Narooma and Montague Island Heritage

The Wagonga Inlet was a port supplying the Dromedary and Nerrigundah goldfields since 1860. Sawmilling became the primary industry in the area, with timber being transported to Sydney from several sawmills until the mid-1950s. Narooma became a town in 1886.

Since its early days, Narooma has been attracting tourists due to its breathtaking beauty, ocean and inlet fishing, and oysters. From the 1920s, stylish guesthouses in Narooma became popular among Sydney professionals, farmers, and graziers from the west. Camping along the foreshore became a popular activity from the 1920s. Currently, tourism is the primary industry in Narooma.

If you are visiting Narooma, you can visit the Visitor Centre to see the original lens from Montague Lighthouse and learn about the history of Montague Island and the light station, Aboriginal custodians, early settlement, maritime endeavours, and fishing. You can also visit the historic Montague Island Lightstation, stroll along the shore to Narooma’s Bar Rock Lookout or walk along Mill Bay Boardwalk, which includes interpretive signs explaining some of Narooma’s history. You can also see the cluster of heritage-listed boatsheds. Another activity is to cruise on the Wagonga Princess and learn about life ‘on the river’. Finally, you can visit the School of Arts Hall, also known as the Kinema, one of New South Wales’ longest-running movie theatres, and watch a movie.