Narooma
Breathtaking is the word for a first visit to Narooma.
Narooma is not a sight you would ever grow tired of with Montague Island sitting offshore and Mount Gulaga (Mount Dromedary) dominating the escarpment and the colours of Wagonga Inlet - are truly a multitude of blues.
It's not hard to see why Narooma is a mecca for fishing enthusiasts. Around the waters of Montague Island you can chase kingfish, marlin and yellowfin tuna as well as many reef species. Narooma is home to a fleet of modern charter boats, all operated by experienced professionals. Full day and half day charters for groups and individuals are available for fishing and diving. Just south of Narooma is Mystery Bay, one of the best snorkelling spots on the coast.
Embark on a whale watching tour between September and November for memories to last a lifetime. Explore beautiful Wagonga Inlet on a charter or hire a boat and make your own adventure. The pristine waterways of Narooma and Wagonga Inlet have been protected by the Batemans Marine Park so future generations can enjoy them. A tour to Montague Island is the ultimate Narooma experience - you can even stay overnight! Enquire at Narooma Visitor Centre.
The Mill Bay Boardwalk is the perfect way to appreciate the natural beauty of Narooma - it takes you out over the water where large schools of fish and stingrays sometimes make graceful appearances. The clifftop golf course offers a stunning vista out to Montague Island- in spring it is not uncommon to spot whales.
If you still need more ideas of things to do in Narooma try a game of bowls or take to one of the local cycleways.
More information on current weather in Narooma.
More information on history in Narooma.
More information on tours to Montague Island.
More information on cycling in Narooma and Eurobodalla.
More information on pet friendly accommodation in Narooma.
More information on kayaking in Narooma.
More information on business in Narooma.
Contact Narooma Visitor Centre.
NAROOMA HISTORY AND CULTURE
Thought to have been occupied by the Wandandian Aborigines before white settlement, the area became a cattle run in the 1840s. The 'Noorooma' run covered the area from Wagonga to Bermagui. Francis Hunt was probably the first European settler. After the 1861 Land Act opened the area to selectors the run was reduced in size.
Gold was discovered in the area in 1880 at the Montreal site and finds soon followed at Cape Dromedary, Mt Dromedary, Wallaga Lake, Wagonga Heads, Corunna and Kianga.
A post office called 'Noorooma' was established in 1880 at the site of present-day Corunna but changed its name to Corunna two years later. In 1883 a township was surveyed and Narooma was declared a port the following year. Development was slow. Timber rose in importance around this time and a sawmill opened at South Head Wagonga, soon followed by a hotel, store and wharf and a few cottages and, in 1888, a school. A new Narooma post office was opened in 1889. As a sign of the town's growing importance the court moved from Eurobodalla to Narooma in 1895.
In 1906 the Mitchell Bros moved their sawmill operation from Port Stephens to Narooma. Railway sleepers were soon being cut from the timber in the Wagonga forests and the timber industry remains an important part of the local economy. Shipbuilding and oyster farming were also established early in the century and the latter too has retained its local importance.
With passengers arriving on the steamship service of the south coast many began to explore the fishing in the area as a form of recreation and tourism became a feature of the local economy as the town established a reputation as a holiday resort for boating, aquatic sports and big-game fishing: a reputation it has retained to this day. Commercial fishing commenced in the 1930s and a fish cannery opened on the banks of the Wagonga River in 1940. A bridge was first built across the river in 1931.
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