Montague Island, Narooma

Fast facts

• Famed for its penguin and seal colonies, Montague Island is also, in season, a superb location for whale-watching.
• About 10km south-east of Narooma, about 350 km south of Sydney.

Why go there

Hundreds of Australian fur seals (up to 700 animals during breeding season) make their home on Montague Island from late August to early December. New Zealand fur seals, a separate species, visit regularly as well. The island is a breeding ground for at least 15 bird species – including about 8000 pairs of penguins.

Little penguins thrive on the island and other bird species include crested terns, silver gulls, Australian gannets, mutton birds, hawks, sea eagles and three species of shearwaters.

To protect Montague Island’s special environment, access is limited to regular organised tours run by licensed operators from Narooma and guided by New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service rangers.

Guided tours cover plants, animals, the island’s Aboriginal and European history and the Montague Lighthouse, first lit in November 1881. The lighthouse, 21 metres tall and visible well out to sea, was converted to automatic operation in 1986. It is still an integral part of Australia’s coastal navigation system.

From September to November, guided tours extend to whale watching, as humpback and southern right whales move south on their annual migration from warmer tropical waters to the cooler waters of the Antarctic.

Don’t miss

• Walking up the steep, paved path to Montague Lighthouse, past penguin breeding boxes.
• Seeing how many types of seabirds you can spot, including little penguins, sooty oystercatchers, white-faced storm petrels, four species of cormorant, white-faced herons and three species of albatross.
• Cruising around the island and observing basking marine mammals through binoculars.
• Staying overnight, right under the lighthouse, in the restored former lighthouse-keeper’s quarters.
• Watching the penguin parade at night as Little Penguins return to their nests.
• Inspecting the original light from the lighthouse at the Narooma Lighthouse Museum. It’s attached to the Narooma Visitors Centre on the Princes Highway near the centre of Narooma. Admission is free.