22 February 2024
15 mins Read
There’s a multitude of things to do in Merimbula. The seaside town on the NSW South Coast really does have it all. From whales passing by during the season to clear blue waters and national parks. You can collect beach glass on white-sand beaches, shop at seaside markets, seek thrills at a theme park, or simply feel the spray of the salty seas as you kayak through the waterways.
It’s all mud, sweat and gears at the new Gravity Eden Mountain Bike Park, which has been drawing keen MTBers in their droves since opening in December 2023. Pause for a breather at the top of the track to take in the scenery before plunging down from the summit to the sea.
Pedal through lush greenery in Gravity Eden Mountain Bike Park. (Image: Flow MTB, Gravity Eden)
The park features green, blue and black mountain bike trails as well as a pump track and jump park at the trailhead. The trails will take you spaghetti-ing around Nullica State Forest before plunging down to the shores of Turemulerrer (Twofold Bay).
Go mountain biking around loops at Gravity Eden Mountain Bike Park. (Image: Flow MTB, Gravity Eden)
The hours can quickly bleach into days when on holiday in Merimbula. Use the bird that blarps like an alarm clock to wake you up so you can unleash yourself on the day. You will then most certainly breathe a sigh of satisfaction after diving into the Blue Pool in Bermagui with a satisfying swoosh.
Embrace the first light of day at Bermagui Blue Pool. (Image: Destination NSW)
The Blue Pool is one of the five most beautiful ocean pools in NSW and is set like a gem in the natural rock shelf. It’s iconic. And ridiculously idyllic.
It’s one of the most beautiful ocean pools in the state. (Image: Destination NSW)
Have you even done summer in Australia if you haven’t had fish and chips beside the beach? Let nothing stand between you and Blue Wave Seafood on Bermagui Fishermen’s Wharf. Enjoy the cark of the seagulls rising in song all around while admiring the colourful boats being sent out to sea. It’s a scene straight out of a tourism campaign.
But do check your inventory of chips: the birds understand the treasures these cardboard boxes contain and are quick to swoop. Stitch together an unbroken eating itinerary via Merimbula’s best places to eat and drink.
Fish and chips make for the perfect beachside holiday meal.
The Traditional Owners of the Merimbula/Pambula area are the Djiringanj and Thaua, whose lands are separated by the mouth of Merimbula Lake. Walk along the boardwalk in the Biamanga Cultural Area which has interpretative signage that shares Indigenous stories of the landscape. And follow in the footsteps of First Nations people from the Yuin, Ngarigo, Jaitmathang and Bidawal countries along the Bundian Way Whale Dreaming Trail, which leads to a lookout over Turemulerrer (Twofold Bay).
Turemulerrer (Twofold Bay) is a marine mecca for fishing and whale watching. (Image: Destination NSW)
The Gourmet Coast Trail is an immersive way to experience the NSW South Coast. Although the trail stretches from Batemans Bay in the north all the way to Eden in the south, you can make Merimbula your focus by ticking off absolutely everything on the Merimbula Weekend Getaway itinerary.
Foodies will appreciate the ease of plugging the various places into your satnav and enjoying everything from twilight drinks and sublime bar bites at Bar Superette to a burger at Dulcie’s Cottage and dinner at the much-vibed-about Valentina.
Stop by Dulcie’s Cottage for lunch.
Charge your fitness tracker and lace up your hiking boots for the 27-kilometre Wharf to Wharf Walk, which you can undertake with local guide Cam Read, of Sapphire Coast Guiding Co. The coastal walk connects the towns of Merimbula and Tathra and can be done as an epic one-day hike, a three-day fully guided walk, or a two-day self-guided walk.
Visit the heritage-listed Tathra Wharf on a guided walk with Sapphire Coast Guiding Co. (Image: Destination NSW)
The best thing about extending the walk over a few days is it will allow you more time to explore the villages, shops and eateries along the way. Sapphire Coast Guiding Co. also offer guided e-bike and kayak tours.
Spend time in nature as well as stopping in towns and villages along the way. (Image: Destination NSW)
Whether you’re up for the mad Toboggan Run that twists and roars its way downhill, or you prefer the more sedate pace of a Magic Cup and Saucer ride, Magic Mountain Merimbula offers a range of rides to suit everyone in the family.
Embrace your inner child at Magic Mountain Amusement Park in Merimbula. (Image: Destination NSW)
Buckle up for the Sapphire Speedster Coaster and Grand Prix Cars, or blast off down the Black Hole and Doom Tube, which will spit you out into a cool refreshing pool. This small theme park also has a maze and Tree Climb Challenge, which includes two hours of Ninja Warrior-ing around a course of rope bridges, high wires and wooden obstacles.
The Toboggan Slide is always a hit with kids. (Image: Destination NSW)
Enjoy an underwater excursion without getting wet by mooching around the various marine exhibits on show at Merimbula Wharf Aquarium & Restaurant. Learn more about local marine life when you gaze into the big, deep blue of the 70,000-litre oceanarium, which is home to some 90 per cent of local fish species, as well as squid, cuttlefish and seahorses. Be there for feeding time (from 11.30am, Wednesdays and Fridays during the school holidays) to see the resident octopus unscrew the lid of a jar and consume its contents, then head to the restaurant for fish and chips.
