Narooma Travel Guide: Penguin and seal tours, fresh rock oysters and coastal walks

Narooma sits about 4.5 to 5 hours south of Sydney and a little over 3 hours from Canberra, in the Eurobodalla region between Batemans Bay and Bermagui. While the headline attraction is the nearby wildlife-rich Barunguba Montague Island, you’ll also find gorgeous coastal views, calm water, fresh seafood and a food scene that gets better every time we visit.

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Is Narooma worth visiting?

Yes, and more so than its relative anonymity might suggest. Narooma offers a relaxed coastal stay, amazing fresh oysters and beautiful natural surroundings.

Narooma fits nicely as part of a longer South Coast road trip. We’ve included it as the southern-most stop on our South Coast 6-day road trip suggested itinerary. This trip totals 732 kms and takes you south from Sydney to Kiama, Mollymook, Narooma then back north via Huskisson to Sydney.

Why visit Narooma?

• Barunguba Montague Island: seals, penguins and a heritage lighthouse offshore
• Bar Rock Lookout and Australia Rock
• Excellent food scene featuring incredibly fresh seafood
• Narooma Beach, one of the quieter stretches on the South Coast

Narooma at a glance

Distance from Sydney	Approx 4.5 to 5 hours, 347 km
Distance from Canberra	Approx 3 hours 15 minutes, 216 km
Best for	Couples, families, nature lovers, cyclists
Known for	Barunguba Montague Island, fresh oysters, Australia Rock, Merivale properties
Ideal stay	2-3 nights
Best time to visit	Summer, Spring for sunny days

How long should you stay in Narooma?

• Ideal stay: 2-3 nights. This allows a half day for the island trip, a visit to nearby Tilba, some beach time and the chance to try a few restaurants.
• 2 nights: Doable but with only one full day to explore, be sure to book in all your activities and restaurants.
• 3+ nights: Good if using as a base to explore other destinations in the Eurobodalla Region.

Best things to do in Narooma

Barunguba Montague Island

The island is the main reason many people visit Narooma. Located about 9 km offshore and accessible only by licensed tour boat, Barunguba Montague Island is a national nature reserve and one of the most significant wildlife sites on the NSW coast. The island has around 10,000 breeding pairs of Little Penguins, a large fur seal colony (the largest in NSW), a heritage-listed lighthouse that has been operating since 1881 and rich Aboriginal history.

There are two main licensed operators running tours from Narooma: Narooma Charters and Montague Island Adventures. Both run morning and afternoon tours and offer a range of experiences, from island walks to snorkelling with the fur seals. From September through late January, evening penguin tours are available, when the Little Penguins return to their burrows after a day at sea. Whale watching tours also run from September to November, and pods are often spotted on the boat trip out.

Personal note: All tours run subject to weather and sea conditions and cancellations happen more often than you’d expect – our booking on our last visit was a weather casualty. If the island is your main reason for visiting Narooma, build in extra days and schedule it early in your trip so you don’t miss out.

Bar Rock Lookout, Australia Rock and Seal Rocks

One of the easiest half-hours you can spend in Narooma. Bar Rock Lookout is a short walk up from the car park and gives wide views across the ocean, the inlet and back over town. Australia Rock and Seal Rocks are both close by and worth the short wander: Australia Rock has a distinctive arch worn through the sandstone, and Seal Rocks offers a chance to spot fur seals lounging on the rock shelves below. During whale watching season (May to November), this stretch of coast is one of the better vantage points for spotting humpbacks moving along their annual route.

Beach day

There are several beaches very close to Narooma, each with its own character:

• Narooma Surf Beach: looks out on to Barunguba Montague Island and Glasshouse Rocks. Surf Beach Cafe operates on the beach from Friday to Sunday, making it a particularly good spot to pair a morning walk with breakfast or a coffee.
• Bar Beach North: over the Narooma Bridge on the northern side of town, popular with surfers.
• Bar Beach South: a little beach in the inlet with calmer waters popular with families.

Narooma to Dalmeny Story Track

The shared cycle/pedestrian pathway follows Wagonga Inlet and the Tasman Sea coastline, with history signs installed along the way to make it more engaging than a straightforward coastal path. This is a long walk (around 9-10 km each way depending on where you start in Narooma) so if you are not keen on the full distance, cycling part-way or turning back early are both good options.

Even if you decide to just drive and stop at the lookouts, it’s absolutely worthwhile. If you are heading north when you leave Narooma, this makes a great final scenic drive to finish your visit.

Central Tilba and the Bungarri Yana Loop Walk

About 15 minutes’ drive from Narooma, Central Tilba is one of the best-preserved heritage villages in NSW. The main street is a compact row of 19th-century buildings housing cafes, a small pub, homewares shops and galleries. The pub, a quaint and tiny old-school building, is worth the drive on its own.

Behind the town, the Bungarri Yana Loop Walk (formerly known as the Bellbrook loop track) is a 2.7 km hike into the hinterland. It’s hilly with some steep stairs and can get muddy in places if it’s rained recently, but there are lovely views, lots of birdlife and the occasional wallaby.

Tilba Valley Winery and Ale House

Also about 15 minutes from Narooma, Tilba Valley Winery and Ale House is an ideal stop for lunch, a wine tasting or a long afternoon. There’s a large indoor dining area and a balcony looking out over the surrounding fields.

Personal note: With undercover and indoor areas, this is a perfect choice for a rainy afternoon. The wine we tried was excellent and the ploughman’s platter was absolutely perfect.

