Where

Murramarang Aboriginal Area in South Coast

Distance

2.2km loop

Time suggested

1hr - 1hr 30min

Grade

Grade 3

What to
bring

Hat, sunscreen

Please note

• Please leave Aboriginal artefacts undisturbed – you will be helping to preserve them.
• This section of the coast is part of Batemans Marine Park.
• Remember to take your binoculars if you want to bird watch or whale watch.

Give yourself a couple of hours to immerse yourself in the surroundings on the 2.2km Murramarang Aboriginal Area walking track along the coastline. Interpretive signs offer insight into some of the most culturally significant Aboriginal sites along the track. The beginning of the walk is along a sand track from the carpark, and the undeveloped location is very evocative, making it easier to imagine how the landscape would have looked thousands of years ago when large numbers of Aboriginal people lived here.

As well as the cultural significance, the walk offers incredible coastal views, including clear views to Brush Island . You might see kangaroos grazing on the grassland or sea eagles soaring overhead as you’re ambling along. Don’t forget your swimmers either – when the weather is warm, you’ll definitely want to go for a splash in the waves.

For directions, safety and practical information, see visitor info

Visitor info

Maps and downloads

Learn more

First sightings

When Captain Cook first spotted what he would later call Pigeon House Mountain from the sea, he sailed towards the coast to see if he could find a safe place to anchor. On 22 April 1770, he made his first sighting of Aboriginal people - some in bark canoes, others on land - here at Murramarang. Incidentally, the Aboriginal name for Pigeon House is 'Didthul', which is connected to the ocean through Dreaming stories. The first white settlers came to the area to graze cattle and cut timber in the late 1820s.

In a flap

Because of the preservation of nature here and its proximity to the coast, Murramarang is a great place to go bird watching. There are many species of threatened seabirds - including the sooty oystercatcher and hooded plover - living on the beaches. Swan Lagoon is an important habitat for waterbirds, including the black swan, little pied cormorant and white-faced heron. Sea eagles and osprey can often be seen swooping over the water.

Vast Aboriginal history

There are very few sites on the NSW South Coast with this much heritage. Material found at Murramarang has been dated back to an astounding 12,000 years. The headland, with its rock platforms, fishing, and nesting sea birds, was an important meeting point for Aboriginal people. Large fires where people cooked their food would have been visible for miles, and some archaeological finds suggest people in this area ate whales and dolphins. These days, the area is still used by local Aboriginal people for fishing, recreational and educational activities. Signs along the walking track identify some of the most important features of the area.