Things to do at Narooma NSW Australia

Narooma is situated on the coast of New South Wales, Australia.

I visited Narooma at the start of September, which is spring weather.

Content

• Things to do at Narooma New South Wales
• 1 The Wharf
• 2 Australia Rock
• 3 Bar Rock Lookout
• 4 Glasshouse Rocks
• 5 Montague Island Tour
• 6 Mill Bay Boardwalk
• 7 Mitchell's Mill Walk
• 8 Narooma Surf Beach
• 9 More Things To Do in Narooma
• Travel Essentials
• Where is Narooma in New South Wales?
• Places and Towns to visit near Narooma

Things to do at Narooma New South Wales

Places to visit and things to do in Narooma so you can spend time with nature and learn about Narooma are:

1. The Wharf
2. Australia Rock
3. Bar Rock Lookout
4. Glasshouse Rocks
5. Montague Island
6. Mill Bay Boardwalk
7. Mitchell's Mill Walk
8. Narooma Surf Beach
9. More Things to Do in Narooma

1 The Wharf

Sit by the Narooma Wharf at Bluewater Dr along Wagonga Inlet. Watch the boats come and go. Feel the spring warmth and breathe in the fresh air.

Here, you can catch a tour of Montague Island or go whale watching in whale season with Montague Island Tours.

Wagonga Inlet

As the water flows over the rock wall, be mesmerized by its rhythm. And, the seagulls fly around and squawk.

An ideal spot to eat lunch on a sunny day in spring.

A little further up the road is the Rotary Park with car parks, picnic facilities like tables and seats, shelters with tables and seats, BBQ, toilets, and a playground at the corner of Bluewater Dr and Bar Rock Road.

Wagonga Inlet

2 Australia Rock

**Currently closed to visitors due to damage, check details and updates.**

In April 2022 a rockslide at the Bar Rock Lookout and Australia Rock meant the local council had to close the area for safety reasons. Signage prevents access to the area.

From Bluewater Drive you turn left at Bar Rock Road and drive around to the cliff. Then you veer left on the one-way road. And drive along the water's edge toward the end of the road. You'll find a small car park that looks out over the Pacific Ocean. On the cliffside, you'll find Australia Rock.

The Illawarra Mercury outlines the history of Australia Rock.  Its past has an interesting story. Previously, it was referred to as the 'Hole in the Rock'.

3 Bar Rock Lookout

**Currently closed to visitors, check details and updates.**

You can climb back up to the top of the cliff by the stairs. The view at the lookout is over the rocky coast. And, you can see the breakwall that separates Wagonga Inlet and the ocean.

Look out at the ocean and you'll see Montague Island. On the lookout, a sign states that it's only 9 km from the coast. And, the mainland local Koories call the island Barunguba.  In 1790, the island was renamed Montague by the convict ship Surprise's Master.

Padlocks have been attached to the railings around the lookout. Some are in memorials because they have "RIP".

Lady Darling Shipwreck 1880

Plaque on Bar Rock Lookout states:

The steamer Lady Darling sank in thirty metres of water off Mystery Bay on 11 November, 1880. On a voyage from Newcastle to Melbourne with a cargo of coal, the seamer struck rocks to the south of Montague Island. Attempts were made to reach the shore but the Lady Darling rapidly filled and the Captain and crew were forced to abandon ship. All made the safety of the land.

The steamer’s masts were visible above the water for several days until the vessel settle further. In August 1996, local divers re-located the wreck site lying upright on sand. The most identifiable portions of the wreck include the intact stern, the two cyclinder “simple” steam  engine, boiler and collapsed bow.

Built at Liverpool, United Kingdom in 1864, the iron steamer had a length of 238.6 feet and tonnage of 895 tons gross. At the time of loss, the Lady Darling was registered in Melbourne.

Because of its archaeological and recreational significance, the site is protected as an Historic Shipwreck under the Historic Shipwreck Act, 1976.

Its location was a mystery until 1996. Then in 2016, the Maritime Archaeology Research Centre acquired permission to film the wreckage to make the 3D mapping. The Lady Darling wreck lies 5.5km SW of Aughinish Rock, 8 km SW of the South end of Montague Island, and 2 km from the shore of Mystery Bay.

