Montague Island

Montague Island, known to the Yuin people as Barunguba, lies nine kilometres off Narooma, a low granite island of about eighty hectares that is a nature reserve with no public access except on guided tours. Australian and New Zealand fur seals haul out on the rocks in numbers that peak in winter, and snorkelling and diving trips run to swim with them in the shallows. Around eight thousand pairs of little penguins nest in burrows across the island, coming ashore after dusk on evening tours. A granite lighthouse built in 1881 stands at the high point, and its keepers' cottages now house researchers and a small number of overnight guests.

What you actually see

• The fur seal colony - hundreds of seals on the rocks, snorkelled with in season.
• The little penguins - burrow-nesting colony coming ashore at dusk.
• The 1881 lighthouse - the granite tower and keepers' cottages.
• The seabird island - shearwaters, terns and other nesting species.

When to go

September to April for penguin nesting and warmer water; seal numbers peak in winter, from around May to October. Tours run morning, afternoon and evening, and all depend on sea conditions, which cancel trips regularly.

Honest expectations

Landing is only possible with a licensed operator and tours are not cheap. The crossing is often rough and the landing itself can be cancelled at short notice even after departure. Numbers ashore are capped and evening penguin tours book out well ahead.

Nearby

Narooma is the departure point; Central Tilba and Bermagui lie along the coast.