9 Best Things To Do In Merimbula, Australia

1. Potoroo Palace

Potoroo Palace is an astonishing establishment located in an equally attractive area! Your family will really enjoy the tour and come back with an even greater love of nature than before you entered this place. Viewing the alpine dingos is a best part of this place, followed by the koalas and emus.

The staff are very friendly, and strongly establish the fact that the wild animals are well-loved and suitably cared for here at this sanctuary. The animals are given names and the staff emphasize the different personalities of the animals, and the histories of each animal are displayed at each enclosure. You can opt for the mini train guided tour that takes you around the place.

It is recommended to book ahead and pay a little extra for the animal encounter experience, which is worth doing. All revenue goes towards supporting and running of this beautiful wildlife sanctuary. We did the mini ‘train’ ride and then a guided tour.

Potoroo Palace

Website: Potoroo Palace

2. Merimbula Aquarium and Wharf

The Merimbula Aquarium and Wharf has a great variety of marine life such as green sea turtles, small sharks, sea horses, cuttlefish, moray eels, and otherspcies including the blue tang made famous by the animated movie Finding Dory.

The guides provide fantastic explanations that are certain to appeal to all visitors. It is highly recommended that you visit on a Wednesday due to popular demand among visitors for a certain staff member named Allan who is a delight to be with, as he is very passionate about his work and very informative, making it a point to explain to all visitors in detail about the marine life in the aquarium. He also runs the feeding time, which starts at 11:30 AM with at least an hour an half to spare as this is one of the most interactive sessions Allan has with all the children and the marine life, making it an entertaining and educational experience.

It is recommended that you arrive at 11 AM to have a look around at the marine life before feeding time. The Merimbula Aquarium is well setup and very entertaining.

Merimbula Aquarium and Wharf

Website:Merimbula Aquarium and Wharf

3. Magic Mountain

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Magic Mountain is your regular water theme park. It is properly maintained and the visitors are given top priority. Here the teenagers will be interested in getting wet on the water rides. There are many seating options so you can bring in a picnic with you. They do have a BBQ grill and they don’t mind you bringing a picnic, so stock up on those sausages and steaks because we are having a picnic at Magic Mountain.

There are two amazing water slides but do try the Tube of Doom, because the slide goes underground for a third of the ride. This is great for thrill seekers. Kids will love to go on this ride multiple times. The park opens this slide to a group for a half hour block before their time is up and the next group is allowed. On not-so-busy days you can just keep going through without the need to queue. Mini golf is available if you wish to tee off.

There is go-karting aimed at kids but adults can fit in as well. Don’t expect much power as the karts were designed with kids in mind. There is a Mini Mouse roller-coaster, a luge, tobogganing, and so on. Basically, you and your family can have loads of fun the entire day and leave the park with happy memories.

The food isn’t shockingly overpriced. There is something for everyone in this park and you will never get bored at Magic Mountain. This is an extremely safe park where one can enjoy the attractions that they offer numerous times. It is recommended to get an all-day pass to get your money’s worth for the rides.

Magic Mountain

Website: Magic Mountain

Address: 134 Sapphire Coast Dr, Merimbula NSW 2548, Australia

Price: 59 USD (for adults); 52 USD (children); Free entry (0-4 yrs)

4. Top Lake

A lovely wander along the Merimbula Boardwalk will bring you to this relaxed and friendly café and boat rental facility, Sunny’s Kiosk. Enjoy a cup of coffee and the local bird life and soak up the peace and tranquility the place offers with beautiful views that soothe your eyes. You can find great and reasonably priced food here, so it is a perfect place to relax and enjoy the beautiful beach and sunshine.

Everyone coming to Merimbula should visit Top Lake for its sheer beauty and hire a paddle boat to enjoy nature at your own pace.

Top Lake is the perfect spot to end your day and start your evening. The tapas menu is short but delicious, and the property is in a peaceful and picturesque spot perfectly located to unwind over a drink. Just make sure you leave yourself enough time to enjoy the scenery.

Sunny’s Kiosk & Boat Hire

Website: Sunny’s Kiosk & Boat Hire

5. Merimbula Boardwalk

If you are in Merimbula, how could you not visit the Merimbula Boardwalk? The Merimbula Boardwalk is a great way to soak in the lake and the scenery. The boardwalk is a testimony of an exclusive experience that demonstrates how humans can co-exist with the environment without destroying it. This beautiful walk is extremely popular and deservedly so. A walk along the Merimbula Boardwalk takes about 30 minutes, and on the far end, visitors will come by the Top Lake Boat Hire cafe, which is the perfect spot for a quick snack and drink before the return trip. If you enjoy bird photography, you will find this boardwalk awesome at low tide, where you can photograph to your heart’s content. The boardwalk is accessible for all ages, prams and wheelchairs included!!