Lady Darling Shipwreck 1880

 The steamer Lady Darling is thought to have looked similar to this illustration

4 Glasshouse Rocks

The land nearby the Glasshouse Rocks is private property.

Therefore, the closest view is from the cemetery which lies at the end of Cemetery Rd.

Getting to the beach includes a steep descent down the cliff.

The beach is unpatrolled and has rips and rocks which makes swimming not possible.

As a photographer with mobility issues, the best view is to stand at the top of the cliff inside the fence at Narooma cemetery.

Glasshouse Rocks

5 Montague Island Tour

Montague Island is known as Barunguba by the Aboriginal people in the local area.

To visit Montague Island you need to book a tour. Narooma Charters organizes tours to the island.

Things you can do and see on the Montague Island Tours are

• Watch the Whales in whale season, between September and the middle of November
• See the Seals
• Snorkel with the Seals
• Fish
• See the Penguins
• See Dolphins
• Watch the Sunset
• Sightsee at the Lighthouse
• Walk around the Island

See the different tours to choose from at Narooma Charters.

6 Mill Bay Boardwalk

You can walk, wheelchair, or ride a bicycle over the 350-meter Mill Bay Boardwalk. And, you can fish and bird watch there too.

And, the boardwalk crosses over the Wagonga Inlet.

7 Mitchell's Mill Walk

Read about the history and historical sights on Mitchell's Mill Walk. It goes from the Narooma Visitor Information Centre to where Mitchell's Mill once stood.

You'll learn things like the original name of Narooma and its meaning, see the breakwaters, and the place where Mitchell's house was situated.

8 Narooma Surf Beach

Go for a walk along Narooma Surf Beach. The view in the picture was taken from the cliff top at Narooma Cemetery.

Check beachsafe for beach conditions including hazardous rips, rocks, and patrol days and hours. Read and watch the video about going to beaches.

Narooma Surf Beach view from Narooma Cemetery

9 More Things To Do in Narooma

• Discover more beaches and things to do in Narooma
• Find more ideas at Narooma Visitors Information Centre
  • 45 Princes Hwy Narooma NSW

 NSW Travel Essentials

• Find out the NSW Weather and Warnings at BOM
• Check the Fire Danger Ratings and Total Fire Bans and Rules in NSW
• Check for NSW National Park closures and alerts
• Look up the beach information and conditions, at Beachsafe, and the app, for instance:
  • If the beach is patrolled or unpatrolled, and if patrolled days and hours
  • Warnings
  • Current Temperature
  • Rips
  • Currents
  • Swell
  • Tide
  • Parking
• Look up NSW National Parks for details including alerts, visitor information, park entry fees, annual passes for beaches, lookouts, car parks, and picnic areas, road quality, vehicle access, weather restrictions, entry points, facilities, maps, safety, and prohibited.
  • Murramarang National Park on the South Coast NSW near Batemans Bay
  • Mimosa Rocks National Park on the South Coast near Bermagui
  • Gulaga National Park near Bermagui and Tilba Tilba
  • Blue Mountains National Park in country NSW and The Three Sisters in Katoomba
  • Eurobodalla National Park on the South Coast from Moruya Head to Mystery Head
  • Boewa National Park on the South Coast near Eden
  • Meroo National Park near Batemans Bay and Ulladulla on the South Coast
  • Budderoo National Park near Jamberoo and Nowra, inland from Kiama on the South Coast
  • Barren Grounds Nature Reserve near Kiama on the South Coast
  • Macquarie Pass National Park near Kiama on the South Coast
  • Killalea Regional Park near Kiama on the South Coast
• Download the National Parks NSW App
• Read the recommendations to leave the park, bush, and beach as you found it
• Don't feed the wildlife, find out the details
• Take water
• Find toilets

Where is Narooma in New South Wales?

In the below map, you can see Narooma is on the south coast of NSW.

Australia Rock and Bar Rock Lookout are at the end of Bar Rock Road (currently closed, check updates)

NSW Travel

Places and Towns to visit near Narooma

• See the things to do in Batemans Bay
• Read about the things to do at Wallaga Lake
• Find places and towns to visit and things to do on the NSW Road Trip