Montague Island
Fur seals, Montague Island
Just off the coast of Narooma, Montague Island is a natural treasure. Home to a colony of fur seals, thousands of little penguins and over 90 bird species, it’s one of the most popular attractions on the South Coast. It is also sacred to the local Yuin people, who call it Barunguba, and there are a number of important sites across the island.
Highlights
The island
Sitting nine kilometres offshore from Narooma, Montague Island is just 1.4 kilometres long and 525 metres wide. It was first spotted by Captain James Cook in 1770. He incorrectly thought it was connected to the mainland, so named it Cape Dromedary. The name Montague, which came about in 1790, is after the Earl of Halifax, George Montagu Dunk.
The entire island is protected, designated as the Barunguba Montague Island Nature Reserve. The only way to visit is by boat on a guided tour, which can take you around the coastline to see wildlife or land on shore. You can also stay overnight at the former lighthouse keepers' cottages. Note that the minimum age for visitors to Montague Island is five years.
Wildlife
Montague Island is home to the largest colony of little penguins in NSW (and the third largest in the world), with up to 8,000 living on the island at a time. It's also home to tens of thousands of seabirds, including large populations of shearwaters, silver gulls and crested terns. Many raptor species, like white-bellied sea eagles, kestrels and peregrine falcons, can also be seen hunting from the sky.
Montague Island, Narooma
In the water, there's a thriving colony of fur seals, both Australian and New Zealand. In the peak winter breeding season, there can be over 2,000 of them. Pods of dolphins are commonly spotted and will often play in the wake of visiting boats. In spring, you'll see humpback whales on their southern migration, making their way back to Antarctica with their calves in tow.
Montague Island tours
A guided tour will show you all the wonders of Montague Island from land and sea. Enjoy a wildlife cruise year-round to spot dolphins, seals, birds and penguins, with dedicated whale watching tours during the season. Get up close to the curious fur seals on a thrilling snorkelling tour. Some of the most popular tour operators are Montague Island Adventures, Narooma Charters and Barunguba Montague Island Tours, and Underwater Safaris.
Montague Island, Narooma
Many tours will take you on land to visit the island's famous lighthouse. Built in 1881, the imposing granite structure is a testament to Victorian innovation and has breathtaking views from the top. You can also tackle the challenging 1.5-kilometre Barunguba Montague Island walking track for stunning vistas and penguin spotting.
For a different perspective, you can even take a scenic flight over the island with South Coast Seaplanes. The waters around the island are also famed for their game fishing. Join Charter Fish Narooma or Montague Island Game and Sport Fishing Charters to go in search of tuna, kingfish, marlin, blue eye cod, hapuku, snapper and more.
Montague Island Tour, Narooma - Credit: Toby Whitelaw
Copyright: SCS
Spend the night
If you want to have the island all to yourself, book an overnight stay at the Lighthouse Keeper's Cottage or the Assistant Keeper's Cottage. Built in 1881, they have been carefully restored and updated with modern facilities (like toilets, electricity and heating). You'll be able to look for whales at sunset from the verandah or visit the penguins before any day trippers arrive. All stays include boat transfers and a guided tour of the island.
Montague Island, Narooma
Getting there
Boat transfers to Montague Island depart from Narooma and take around 20 minutes. Narooma is a five-hour drive from Sydney and three hours from Canberra. You can also fly to Moruya Airport and rent a car for the 40-minute drive south. Regional Express operates flights from Sydney to Moruya seven days a week, either direct or travelling via Merimbula.