Be prepared to see the unexpected and interesting while on your walk on the boardwalk. Some interesting highlights can be spotting seals, banded rails, echidnas, and osprey. However, if you don’t get a chance to spot these, the usual hundreds of crabs, mangroves and white faced cranes do the trick along with wonderful views around every corner on this otherwise easy walk.

Keep in mind that there aren’t any handrails along the boardwalk and at some points you will be over the water, so if you have children be prepared with a pram or a push trike. Parking is available at both ends but if you finish at the café called Top Lake, you can sit down and have a wonderful cup of coffee while watching the myriad activities at the lake before you wander back.

Merimbula Boardwalk

Website: Merimbula Boardwalk

6. The Pinnacles in Beowa National Park

The Pinnacles, which is a loop walking track in Beowa National Park, is a spectacular wonder of nature. There is much to see throughout Beowa National Park, from the history of the Davidson Whaling Station to the natural beauty of spots like the Pinnacles. This is a great way to enjoy nature while getting some exercise for free!

The Pinnacles is a beautiful place that is well-conserved and provides outstanding photo opportunities. Take a short 1.2 km (0.74 mi) walking trail while enjoying the cool breeze and bright sunshine. Watch the gorgeous rock formations while on the pleasant walking trail.

Getting here is easy. Drive along Haycock Road and follow the signs to the car park. Take an easy walk to the lovely beach. Few people visit this beach; hence, it makes an ideal getaway spot to spend some time or the entire day. But be safe as the beach is deserted most of the time. The rocks at the end of the beach look nice and have small water holes. Seaweed on some of the rocks makes them interesting. We saw some dolphins from the beach as well which was a bonus.

There are no facilities at the beach so come prepared accordingly.

The Pinnacles: Beowa National Park

Website: The Pinnacles: Beowa National Park

7. Panboola Wetlands

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You will fall in love with the Panboola Wetlands as it provides a haven for all kinds of birds, water animals, and kangaroos as well as preserving the natural land. Appreciate an era now past with plenty of rustic buildings. The walking trail is nice and easy to follow.

The Panboola Wetlands is perfect to take the children along for a walk or bike ride, or when they are in strollers. Kangaroos are always seen lazing around billabongs.

You can walk along the old horse racetrack, which is surprisingly well maintained. It also is perfect for great outdoor activity to be followed up with Oaklands for a meal, coffee or beer at their great cafe and brewery.

Panboola Wetlands

Website: Panboola Wetlands

Nearby things to do

8. The Eden Killer Whale Museum

The remarkable narrative of people’s association with killer whales goes back 10,000 + years. Learn the intriguing relationship between killer whales and men on how they hunted and lived together for the benefit of both species. The Eden Killer Whale Museum, which is located in the town of Eden, about 22 km (13.67 mi) south of Merimbula, has grown tremendously over the past 40 years and is now a delightful and stimulating place to spend several hours.

The tale of how one of the orcas hung around one of the fishermen whose boat had capsized is beautiful. The museum is rich with the history of the families and the process of whale hunting. The exhibitions are well-spaced and arranged, displaying whale models as well as products made from whales. Witness the models of the various boating instruments used in the whaling process.

The area was also influential during the World Wars and hence the museum has lots of history on that as well. It is thrilling to see a Morse code machine; one you could touch and experiment with and there is also the Morse code alphabet you can learn from, which is remarkable.

The lookout points are beautiful and are an excellent spot for whale-watching. For an animal lover, it makes for a good visit and there is plenty of history.

Eden Killer Whale Museum

Address: 182 Imlay St, Eden NSW 2551, Australia

Website: Eden Killer Whale Museum

9. Ben Boyd Tower

Ben Boyd Tower is located inside the Beowa National Park near the town of Eden. This tower was commissioned by Ben Boyd and you can see his name inscribed on the tower. To get to the tower, enjoy a great little walk to the spectacular panoramas of the bay while observing the beautiful Devonian rock formations of the south coast. This is a top spot to visit and explore. The path to Ben Boyd Tower is not too far for young children to walk, although there are longer hikes in Beowa National Park for adventure seekers.

There are two short walks to lookout points that provide breathtaking views. During whale season, you can spot some activity. It is worth the visit!

Ben Boyd Tower

Address: Edrom NSW 2551, Australia

Website: Ben Boyd Tower

Come and enjoy Merimbula with the entire family

Merimbula has a great climate where you can enjoy the pristine beaches and then wander off in the abundant natural elements including bird watching and enjoying the coast. Merimbula ensures that the kids are not left out from the excitement and offers them an aquarium, theme park, and museum where they will have fun and learn new things.