What to see and do
Local Attractions
for the tourist
South Coast Attractions & Activities
South Coast attractions & activities abound in close proximity to Denhams Beach Retreat. Whale & dolphin watching, bush walking, cruises, Mogo Zoo, Birdland Animal Park, & much, much more. Everything to keep the whole family entertained if you want to leave the luxury of our beautiful Denhams Beach holiday rental house.
Quick Access Menu
Beaches
Mogo
Mogo Zoo
Merinda River Cruises
Zippy Doo Play Gym & Cafe
Dolphin & Whale Watching
Water Sports
Bells Carnival
Golfing Club
Bush Walk
Markets
Eurobodalla Botanic Gardens
Restaurants
Contact Us!
About Our Location
Denhams Beach is located 7 km south of Batemans Bay, on the beautiful South Coast of NSW.
Travelling along Beach Road through Batehaven, and shortly after Sunshine Bay, but before you come to Surf Beach, you will turn left into Graydon Avenue, which leads down to Denhams Beach.
For those travelling from Canberra it is a two hour drive, a pleasant 4 hours from Sydney and 1 1/2 hours from Goulburn.
Denhams Beach is sheltered by rocky headlands, with good sized surf on most days and is popular with board riders and has great snorkelling around the rocks at the far end.
From here you can enjoy a short stroll around to Surf Beach during low tide, which is surf patrolled during the summer holidays and has lovely waves for boogie boarders. Wimbie Beach which is adjacent, has smaller waves and from here leads you to scenic bushwalks.
Scroll down to view some of our local attractions.
Beaches
The area around Denham’s Beach has a mild, temperate climate making it an ideal destination for a peaceful relaxing break. There are plenty of beautiful sandy beaches for you to choose from, including protected beaches with gentler waves for the children and serious breaks if you love surfing.
Whether it is a surfing beach, snorkelling paradise, or a diving haven the surrounding area will have one for you. If you like to surf (or would like to give it a go) there are accredited surf schools that provide wetsuits, as well as expert tuition.
Right on your doorstep, you have three beaches that you can explore without getting in your car.
Mogo
Just 10 minutes from Batemans Bay Mogo, is one of the popular destinations on the South Coast where shoppers can enjoy the great variety of cafes, galleries, antiques, fashion, arts, crafts, hobbies, homewares, and lifestyle product shops. These are housed in replica nineteenth century timber buildings.
Mogo is the perfect place to spend time browsing for something a little different.
Mogo was born from the discovery of a single nugget of gold in 1851, which sparked a gold rush in the Batemans Bay area.
Old Mogo town is a recreation of the 19th century gold rush village, complete with mining equipment, historic shops, and houses.
Mogo Zoo
A visit not to miss. Mogo Zoo has an international reputation as one of the great zoos in Australia.
Mogo Zoo is home to over 200 animals of more than 41 rare and exotic species, including the white lions of ‘Timbavati’. The zoo has an extensive range of primates from the smallest to the tallest and includes African lions, Giraffes, Zebras, Lemurs. Spider monkeys, Gorillas and Snow Leopards.
There are daily feeding sessions and educational talks given by keepers, which provide an insight into the animal’s behaviour. For a fee, there are also up close and personal animal encounters with a range of animals including tigers, white lions, meerkats and more. There are picnic grounds, BBQ facilities, and a café.
Merinda River Cruises
Merinda River Cruises operates a daily, three-hour lunch cruise up the beautiful Clyde River, one of the most scenic waterways in Australia. Enjoy scrumptious fish, chips, and salad, served on board, from Innes Boatshed. Tea, coffee, and biscuits are also served after your lunch, and an informative commentary as you cruise upriver to Nelligen, where you will have a 30 minute stopover.
The Escapade is a very comfortable vessel, even in overcast weather, as her interior is fitted out with carpet, timber and brass, and there are toilets and a bar available.
Boarding is 11am and returns at 2.30pm. They recommend phoning ahead in the holiday season.
Zippy Doo Play Gym & Cafe
Young ones are able to play and have fun in the 2 storey play gym that has ball pits, tunnels and slides, whilst the adults can sit in the lounge area and relax with a coffee.
There are themed disco nights.
As the playhouse is indoors in a safe, secure air-conditioned environment it is a great place to visit when it is too cold for the beach or on a rainy day.
Markets
There are several markets held around the Eurobodalla region, with Batehaven on the 1st Sunday of the month.
