Cradle Mountain
 ©  Lance Neville

Montague Island lighthouse
©   Inger Vandyke

Boroka Lookout Grampians
© Parks Victoria

Grampians Mammal
Monitoring © Parks Victoria

Wombat Lake
Cradle Mountain

Seal Colony Montague Island

Researcher with
Penguin Chick

Montague Island Nature Reserve

Naturewise tour wins Australian Tourism Award!

The Qantas Australian Tourism Awards (QATA) recognise and promote excellence in tourism. They are the pinnacle of achievement for the tourism industry in Australia.  Finalists are drawn from the State and Territory Tourism Awards winners across 25 categories.

The Qantas Australian Tourism Awards ceremony was held on Friday 29th February 2008 at the National Convention Centre in Canberra, and the Montague Island tour won the prestigious Ecotourism Category. We are delighted to be recognised as ‘the best of the best’ in this innovative partnership with the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. The national award caps 3 years of State Award wins for this program –Ecotourism (2007, 2006), and Best New Product (2005).

 

 

 

 

         

"The Island is the most satisfying holiday experience I have discovered" - T.Bennett

 

One of Australia’s best kept secrets, Montague Island Nature Reserve is a breathtaking wildlife sanctuary situated nine kilometres off Narooma, on the south coast of New South Wales. A nature lover’s paradise, the island is teeming with wildlife. Join an overnight tour for an exclusive opportunity to experience this special place, staying overnight in the beautifully appointed heritage-listed guesthouse. Watch thousands of seals as they crowd the rocks and play in the crystal blue waters, tour the island with your National Parks and Wildlife Service Ranger, visit the island’s operating lighthouse and discover 125 years of lighthouse history. Enjoy majestic humpback whales performing acrobatics in the surrounding waters, relax taking in the endless coastal views and spend your evenings watching colourful sunsets, endless stars and little penguins coming to shore.

 

The island was known as Baranguba by Aboriginal people.  Its fertile hunting grounds and archaeological sites indicate the area has had continuing cultural significance for thousands of years. Local people maintain this connection today. Montague was first operated as a lighthouse in the late 1800’s and, after more than 125 years is still operating today. Overnight visitation to the island has been restricted for many years. Montague Island overnight tours provide the exclusive opportunity to stay in the middle of a nature reserve and explore this special place. This program is operated by Conservation Volunteers Australia and NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service.

 

This multi award winning eco-tour experience is truly unforgettable. Visitors to Montague Island Nature Reserve support crucial wildlife conservation and research projects.

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There are a number of great ways you can experience Montague Island. Click on your preferred package below for more information, dates and prices.


Overnight Conservation EcoTours

Two Night Package

Overnight Package

Self Guided Accommodated Experience

 

Winner – 2007 Australian Tourism Awards – Ecotourism

 

 

 

 Winner – 2007 NSW Tourism Award – Ecotourism

Winner – 2006 NSW Tourism Award – Ecotourism

 

 

 

 Winner – 2005 NSW Tourism Award – Best New Product

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Contribution to Conservation

This tour supports ongoing conservation and research on Montague Island Nature Reserve. Each tour provides the opportunity for you to participate in conservation projects taking place on the island and contribute to the long term protection of the Little Penguin Colony. Participate is optional and no prior experience is required.

 

View Montague Island on YouTube

 

Birdlife 

Montague Island is a natural haven for birds. The island is snake-free and there are no predatory mammals as found on the mainland. Birds of prey (raptors) are the only animal threat to the island's bird population. In addition, the rich waters of the East Australian current pass around or near the island providing important feeding grounds for seabirds.

More about birdlife on and around Montague Island.........

Wildlife

Marine mammals feature as the most frequently seen wlidlife, other than birds, on and around Montague. The rich East Australian Current brings nutrients, baitfish and larger predator fish and squid to the waters immediately around the island. These in turn are preyed upon by the marine mammals. Montague Island is famous for its seal colony, migrating humpback whales and dolphins.

More about wildlife often seen on and around Montague Island........

Environment

Montague is a unique environment through being a large, offshore island, rising up from the deep sea bed and surrounded by or in close proximity to the East Australian current and only 5 nautical miles from the continental shelf.  Montague Island is roughly rectangular, 1.4km long and 525 metres wide at its widest, and is oriented north-south. A ravine divides it into a northern section, covering approximately one third the total area, and a larger southern section on which the lighthouse and other developments are located. The two sections are commonly referred to as the north and south "islands". The landscape rises spectacularly from the ocean, with the grey-brown south end rocks contrasting with the black rocks of the north end. A bright orange lichen covering rings the island on the rocks above the spray line, and the low vegetation highlights the white of the lightstation buildings with the tower overlooking all.

More about Montague Island's environment, geology and flora.........

History

To local Aboriginal people, and many others as well, the island is known as Barunguba, and is the eldest son of Gulaga ( Mount Dromedary on the mainland) and a brother to Najunuka (Little Dromedary, at the feet of Gulaga). This evidence records that the island was used by the local people for traditional ceremonial purposes and also as a source of food. The island is still regarded as an important mens' teaching place. The southern section of the island is a significant historic place. Over 110 years of lightkeeping are represented on the island by the tower, the keepers quarters and associated features such as sheds, gardens, tracks and jetties.  The lightstation was conceived in 1873 but monies were not allocated for several years. Construction was eventually completed after some problems and the light was officially commissioned on November 1st 1881.

More about the brief history of Montague Island .........