# Merimbula

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Town in New South Wales, Australia

Town in New South Wales, Australia

Merimbula Town Merimbula Coordinates: 36°53′53″S 149°54′04″E / 36.89806°S 149.90111°E / -36.89806; 149.90111 Country Australia State New South Wales LGA Bega Valley Shire Location 448 km (278 mi) S of Sydney 580 km (360 mi) ENE of Melbourne 240 km (150 mi) SE of Canberra 32 km (20 mi) SE of Bega 27 km (17 mi) N of Eden Government • State electorate Bega • Federal division Eden-Monaro Elevation 11 m (36 ft) Population • Total 3,821 (2021 census)[2] Postcode 2548 County Auckland Mean max temp 20.8 °C (69.4 °F) Mean min temp 9.9 °C (49.8 °F) Annual rainfall 770.0 mm (30.31 in)

Merimbula Bar and Main beach

**Merimbula** [/məˈrɪmbjələ/](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA/English)[3] is a town on the Merimbula Lake, located on the Far [South Coast](/source/South_Coast_(New_South_Wales)) or [Sapphire Coast](/source/Sapphire_Coast) of [New South Wales](/source/New_South_Wales), Australia. At the [2021 census](/source/2021_Australian_census), the population was 3,821.[2]

The population within 10 km of the Merimbula Post office is over 18,000 people. The [satellite town](/source/Satellite_town) of [Tura Beach](/source/Tura_Beach) lies within the 10 km population radius.[4]

## Early history

Merimbula Point is an area of [palaeontological](/source/Palaeontological) significance, regularly studied by the School of [Earth Sciences](/source/Earth_sciences) at the [Australian National University](/source/Australian_National_University). Several previously unknown species have been found in the ancient sedimentary rocks there, including *Merimbulaspis* and *Pambulaspis*.[5][6]

## Education

Merimbula has one primary school; Merimbula Public School. However, the town does not have a high school. Children from Merimbula have to travel to either [Bega](/source/Bega%2C_New_South_Wales) or [Eden](/source/Eden%2C_New_South_Wales) to attend public high school, or attend private schools in the surrounding areas, including [Pambula Beach](/source/Pambula_Beach%2C_New_South_Wales), Eden and Bega.

## Transport

Merimbula is one of only a few towns on the [South Coast of NSW](/source/South_Coast_(New_South_Wales)) to have its own airport, [Merimbula Airport](/source/Merimbula_Airport). There are daily flights services by [QantasLink](/source/QantasLink) and [Rex Airlines](/source/Rex_Airlines), from [Sydney](/source/Sydney) and [Melbourne](/source/Melbourne) to Merimbula. Flights from Sydney often stop in [Moruya](/source/Moruya%2C_New_South_Wales).[7]

Situated just off the [national highway 1](/source/Highway_1_(Australia)), the [Princes Highway](/source/Princes_Highway), Merimbula is nearly the same distance to both [Sydney](/source/Sydney) and [Melbourne](/source/Melbourne), with both trips taking between five and seven hours to drive. It is approximately three hours drive to Australia's capital [Canberra](/source/Canberra).

Merimbula is serviced by many interstate and intrastate road coach services, and connects with rail services at many interchanges.

Local commuter passenger bus services operate six days per week to nearly all urban areas and some regional centres within the council area.

## Sport

Merimbula has a green oval and two [soccer](/source/Soccer) Fields on the Berrambool Oval. The oval is used, depending on the time of year, for [cricket](/source/Cricket) (summer period) and [Australian Football](/source/Australian_Football) (winter period). The Merimbula Diggers compete in [AFL Sapphire Coast](/source/AFL_Sapphire_Coast) and are one of the competition's most successful clubs. There are additional sporting facilities located within the Merimbula urban area. The [Merimbula-Pambula Bulldogs](/source/Merimbula-Pambula_Bulldogs) are based in nearby Pambula and compete in the [Group 16 Rugby League](/source/Group_16_Rugby_League) Premiership. Merimbula's soccer club is the Merimbula Grasshoppers which hosts men, women and junior sides. The Merimbula Knights Cricket Club are a club in the Far South Coast Cricket Association. Other sporting clubs include the Merimbula Basket Ball Club, Merimbula Big Game and Lakes Angling Club, and Merimbula Netball Association.

There are five [golf courses](/source/Golf_courses) within a one-hour drive from Merimbula, including Pambula Merimbula GC, Tura Beach Country Club, Eden Gardens Country Club and Bermagui Country Club.