Order flavour-packed mussels at Merimbula Aquarium and Wharf Restaurant. (Image: Destination NSW)
Most golf courses have 18 holes, but the Pambula Merimbula Golf Club has 27 and has a variety of challenging holes to interest all levels of ability. The well-groomed course, wedged between Top Lake in Merimbula and Main Beach, is home to thousands of kangaroos.
Practice your golf swing at Pambula Merimbula Golf Club.
Book a lesson with PGA professionals at the pro shop and then head to The 28th at the clubhouse for a panini and cold beer. You can also enjoy a game of mini golf with the kids at Top Fun, at the top of town. Or sign up for a lesson at the Sapphire Coast Golf School.
The golf course is set within native bushland by the pristine Merimbula Lake.
Merimbula is derived from a local Aboriginal word meaning ‘two lakes’ in reference to the fact Merimbula Lake is located on the southern side of the town and Back Lake on the northern side. Part of the Bega Valley Shire Council’s strategic plan for the Merimbula Boardwalk was to enhance the visitor experience around Indigenous education in honour of the Traditional Owners of the land, the Yuin First Nations People. The boardwalk curls around mangrove forests, under the grey-green canopy of eucalypts and past oyster farms that are plentiful along this section of Australia’s Oyster Coast.
One of the most responsible ways to travel to regional centres around NSW is to #supportlocal. Visit fashion Wanderlust and the Muse for a spot of holiday shopping. Want a memento of your stay? The Essence is also a one-stop shop that supports local businesses such as Blue Willow Vintage, Eden Ecos, As You Are and Kicky Swim. You’ll find everything from fashion and giftware to homewares and books. BYO eco bags.
Sapphire Coastal Adventures departs from the Merimbula Marina between August and late November and seeing these gentle giants roaming the open ocean makes for an impressive outing. The skippers onboard the discovery tours know where the best spots are for whale watching on NSW’s South Coast.
Hop on a boat and tour around the majestic Sapphire Coast. (Image: Destination NSW)
You can also take a tour out to Montague Island with Montague Island Adventures in nearby Narooma where you can snorkel with the seals and take a penguin tour.
Sapphire Coastal Adventures roam at sea. (Image: Destination NSW)
Fishpen Charters has been operating off the NSW South Coast for the last 30 years. Keen anglers who want to introduce their children to catching their own fish for dinner should depart Mitchies Jetty, located on an elbow of land jutting into Merimbula Lake where the waterways are as smooth as glass. Part of the pleasure of going offshore with Fishpen Charters is the four or five-hour jaunt out to sea, which, regardless of whether you hook a big one, will add to your feelings of contentment on the day. No fishing license required.
There are farm sheds and oyster bars dotted up and down Australia’s Oyster Coast. And if your idea of heaven is slurping down a cheeky dozen then take the self-guided Sapphire Coast Oyster Trail. Merimbula Gourmet Oysters is a great place to start.
Slurp down freshly shucked oysters. (Image: Destination NSW)
Broadwater Oysters is also on the water’s edge and oyster aficionados will love the Tide-to-Table experience on offer. Book a Bermi & Beyond tour or go for the full farm-to-plate experience and follow the trail to Wonboyn Rock Oysters, the most southern estuary in NSW that grows Sydney Rock oysters. Wheeler’s Seafood Restaurant is a top spot to stop for lunch.
Feast on a delectable seafood platter at Wheeler’s Seafood Restaurant. (Image: Destination NSW)
Visit the website of acclaimed local photographer David Rogers to buy a print of the surrounding Mimosa Rocks National Park. The South East Centre for Contemporary Art (SECCA) is just a 25-minute drive from Merimbula and one of many reasons to schedule in a day trip to Bega.
SECCA is a hub for arts and culture on the Sapphire Coast. (Image: David Rogers Photography)
The hub for art, culture and ideas celebrates creativity and community is one of the best regional galleries in Australia. Galleries in and around Merimbula include the Shop7 ArtSpace in Bermagui, the Pambula Collective and Cobargo Creators Gallery. The National Trust-classified Merimbula Old School Museum is also worth a look.
Potoroo Palace is a not-for-profit enterprise, so the small cost of entry goes toward conservation work. Potoroo Palace is a sanctuary for native animals such as Eastern grey kangaroos, emus, echidnas, dingoes, native birds, snakes and wombats. You’ll also find seven long-nosed potoroos pootling around the property.
Spot a koala hugging a tree at Potoroo Palace. (Image: Destination NSW)
The sanctuary is on Djiringanj land and welcomes and assists people with access needs. Those staying in Merimbula can sign up for one of the night tours at Potoroo Palace, which happen twice a month.
Extraordinary tales surface at each of the five spots along Eden’s Killer Whale Trail, including the stories of killer whales that formed an unlikely allegiance with the whalers off the south-east coast of Australia to hunt baleen whales.