See if you can grab yourself a bargain from one of the 50 stalls, as you enjoy the array of food and browsing.
Moruya markets are held every Saturday morning on the banks of the river and have over 140 stalls selling books, arts and crafts, bric-a-brac and fresh produce.
Bells Carnival
Bells family carnival has been visiting Batemans Bay for over 27 years – providing endless fun and enjoyment to all ages and will be doing again in December 2022/23 and is part of the holiday tradition over the summer holidays. The carnival is alongside Corrigan’s Beach and runs over the Summer School Holidays, with fireworks on New Year’s Eve and Australia Day.
Treat the children and yourself to fairy floss and dagwood dogs, whist enjoying the giant slide, fun rides, and the Ferris wheel.
Golfing Club
Catalina Country Club is five minutes’ drive from Denham’s Beach. It has a 27-hole championship golf course and welcomes social visitors.
A fully stocked Pro-Shop. Golf lessons available. Catalina Country Club has a licensed clubhouse, a bistro, and coffee shop.
Free live entertainment Friday and Saturday nights. Children are welcome.
Further south, about a fifty minutes’ drive, there is Narooma Golf Course. This course is famous for its stunning coastal setting. This golf course also has a brasserie and regular entertainment.
For opening hours www.clubcatalina.com.au
Bush Walks
Venture out for a bushwalk on the Nature Coast, with many of the walks within the Batemans Bay region, where you are spoilt for choice, whether it is around scenic lakes and lagoons, through magical forests of the Clyde River, Eurobodalla National Parks, and Mogo State Forest or along one of the Nature Coast’s unspoilt beaches.
The tranquillity within the National Parks sets a pleasant and relaxing scene, where the noises of civilisation are substituted for those of wildlife, ensuring a serene and peaceful walk.
The choice is yours, with long or short walks, easy or difficult, fast paced, or leisurely.
Eurobodalla Botanic Gardens
These gardens are unique as it is the only botanic garden in the world which grows only those plants native to its own region. They are situated on a 42-hectare forest site and the site abounds with a wide variety of flora and fauna. The original flora of the area includes many of the 2000 species of plants, trees, and scrubs of the region.
The fauna that you may see includes possums, lizards, wallabies, bandicoots, echidnas, frogs and many bird species.
Enjoy the display gardens and walking tracks.
There are picnic areas, BBQ facilities as well a children’s playground and a café.
More fun Things To SEe & Do
Dolphin & Whale Watching
Dolphins
When the dolphins are out to play you can enjoy this unique experience from your balcony. They can be seen ‘surfing’ in the waves as they are forming and breaking.
Dolphins are one of the most popular animals in the wild and are social creatures. They have beautiful, streamlined bodies, with friendly ‘smiley’ faces and are recognised as having intelligent behaviour. They are loved by both children and adults.
The Common Bottlenose Dolphin is a regular visitor to the Denham’s Beach area, being grey in colour and may be between 2m and 4m. The dolphins live in groups called pods and typically number about fifteen dolphins, but group size can vary from one dolphin to groups of 100 or more. The numbers of dolphins seen at Denham’s Beach usually varies between four and twelve
Whales
You may also see whales from your balcony during their annual southern migration period. This period is from September through to November and is the best time to see them around the Batemans Bay region, on their way to enjoy a summer of intense feeding in the Antarctic Ocean.
In late winter the current flows towards the coast. This enables the travelling pods to be funnelled in close to Eurobodalla’s shores, which provides some fantastic up-close and person experiences. An experience not to be missed.
During this period, they move slowly and are very often with calves and will travel close to the coastline. Southern Rights, Humpbacks and Orcas can be often spotted.
A little further south of Denham’s Beach, the waters surrounding Montague Island are rich in krill and close to the edge of the continental shelf making this area a popular feeding ground for whales, including female whales and their nursing calves.
Most whale watching tours depart from Narooma and the excitement of seeing a whale close up diving and after a period of time breaking the surface in a spiralling breech- is such an exhilarating experience.
FUN THINGS TO DO IN THE WATER
Water Sports
Swimming Pool / Water Slide
Located at Bateman’s Bay, The Bay Pavilions Aquatic & Arts Centre is an exceptional location for the whole family to enjoy a swim and water slides. The pool area is undercover.
- The arts Pavilia has a, bar, theatre, gallery and studios.
