If you love nature and marine life, look no further than Montague Island for your next weekend away. This small, rocky island is only nine km offshore from Narooma, but feels a million miles away.
I recently visited the South Coast of NSW, where Narooma is located—it’s about a 4 ½ hour drive from Sydney, but it’s the perfect place to relax for a few days. One of the highlights for many visitors is a Montague Island tour, via boat, where you can visit the island, learn more about its history, and see the island’s famous seal colonies.
Here’s everything you need to know about the island and snorkelling with seals with these Montague Island tour reviews!
History of Montague Island NSW
Montague Island is today a protected nature reserve, managed by NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. However, its location just offshore meant it previously held a strategic importance to maritime traffic, due to its spectacular lighthouse.
Built in 1881, this Victorian era structure is fantastic to see up-close, thanks to its intricate detailing and beautiful aesthetic. It had to be lit every night to protect ships as they travelled up and down the coast, so the two lighthouse keepers (and, at times, their families), lived on the island and tended to it constantly.
However, for better or for worse, they were the only ones living on the island, due to its small size. If you didn’t get along with your fellow lighthouse keeper (which sometimes was the case), you can only imagine how lonely life would be, with the mainland so close, yet so inaccessible.
Montague Island is also a sacred place for the Yuin people, used for fishing, traditional ceremonies, and as a men’s teaching place.
When booking a visit to Montague Island, some tours don’t disembark on the island—I’d recommend booking a tour that does, as that way you can enjoy a guided tour via a NSW Parks guide. Our tour guide knew just about everything about the island and was full of epic stories about the island’s past.
Oh, and what’s the Narooma to Montague Island distance? Don’t worry, it’s a short trip at around 20 minutes, or 9 kilometres. This also means a Montague Island day trip is super easy and is how the majority of people visit, since accommodation is super limited.
Montague Island Seals
In addition to the fascinating history of the island, many visit to see the seal colonies. Montague Island is home to over 90 species of birds, including penguins, but is most well-known for its colonies of fur seals, both the Australian and New Zealand varieties.
As you approach the island, it’s incredible to see just how many seals there are, both on the rocky outcrops and swimming right offshore. You’ll likely hear them (and smell them!) as the boat approaches, often with young pups in tow.
There are a number of tour operators that are licensed to take visitors both snorkelling and diving with the seals on Montague Island, which was a big part of why I visited the South Coast. However, ethical wildlife interactions are incredibly important to me and I wanted to make sure I supported a company that was respectful to the island’s wildlife.
After a bit of research, I settled on Narooma Charters and was really happy with my experience. This trip included both snorkelling and an island tour. The crew were extremely knowledgeable, experienced, and made sure everyone onboard knew to always keep a safe distance from the seals in the water.
Later in the day, we had to cut our island tour short, due to high winds and swell—the crew were exceptional in making sure everyone got back on the boat safely, a testament to their professionalism.
Snorkelling at Montague Island- My Narooma Charters Review
As we reach Montague Island, we drop anchor and the crew passes out snorkelling gear (if you don’t have your own), briefs everyone on how to enter the water and stay safe, and we’re then free to jump in.
I’m an avid snorkeller and diver, but I must admit I felt pretty apprehensive at first. Seals are large, although generally harmless to humans, but with hundreds of them all around us, humans were definitely outnumbered!
After a few deep breaths, I take the plunge. The waters of the South Coast are unbelievably clear, giving you gorgeous visibility to see your surroundings. While humans should never get too close to the seals (they are, of course, wild animals), there’s nothing stopping seals from getting too close to you.
Seals are curious creatures and often swim towards you, then quickly veer off at the last minute. They seemed to be having just as much fun as the humans were, darting around, playing, and swimming at high speeds. Seeing these beautiful animals in their natural habitat really makes you appreciate how special they are.
After a few minutes, I began to feel more comfortable in the water and time flew by. Snorkelling with seals at Montague Island was honestly one of the best adventures I’ve had in ages and would definitely recommend!
If you’re not confident in the water, you could still see plenty of seals from the boat, but I would say give it a go, if you can! In addition to snorkels, fins, and wetsuits, foam noodles were available if you wanted to add some buoyancy while swimming.
In addition to seals, you’re likely to see sharks, turtles, rays, and plenty of fish.
Looking for more adventures in NSW? Why not go bushwalking at Ruined Castle, look for ghosts at Rose Cottage, or climb the Harbour Bridge!
How to Get to Montague Island Nature Reserve
It’s only accessible via boats that have permission to visit, so the best way to visit is via a guided Montague Island tour. Most tours leave from Narooma Wharf, which is just a short drive from town and has plenty of parking.
How far is Narooma from Sydney? Narooma itself is located on the South Coast, which will take about 4 ½ hours if you’re driving from Sydney, with plenty of beautiful stops along the way.
Before You Go:
- Be sure to bring along your GoPro or underwater camera!
- The tours may need to be cancelled if weather conditions are bad or if not enough passengers book. For this reason, book your snorkel trip early on in your holiday so that you have extra days to rebook if it’s cancelled. My trip was cancelled due to high winds, but luckily, we were able to go out the following day.
- The waters are fairly calm, but always pay close attention to where you are and where the boat is at all times, as currents can blow you away without realising.
- Never go up on the rocks near the seals. It’s dangerous, slippery, and will make them upset.
- Want to stay a bit longer? Montague Island accommodation is available in the former lighthouse keeper’s cottages. They looked amazing, but you do need to bring everything with you that you’ll need, since there’s no stores or restaurants on the island. (Literally–the lighthouse and its cottages are the only structures on the island)
- Be sure to pack your sunscreen, a hat, and something dry to change into after you snorkel.
If you have your own snorkelling gear, bring it along!
Note, I visited Montague Island as a paying member of the public.