Located around four hours south of Sydney, Batemans Bay is a small seaside getaway most known for its outstanding snorkelling. Its location on the leeward side of the Great Dividing Range — an extensive cordillera that divides the inland and the coast — maintains idyllic sunny conditions throughout most of the year. Beachgoers and watersports enthusiasts head to the town’s rocky shores to soak up the sun and explore the Batemans Bay Snorkelling Trail, an underwater nature trail where you can spot bream and lobster among the rock formations.

Batemans Bay is also a hotspot for seafood lovers, and home to a thriving oyster farming industry. Its prime location on the Clyde River attracts city dwellers who come to kayak, relax on houseboats, and glide along on stand-up paddleboards — and there’s plenty of scenic wilderness to explore at Cullendulla Creek Nature Reserve on the north side of Batemans Bay Bridge. You can often see kangaroos among the scrubland backing onto Long Beach, and the Tollgate Islands in the bay are home to white-faced storm petrels.

Visitors landing at Canberra Airport (CBR) should pick up their rental car here and make the drive to Batemans Bay along the Kings Highway; the journey takes around two hours. There are public transportation options from the airport to the coast, but they will take well over 3.5 hours and limit your movement once you get to Batemans Bay. Alternatively, you can fly into Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD) and grab a two-hour connecting local flight to Moruya Airport (MYA). From here, it’s only a 20-minute drive to Batemans Bay. You’ll want a car for exploring the surrounding area, such as Clyde River and Murramarang National Parks. It’s also the easiest solution for getting to the various beaches along the coastline.

Batemans Bay experiences mild winters where nights can get quite chilly, so it’s best to pack a warm jacket. Winter also happens to be a dry and sunny time of year, which lends itself to outdoor explorations, including hikes and mountain biking at Maulbrooks Mountain Bike Park. The spring is slightly warmer and starts to see the precipitation that lasts throughout the summer. Head to Old Princes Highway in September for the 10-day arts festival. In the warmer months, there is generally more rainfall, but this season also tends to be hot, drawing visitors to the coast. This is when you will want to come and enjoy warm beach days and swimming near your pet-friendly accommodation in Batemans Bay.

Batemans Bay Snorkelling Trail

This trail is an expanse of submarine rock formations, reefs, and aquatic life stretching out across three beaches: Maloneys Beach, Sunshine Cove Beach, and Guerilla Bay. Maloneys Beach is a calm place where snorkelers can spot sponges, rays, starfish, and shellfish. Sunshine Cove Beach is home to rocky areas and seaweed beds, while Guerilla Bay is a nice place to bring a picnic and explore. Here you’ll see seaweed-covered rocks and a wide variety of fish species such as blue groper, wrasse, and luderick. All of these scenic spots are within a 15-minute drive of Batemans Bay.

Murramarang National Park

This national park is located 20 minutes from Batemans Bay and is known for its rough coastline. You can check out the tidal rock pools off Pebbly Beach. Durras Lake Discovery Trail takes you through a protected ecological rainforest, leading to a lovely lakeside path. Make your way up Durras Mountain to the lookout point high atop the cliffs. Keep your eyes peeled, and bring some binoculars to try and spot peregrine falcons. Afterward, head down to any of its pristine beaches for an afternoon swim.

Holmes Lookout

This elevated lookout is an easy eight-minute drive from the town. It’s located in Clyde River National Park, surrounded by lush, overgrown walking trails. The popular lookout features a short walking trail and panoramic views of the ocean over the Clyde River and the town, as well as the Budawang Ranges to the northwest. Look up into the tall gum trees and you may also glimpse parrots and kookaburras. It’s a well-known bird-watching spot, home to yellow robins, treecreepers, eastern spinebills, and honeyeaters.