviting with all those marine resources!!!
It is amazing to see so many of our favourite creatures all in the one area.
The Eurobodalla Region looks like a paradise for any animal or nature lover. Your photos are awesome!! I would love to visit!
Thanks Marilyn, it is indeed nature’s playground.
Today is the day for information on Australian places I know little about. I have been to the coast of this area once but had no idea of all the amazing possibilities of the total Eurobodalla region. It certainly appears to be ‘natures own playground’. Your photos are lovely and the information very extensive.
Thanks Yasha, Euroodalla is very much nature’s playground and it seems to be the year of us discovering more with a whale watching article coming up, as well as more on staying on Montague Island.
I love how the name, Eurobodalla kind of trips off the tongue. What an amazingly diverse region and, as I read your post, I was reminded of Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands which we were fortunate enough to visit last fall. This is our kind of place and, thanks to your interesting post and gorgeous pics, is now on our “must see” list!
It is a uniquely Australian place and it is great that the name, Eurobodalla is of Aboriginal heritage as are many places in Australia.
I have never hear of Eurobodalla but what a wonderful place for tourists and locals to see wonderful landscapes as well as the flora and fauna of Australia. So many fabulous things to do and see…definitely nature’s playground!
The Eurobodalla region is one of the most popular places to go for people from Sydney through to Canberra, with many having holiday homes in the region.
I love the idea of a lighthouse stay on Montague Island.
We have a post coming up on staying on Montague Island – a really excellent experience.
Wow, what an amazing region. Almost like an Australian Galapagos, but with a more diverse ecology. Very impressed, a true gem. I have the impression this region is overlooked by visitors to Australia in favor of more well-known attractions?
The Eurobodalla region gets quite a few tourists who do the ocean drive from Sydney to Melbourne. Its close proximity to Canberra also makes it an appealing weekend getaway.
What an amazing treasure chest of nature at Eurobodalla. Would love to walk or bike around there someday. I know it would be like nothing I’ve seen before — and I’ve seen quite a lot around California’s coast and in national parks. Great pics you got of the beautiful creatures, too.
Thanks, it is a great place to get a real feel of Australia and our Australian animals. We had one photo where the joey was actually out of the mother kangaroo’s pouch, but because it was raining it is a little too grainy to have used, but was so lovely.
Eurobodalla looks like our kind of place. I’m sure I would just have to mention fishing to Tim and we’d be on a plane 🙂
This is fishing nirvana, – you better tell Tim because he will love it.
I’d never heard of Eurobodalla- thought it was going to be in Europe until I saw the kangaroo photo. I’d love to see the animals in the region.
This is definitely nature’s playground and you will see every Australian animal possible here.