Montague Island – Sapphire Coast NSW
Located 9 kms east of Narooma (36°15′S 150°13′E), Montague Island has developed into a popular Sapphire Coast Tourist destination. Featuring a colony of over 1,000 small penguins, amazing fauna and the perfect location for fishermen and die hard divers, Montague Island is a must see for anyone visiting the south coast of NSW
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Features of Montague Island
Bird life and Penguins on Montague Island
Montague Island is one of the most important seabird nesting areas in NSW, particularly for little penguins, wedge-tailed shearwaters, short-tailed shearwaters, sooty shearwaters, silver gulls and crested terns. It is second only to Phillip Island in Victoria for
numbers of penguins and is one of Australia’s major shearwater breeding site.
Montague Island is home to over 1000 fur seals. Viewed from the boat on the northern edge of the island, these animals peak in number around late winter and spring, Numbers drop off to around 200 individuals after December.
Narooma is the closest access to Montague Island, 6kms east and 22kms north of Bermagui.
The island has an abundance of fish, including yellowfish kingfish, tuna, marlin, wahoo, and snapper. The Aughinish Rocks just south of the island is great for snapper.
Montague island is ideal for diving, both scuba and snorkelling. There are dangerous hazards and sharks are known to feed in the waters. So be careful!
Manta Rays, Wobbegongs, Bull Rays, turtles, Port Jackson and Grey Nurse sharks as well as schools of tropical fish, octopus, cuttlefish and nautilus. Various dive sites have hard or soft corals, sea tulips and exquisite fans.
Accommodation at Montague Island – History of Montague Island – Fishing at Montague Island