- The Aquatic Pavilion boasts a a 25m lap pool, a warm water pool heated to 34 degrees, a gym, water slides and the splash park.
Water Slides – MINIMUM RIDER REQUIREMENTS:
- Must be 6 years or older
- Must be over 120cm in height
- Must be under 120kg
- Not have health condition
Visit the Black Duck Café for refreshments and food, the visitor centre for information or their retail store.
Location: 12 Vesper St, Batemans Bay NSW 2536
Phone: (02) 4415 1800
Fishing
Batemans Bay and the surrounding estuaries are well known for their fishing attractions.
Jetty/pontoon, kayaking, beach and boat fishing is popular, where you have the opportunity to catch plenty of good- sized fish, such as snapper, bream, flathead and jewfish.
Catch your own fish and take home and put on the BBQ.
Batemans Bay is host to several fishing competitions each year with the Clyde River’s Bream and Tollgate Classic competitions held in February each year.
Several fishing charters operate from Batemans Bay and will provide you with equipment and local knowledge.
For small children an ideal spot is in the centre of Batemans Bay, under the bridge or off the wharf.
Snorkelling
If you have not tried snorkelling before, why not give it a go, as everything is assessable from family friendly snorkelling in shallow calm waters, to more adventurous trails.
Sunshine Cove Beach, two kilometres north of Denham’s Beach provides some spectacular snorkelling from rocky reefs to seaweed beds where there is always plenty to see.
Maloney’s Beach, five kilometres south of Denham’s Beach is a great place for snorkelling and caters for families with a grassy reserve , electric BBQ’s and a covered picnic area.
Guerilla Bay is another popular snorkelling experience with rock walls, eels, stingrays, and many fish varieties being accessible. The area is part of the protected Batemans Bay Marine Park.
If you wish to venture further south snorkelling with the seals off Montague Island is regarded a world class ‘Must Do’ experience.
Kayaking
Kayak adventures for everyone from calm waters, rivers, creeks, lakes to the open sea. Paddle away to discover some of the quietest and least touched places on the coast, whilst stopping for swims along the estuaries.
If you do not have your own kayak, these can be easily hired from a number of outlets.
If you think that a tour is more your style, there are a number that operate from various departure points around Batemans Bay.
Whilst kayaking you may encounter birdlife, sea eagles, dolphins, turtles and whales during the migration period from September until November and stingrays.
Where to find local Food
Restaurants
The speciality in the Batemans Bay and South Coast region is fresh seafood and oysters, with many restaurants and eateries offering the day’s catch. There are many choices from casual restaurants through to fine dining, with a vast range of options and cuisines. There are plenty of waterfront options whether it be eating in, or simply getting fish and chips to eat on the beach. Some local favourites are listed below.
Innes Boatshed
Is renowned on the South Coast for its fresh fish and chips, oysters, and prawns. There is an indoor sitting area, as well as the outdoor deck, which overlooks the Clyde River. The seagulls sit close by watch and wait.
Berny's At Batehaven
Fresh fish and chips to take away. There is a park across the road, where you can take them to eat, as you enjoy the ocean views.
Kohlis Indian
Serves authentic Indian cuisine, which includes the classic Indian dishes. Vegans and vegetarians are well catered for. Eat in or Take Away.
On The Pier
In a stunning position, with iconic bridge views, a deck that overhangs the water and is housed in the heritage former punt house on the Clyde River. Enjoy cocktails out on the deck.
Emphasis is on seafood.
Oyster Shed On Wray Street
Located on the banks of the Clyde River, with oysters sold direct to the public, either opened or closed.
Crumb - Batehaven
A café known for its great coffee and large selection of leaf teas, as well as creative light meals.
Starfish Deli
Overlooks the Clyde River, with views across to the iconic bridge. Serves a varied menu, which includes seafood and pizza.
Sam’s Pizzeria on the Waterfront
Serves traditional Italian fare, pizzas, pasta, salads, and gelato and does a great Margherita pizza. Has indoor and outdoor eating and BYO.
Club Catalina Country Club
Café Catalina offers a selection of local fresh seafood, pizza, and steaks as well as a children’s menu.
Batemans Bay Soldiers club
The Gold Po Loy bistro has 180 degrees of the Clyde River and offers a great selection of Chinese, Thai, and Australian meals.
The coffee shop has a selection of cakes and sandwiches.