Surrounded by lakes, coastal forest and beaches, with the extinct volcano Mount Gulaga as its backdrop, Bermagui is blessed with an abundance of natural beauty. Go deep-sea fishing, investigate the goldfields at Wallaga Lake and enjoy the laid-back ambiance of the village itself.
One of the most popular activities here is snorkelling in the calm waters of the Blue Pool, a rock pool filled with colourful fish, octopi and nudibranchs. Watch the sun setting over the water from the Blue Pool viewing platform.
For a day of surfing and swimming, visit Horseshoe Bay beach or head south to Cuttagee Beach. An 8-kilometre (5-mile) hiking trail runs from Bermagui to Cuttagee Lake and the pretty Barragoot Beach. With large swells, Barragoot Beach is great for surfers, while Cuttagee Lake provides a safe place for swimmers of all ages.
To the north of Bermagui is Wallaga Lake. Go waterskiing, sailing and bushwalking through native forest teeming with wildlife. Take the guided tour along the boardwalks to Montreal Goldfield, one of Australia’s few beach goldfields. Discover the old mineshafts dug by prospectors in the 1800s and learn about the mystery of the five men who disappeared from the goldfields in 1880.
Continue your historical explorations back in Bermagui at the Community Centre, which houses a small museum of artefacts and photography from the early days of European settlement in the area.
After a day of hiking and swimming, the Bermagui Harbour is a good place to treat yourself, with a relaxing massage at a spa, antiques shopping and plenty of fine-dining experiences to choose from. Dine on freshly caught seafood paired with local wines along Bermagui Harbour at sunset. Oysters are a local specialty.
Find Bermagui on the Sapphire Coast, between Tathra and Narooma. The town is served by regional buses.