Killer Whale Museum is devoted to Eden’s whaling, timber and fishing history. (Image: Destination NSW)
The town of Eden documents many stories about Australia’s whaling industry at the Eden Killer Whale Museum, the first stop along the trail. Established in 1931, the museum has the skeleton of Old Tom the killer whale on display and is a profound record of this brutal period of our maritime history.
See the skeleton of Old Tom the killer whale on display. (Image: Destination NSW)
Stretching from the town of Pambula to the Pambula River, Panboola (the Indigenous name for the area) is an 82-hectare pocket of protected wetlands. Commandeer the kids on a clear day and connect to the walking tracks that crisscross the wetlands. Visit the waterbird sanctuary, where you might spot grey gosshawks, and whistling kites flaring their feathery crowns. And pinball between the marsh paddocks and freshwater billabongs where the air smells of salt and eucalyptus. The extensive walking and cycle tracks loop around the Old Pambula Racecourse.
The South Coast Ale Trail presents the ultimate pub crawl. If you’re staying in town, engage an easy rider from Great Southern Trike Tours to join the dots between the area’s top breweries.
Keep it chill with a beer in hand at Longstocking Brewery. (Image: Destination NSW)
Although there are nine breweries on the NSW South Coast Ale Trail, keep it tight with a custom tour of Jervis Bay Brewing Co., the Camel Rock Brewery in Wallaga Lake, Longstocking Brewery in Pambula and Tilba Brewing Co. at the Dromedary Hotel.
Enjoy a cold pint in the al fresco dining area of Longstocking Brewery. (Image: Destination NSW)
The ancient landscape around Merimbula is of great cultural importance to the Traditional Owners of the Pambula River, the Thaua people. Join an Indigenous guide from the Twofold Aboriginal Corporation on a specialty tour with Navigate Expeditions who will share stories about the pathways, mountains and streams.
Join a walking tour with Navigate Expeditions in Kalaru. (Image: Destination NSW)
The cultural tour offers a different perspective on the Pambula River, teaching visitors why it’s a place of profound significance. Navigate Expeditions also offers a range of bespoke nature-based tours in and around Merimbula.
Immerse yourself in nature and the history of the Pambula River. (Image: Destination NSW)
Get up at dawn when the land and sea is honeycombed in sunlight for a surf lesson at Camel Rock Surf School in nearby Bermagui. The surf school offers lessons for beginners and intermediate, and wetsuits and surfboards are included in the cost.
Try your hand at surfing with Camel Rock Surf School.
You will also be able to try kayaking, SUPing or fishing by booking a paddle from Mitchies Jetty, the local launchpad for all things aquatic in Merimbula. Fuel up at Mitchies Espresso Bar, which is open all year round, or one of Merimbula’s best cafes. When you’re not in or around the water, set up camp at one of the local holiday parks in Merimbula.
Hit the waves around the NSW South Coast.
It doesn’t matter what kind of perverse mood the sky is in, Bar Beach is one of the best beaches in Merimbula and a swim here is compulsory. Submit to this pull of fate by wriggling into your boardies or bikini and starting with a walk on the sand where the crabs have drawn curlicues.
The staggering Bar Beach beckons you. (Image: Destination NSW)
Your energy will seesaw into bliss after taking a dip in the turquoise sea, which is sheltered from summer’s northerly winds. The Bar surf break is popular with longboarders who converge at the Bar Beach Kiosk in the warmer months and fill it with excitement and chatter.
Cool off at Bar Beach. (Image: Destination NSW)
Dedicate an entire day to exploring Beowa National Park with Australia’s Coastal Wilderness Adventures. Expect to encounter wobbegong sharks, Port Jackson sharks, and graceful eagle rays along with myriad other fascinating marine life on an excursion that covers both land and sea.
The beach is lapped by turquoise waters in Beowa National Park. (Image: Destination NSW)
The backdrop of Beowa promises the perfect setting for this beguiling journey, which goes beyond the usual tourist haunts on the NSW South Coast. Slow things down with stop-offs at Disaster Bay Lookout and Greencape Light Station.
The Green Cape Lighthouse stands atop a grassy cliff at Disaster Bay. (Image: Dee Kramer Photography)
Good things do come in small villages. Find everything from upcycled fashion to fresh produce, craft and curios at the Merimbula Seaside Markets on the third Sunday of the month. It’s a magnet for locals who want to source fresh organic produce from local growers. The market is set up at Ford Park in Merimbula, with specialist growers such as a local potato farmer, who sells a diverse range of tubers and Burragate Organics, who champion local small-scale producers and sells a range of fruit and vegetables as well as poultry and eggs. You will also find niche food vans selling everything from gluten-free donuts to Dutch pancakes.
You can also explore the Sapphire Coast Market Trail to snap up more local merch. No matter what weekend you’re visiting Merimbula, there are markets held most weekends on the Sapphire Coast. Peckish for some paddock-to-plate produce? Head to the Bermagui Growers and Makers Market, Pambula Rotary Market and the Wydnam Village Market.
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