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.
The Depot Beach Rainforest Walk is a short easy track that runs through littoral rainforest and down to a beautiful sandy beach. As part of Murramarang National Park, it is maintained by NSW National Parks and Wildlife and was in excellent condition during our visit. Almost the entire track has boardwalk, or is paved, so it very easy to walk. The recommended time is 15 to 45 minutes, and we easily made the lower and of the range. Remember, because this is a national park, no dogs are allowed.
Getting There
Car parking is available at a dedicated spot about 250m from Depot Beach and also has a toilet and information board. Alternately, parking at the beach allows you to start and finish there and not need to move your car if you intend to spend time on the sand. Whichever you choose, the track is a loop, so you will end up back where you started.
The Track
The 400m track runs through spotted gum rainforest with a lush undergrowth consisting of cabbage tree palms, cycads and bracken. Information boards along the track describe the different vegetation and animal life.
When we reached the beach, there were kangaroos sleeping in the shade near the carpark. We had lunch at the beach, we had almost to ourselves, with only two other people there.
A fun easy walk, with a great beach to enjoy as well. From here we went to the Burrawang Walking Track which was only a 2-minute drive away.
Start of the walk at the carparkInformation BoardLittoral rainforestSpotted gumsBoardwalk on the trackSmall creek crossing and palmsStart of the track at Depot BeachLittorial rainforest growing right up to Depot BeachDepot BeachKangaroos near Depot Beach
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
