Holiday houses in Tuross Head

A coastal village around halfway between the towns of Moruya and Narooma on the New South Wales South Coast, Tuross Head sits on a low headland overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The town is sandwiched between the tidal lakes of Tuross Lake to the south and Coila Lake to the north.

Tuross Lake is home to a number of oyster farms, while prawns are harvested from shallow Coila Lake, so the town’s seafood restaurants are not to be missed. The lakes are also great for kayaking and stand-up paddle boarding, with plenty of little islands and estuaries worth checking out. There are consistently good waves to surf off the sandy beaches around the headland, but tidal flows out of Tuross Lake generate strong rips, so if you’re swimming take care to stay close to shore. The opening to Coila Lake is usually blocked by sandbanks, so you can also head to the more sheltered Coila Bar Beach at the northern end of town to have a dip in the waves.

The South Coast is a popular getaway for Sydneysiders and Canberrans, so the region can be busy during the summer break and other school holidays. Summers in Tuross Head tend to be humid and hot, tempered by cooling sea breezes. Steamy days often give way to cool nights as a southerly buster — a powerful cold wind front sweeping up from the south — blows away the day’s heat (and upends beach umbrellas) in a matter of minutes. March is the wettest month, even as the humidity starts to drop. The town is quiet in late autumn and winter, although the cooler weather is ideal for hiking in nearby Eurobodalla National Park. This is also when humpback whales migrate north past Tuross Head from late May, before making the return journey south from September to November.

Eurobodalla National Park

This beautiful national park might be right across the water from Tuross Head, but you’ll need to loop around the lake for the secluded beaches, lagoons, and lakes, as well as 131 bird species, including ground-nesting little terns and sooty owls.

Bingi Dreaming track

North of Tuross Head, there’s a second section of Eurobodalla National Park that is home to significant sites for the local Indigenous communities. Follow the Bingi Dreaming track from Bingie Beach, below Tuross Head, as it traces ancient paths and ceremonial sites used by the Yuin people across the park.

Potato Point

North of Eurobodalla National Park, experienced snorkelers can explore the waters around Potato Point, which are home to a variety of fish and stingrays. Keep an eye out for the area’s resident emus, which like to hang out on Potato Point Beach.