New South Wales - Australia 2004 - page 217

(US$46) for children, and A$299 (US$194) for families. The last time I went
on this trip we saw no fewer than eight humpback whales, some of them moth-
ers with calves. An evening tour to see fairy penguins on Montague Island and
a visit to the seal colony costs A$69 (US$45) for adults, A$50 (US$35) for chil-
dren, and A$198 (US$128) for a family. The company also offers game fishing
from February to the end of June and scuba diving in the seal colonies from
August to the end of December. You could also see giant fish-eating gray nurse
sharks, dolphins and even orcas. Dives cost A$66 (US$43) for a double dive,
plus approximately A$33 (US$21) for gear rental.
Narooma Golf Club, Narooma ( & 02/4476 2522 ), has one of the most
interesting and challenging coastal courses in Australia. A round of golf will cost
you A$25 (US$16).
While in the area I recommend stopping off at the Umbarra Aboriginal Cul-
tural Centre , Wallaga Lake, off the Princes Highway on Bermagui Road
( & 02/4473 7232; [e-mail]). The center offers activities such as
boomerang and spear throwing, and painting with natural ochres for A$6.25
(US$4.05) per person, or A$20 (US$13) per family. There are also discussions,
Aboriginal archival displays, and a retail store. It's open Monday through Friday
from 9am to 5pm and Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 4pm (closed Sun in
winter). The center's guides also offer 2- to 4-hour four-wheel-drive/walking
trips of nearby Mount Dromedary and Mumbulla Mountain, taking in
sacred sites. The tours cost A$45 (US$29) per person. Reservations are essential.
If you want to attempt Mt. Dromedary without a guide, ask for directions in
Narooma. The hike to the top takes around 3 hours.
WHERE TO STAY
Whale Motor Inn This nice, quiet motor inn has the best panoramic
ocean views on the south coast and the largest rooms in town. Standard rooms
have a queen-size and a single-person sofa bed. Standard suites have a separate
bedroom, two sofa beds, and a kitchenette. Executive and Jacuzzi suites are very
spacious, better furnished, and have a kitchenette and a large balcony or patio.
Princes Hwy., Narooma, NSW 2546. & 02/4476 2411. Fax [phone]. www.whalemotorinn.com.au. 17
units. A$90-A$145 (US$59-US$94). Extra person A$10 (US$6.50). AE, DC, MC, V. Amenities: Restaurant;
small unheated outdoor pool; nonsmoking rooms. In room: A/C, TV, kitchenette (in all rooms except
A$90/US$59 rooms), fridge, coffeemaker, hair dryer, iron.
MERIMBULA
480km (298 miles) S of Sydney; 580km (360 miles) NE of Melbourne
This seaside resort (pop. approx. 7,000) is the last place of interest before the
Princes Highway crosses the border into Victoria. Merimbula is a good center
from which to discover the surrounding Ben Boyd National Park and Mimosa
Rocks National Park; both offer bushwalking. Another park, Bournda
National Park, is situated around a lake and has good walking trails and a surf
beach.
Golf is the game of choice in Merimbula itself, and the area's most popular
venue is the Pambula-Merimbula Golf Club ( & 02/6495 6154 ), where you
can spot kangaroos grazing on the fairways of the 27-hole course. It costs A$14
(US$9.10) for nine holes, or A$25 (US$16) for the day. Another favorite is Tura
Beach Country Club ( & 02/6495 9002 ), which is known for its excellent
coastal views. A round of 18 holes costs A$20 (US$13).
Eden, 20km (12 1 ⁄ 2 miles) south of Merimbula, was once a major whaling
port. The rather gruesome Eden Killer Whale Museum, on Imlay Street in