Established in 1989, Mogo Wildlife Park is situated 10 kilometres south of Batemans Bay on the New South Wales south coast. Housing over 250 animals, of which more than 44 are rare or exotic species, the park is one of the most successful private zoos in Australia.
The majority of the animals’ enclosures emulate their natural habitats, providing a more realistic environment for them to live in. With plenty of space, the zoo has managed to create some large enclosures, especially for the zebras and giraffes, which have a huge area to roam in.
Walking around the zoo took several hours, as there is so much to see. There is a large variety of exhibits, ranging from cute meerkats and red pandas, to Sumatrans tigers and white lions.
If visiting the south coast of New South Wales, this is a great way to spend half a day. For a closer look at the animals, the wildlife park offers a range of up-close encounters.
MeerkatCheetahSri Lankan leopard Red pandaBlack-and-white ruffed lemurRing tailed lemurcotton-top tamarinPlains zebra and giraffeGiraffeSleepy southern white rhino Asian small-clawed otter
To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.
Running along the northern side of the Wagonga Inlet, the Mill Bay Boardwalk is the perfect way to appreciate Narooma. Narooma itself is located on the New South Wales south coast, around a three-hour drive from Canberra, Australia.
Getting There
Access is very easy, with a large carpark nearby. Accessible to wheelchairs, the boardwalk is flat and runs for 350m around the bay.
The Boardwalk
While walking along the boardwalk, keep a lookout for wildlife. We were lucky enough to see an Australasian Darter eating a fish it had caught. Resting on a rock not far away, a pelican was sunning itself and drying its wings.
At several places, the pathway has been widened and bench seats installed so that people can fish. This is great, because it allows room to fish, while people can walk through on the boardwalk without getting tangles in fishing lines.
This was a nice little walk with great views over the water. Worth having a look at if you are in the area.
Australasian Darter eating a fishAustralasian Darter eating a fishInformation board on seagrassPelican drying itself offLooking over Wagonga Inlet from the Mill Bay BoardwalkThe BoardwalkSteps leading up to Centenary DriveBench seats and fishing spot on the boardwalkYacht moored on Wagonga Inlet
To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.
Located in Murramarang National Park on the New South Wales south coast, the Acheron Ledge Walking Track is a 1.5km round trip through spotted gum forest with beautiful views over the ocean.
Getting There
There are several ways to start this walk, depending on how much you want to do. The full loop can starts at the Maloneys Drive, Archeron Track intersection, or you can shorten the walk by starting at Maloneys Beach. Although shorter, the second option means climbing stairs from the beach to the track.
We chose to park at Maloneys Beach, which is a great destination itself, with a wide stretch of sand and views across to Batemans Bay. The adjacent Hibiscus Close Reserve also had a large group of kangaroos in residence who were becoming active as we were there near sunset. Leaving the carpark was a slow drive as they were bouncing along the road and in front of the car.
The Track
Once the stairs were conquered, the rest of the track was relatively flat. NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service rate the track at level 3 (Some bushwalking experience recommended, Clearly sign posted, Short steep hills, Occasional steps). We found that the track was well maintained, but strong wind the previous week had caused some trees to fall although they did not completely block the track.
Walking the track to Reef Point, we went though the spotted gum forest which was very relaxing. Along the way, gaps in the trees provide excellent views over Batemans Bay and out to the Tollgate Islands.
Ending at Reef Point, the track descends to Quirriga Beach, a small beach with more great views over Batemans Bay.
What Did We Think?
This was a short easy walk (unless you don’t like stairs – there were approximately 130 of them). We took about an hour and a half in the area, but this including looking at the beach and taking photos. You could probably do it in half this time if you didn’t stop. As it was sunset, the kangaroos were an added bonus.
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Entrance sign at the carparkMaloneys BeachMaloneys BeachStairs up to the start of the trackLittoral eucalypt forestThe cliff top walking trackMaloneys Beach from the cliff topThe Tollgate Islands in Batemans BayTrees fallen over the trackQuirriga Beach at Reef PointLooking down the stairs from the cliff topKangaroos at sunset near Maloneys Beach