Additional activities

If you have a few extra days up your sleeve and are looking for more to do:

• Built in the 1920s, the Narooma Kinema is one of the few remaining old-style cinemas operating on the NSW South Coast. It’s a reliable option for a rainy afternoon or an evening when you’ve eaten well and want to wind down somewhere other than a pub. The programming covers a mix of current releases and selected screenings.
• Check out Wagonga Inlet Cruise for a relaxing morning or sunset cruise on the 120-year-old Wagonga Princess.
• Hire a canoe, kayak or stand-up paddle board from Narooma Marina and explore Wagonga Inlet.
• Narooma Golf Club has unbeatable views with some of the holes sitting on top of the headlands – including the well-known hole 3 which has players hitting over the ocean to the next cliff top.

Where to eat and drink in Narooma

The food scene in Narooma has lifted considerably over the last few years. The combination of excellent local oysters and Merivale’s investment in the town has made eating well here easy.

Personal note: On our last visit Queen Chow was unfortunately closed for renovation, so we have removed it from the list below for the moment. You can still enjoy a selection from their pop-up menu at Lynch’s Narooma.

• Oysters with a view: The Oyster Farmer’s Daughter
• Tiki-bar vibes & brilliant food: Quarterdeck
• Casual breakfast and lunch: Honorbread
• Classic pub meals: Lynch’s Narooma

The Oyster Farmer’s Daughter

Less than 10 minutes from Narooma around Wagonga Inlet, The Oyster Farmer’s Daughter is a casual open-air spot that specialises in fresh local oysters but also has a more substantial menu. Open Tuesday to Friday from 11:30am to 4pm. There’s outdoor and some undercover seating, and the cocktail list is well worth exploring.

If you’re driving in from the north, it’s on the way and makes the perfect arrival lunch.

Quarterdeck

The go-to dinner in Narooma. Quarterdeck gets very busy, even on weeknights, and the room fills quickly. Bookings are essential; try to book at least a week ahead for a weekend visit. The set menu is the way to go, working through a range of dishes that showcase the local seafood.

Personal note: The set menu is fantastic value for the quality. Highlights for us were the scallops in chilli lime butter, Mexican street corn and beignets with dulce de leche to finish.

Honorbread

A great bakery in the middle of town offering pies, sausage rolls, toasted sandwiches and takeaway salads. The coffee is strong and the “Good Morning” Bun (pictured below) is surprisingly tasty.

Lynch’s Narooma

Lynch’s is the classic Narooma pub: busy on Saturday nights, popular with locals and visitors and reliably good for the standard Aussie pub menu of chicken parmigiana, steaks and fish and chips. Since Merivale took over, the menu has expanded to include Cantonese dishes from the Queen Chow pop-up.

Where to stay in Narooma

Accommodation in Narooma covers caravan park cabins, motels and holiday houses. A few favourites from our visits are below and you can also check Booking.com or Stayz for a wider selection.

Personal note: On our last visit the Merivale hotel The Whale was unfortunately closed for renovation and we have removed it from the list until it reopens.

Surf Beach Narooma Holiday Park

Comfortable cabin accommodation right next to Narooma Surf Beach, a short walk from the sand. The beach itself is beautiful here and makes for an excellent morning walk. The location is slightly out of town, so you will need a car to get to most restaurants and activities.

Amooran Oceanside Apartments

Rooms and apartments with lovely sea views close to the golf course. You will need a car to get to some restaurants (such as Quarterdeck) as you are on the edge of town.

For other accommodation options, check Booking.com or Stayz.

Best time to visit Narooma

• Summer: Peak season. The beach is at its best and the weather is warmest. Also the busiest time, so book accommodation and restaurants well ahead. Montague Island tours operate fully during this period.
• Autumn: Crowds thin out, the weather stays mild and the Narooma Oyster Festival runs on the first weekend in May. Whale watching begins in May as humpbacks head north along the coast.
• Winter: Quiet and cooler. Reliable whale watching from Bar Rock Lookout and Australia Rock.
• Spring: Whale watching peaks with the southbound migration. Evening penguin tours begin on Montague Island from September, running through to late January. The weather warms through October and November.

Perfect Narooma itinerary

2-night itinerary

Day 1: Drive in and stop at The Oyster Farmer’s Daughter for lunch by the water → Check in → Walk up to Bar Rock Lookout in the late afternoon → Wander across to Australia Rock and Seal Rocks → Dinner at Quarterdeck (book well ahead)

Day 2: Montague Island morning tour (book ahead; check weather forecast the night before) → Drive out to Central Tilba for a wander through the main street → Lunch at the pub → Bungarri Yana Loop Walk if you have energy → Stop at Tilba Valley Winery on the way back → Dinner at Lynch’s

Day 3: Morning walk on Narooma Beach → Breakfast at Honorbread → Round at Narooma Golf Club or a kayak on Wagonga Inlet → Head back to Sydney, taking the scenic route through Dalmeny

What Narooma isn’t

Narooma is not a town for people who need to be entertained from morning to night. There’s no big shopping strip, no theme parks and no meaningful nightlife beyond a good pub. The appeal is almost entirely about the coast, food and nature. If that isn’t for you, you might find the pace slow.

Montague Island tours are weather-dependent, and cancellations happen regularly. If the island is the primary reason for your visit, don’t plan it for your last day or book it on a tight schedule.

How to get to Narooma

Driving from Sydney – Around 4.5 to 5 hours, 347 km south of Sydney via the Princes Highway. Berry or Kiama makes an ideal lunchtime stop to break up the journey.

Driving from Canberra – Around 3 hours 15 minutes, 216 km from Canberra. Stop in at Braidwood (the first town in NSW to be entirely heritage-listed) along the way.

Local travel tip

There are a few taxi services in Narooma and this is particularly handy if you’d like to head to Quarterdeck or The Oyster Farmer’s Daughter for cocktails. Ken’s Pick up and Drop Off is an excellent, reliable choice (0403 165 534). Narooma Taxi Service is another local option.

FAQs