Merimbula is the home town of Australian 2026 Winter Olympic Men’s Moguls Gold Medallist [Cooper Woods-Topalovic](/source/Cooper_Woods-Topalovic).[8]

## Climate

Merimbula has an [oceanic climate](/source/Oceanic_climate) (*Cfb*) with mild to warm summers and cool, windy, drier winters. Extreme temperatures have ranged from 44.2 °C (111.6 °F) to −2.0 °C (28.4 °F) and the average annual rainfall is 770.0 millimetres (30.3 in). Typical of the New South Wales coastline, the relatively dry winters and springs are attributed to the [foehn effect](/source/Southeast_Australian_foehn).[9]

Its relatively low annual rainfall owes to its south-western location, which in turn exposes it to cold southerly airmasses off the [Bass Strait](/source/Bass_Strait) that rarely affect areas further north on the coast; as shown by its extreme minimum temperatures in the summer, most notably a reading of 3.9 °C (39.0 °F) in December 2019. Its climate more closely resembles those in [East Gippsland](/source/East_Gippsland) than elsewhere on the New South Wales coastline, with its distinctly cooler temperatures and lower [dew points](/source/Dew_point).

Climate data for Merimbula Airport AWS (1998–2022); 2 m AMSL; 36.91° S, 149.90° E Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year Record high °C (°F) 44.2 (111.6) 41.3 (106.3) 38.1 (100.6) 36.1 (97.0) 27.7 (81.9) 23.0 (73.4) 26.2 (79.2) 29.0 (84.2) 34.5 (94.1) 37.0 (98.6) 40.0 (104.0) 42.0 (107.6) 44.2 (111.6) Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 24.9 (76.8) 24.7 (76.5) 23.6 (74.5) 21.7 (71.1) 19.2 (66.6) 16.9 (62.4) 16.7 (62.1) 17.3 (63.1) 19.4 (66.9) 20.7 (69.3) 21.7 (71.1) 23.3 (73.9) 20.8 (69.4) Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 15.5 (59.9) 15.3 (59.5) 13.7 (56.7) 10.9 (51.6) 7.6 (45.7) 5.6 (42.1) 4.2 (39.6) 4.8 (40.6) 6.8 (44.2) 9.1 (48.4) 11.9 (53.4) 13.8 (56.8) 9.9 (49.8) Record low °C (°F) 7.0 (44.6) 7.8 (46.0) 5.7 (42.3) 4.0 (39.2) −2.0 (28.4) −1.0 (30.2) −2.0 (28.4) −1.3 (29.7) 0.0 (32.0) 2.0 (35.6) 2.0 (35.6) 3.9 (39.0) −2.0 (28.4) Average rainfall mm (inches) 66.8 (2.63) 85.5 (3.37) 92.3 (3.63) 65.2 (2.57) 56.2 (2.21) 70.9 (2.79) 49.6 (1.95) 45.1 (1.78) 41.6 (1.64) 61.3 (2.41) 78.7 (3.10) 66.2 (2.61) 770.0 (30.31) Average rainy days (≥ 1.0mm) 7.1 6.1 6.5 5.7 4.3 5.4 4.1 4.8 5.6 7.9 7.8 7.1 72.4 Average afternoon relative humidity (%) 65 64 62 61 60 60 58 55 58 61 65 63 61 Average dew point °C (°F) 15.4 (59.7) 15.5 (59.9) 14.3 (57.7) 11.8 (53.2) 9.2 (48.6) 7.2 (45.0) 6.2 (43.2) 6.1 (43.0) 8.1 (46.6) 9.6 (49.3) 12.2 (54.0) 13.4 (56.1) 10.8 (51.4) Source: Bureau of Meteorology[10]

## Events

View of town

Merimbula's boardwalk

Merimbula hosts two annual Orchid Shows, both held in Twyfold Hall opposite the Tourist Information Centre. The winter Orchid Show is in late August, and the Australian Native Orchid Show is in early November. The annual [Jazz Festival](http://merimbulajazz.org.au/) is held on the Queen's Birthday weekend early in June. A much smaller Country Music Festival is held in the Merimbula-Imlay Bowling Club around the beginning of November each year. The Pambula Merimbula Golf Club hosts one of the country's bigger Weeks of Golf attracting over 900 golfers during October.

Merimbula has a [windsurfing](/source/Windsurfing) and [kiteboarding](/source/Kite_boarding) festival, the Merimbula Classic. This is held in late November each year.

## Economy

Merimbula is largely a tourist town, with the bulk of the town's earnings coming from [tourism](/source/Tourism). There is a wide range of holiday accommodation in the area including motels, self-contained units and holiday houses for rent. Merimbula is known for its good beaches and locally produced oysters.

## Attractions

Merimbula has six main [beaches](/source/Beaches)—Main Beach (or Merimbula Beach), Mitchies Jetty, Bar Beach, Spencer Park Beach, Middle Beach and Short Point. Main Beach and Short Point are considered to be the best beaches for [surfing](/source/Surfing), whilst Bar Beach is used for [snorkeling](/source/Snorkeling).[4] Other activities include [whale watching](/source/Whale_watching), [fishing](/source/Fishing), [kitesurfing](/source/Kitesurfing) and [boating](/source/Boating). Middle Beach is more suited to [fishing](/source/Fishing), and [whale watching](/source/Whale_watching) in season. With a decent percentage of the population being retirees, [golf](/source/Golf) and [lawn bowls](/source/Lawn_bowls) are popular as well. Merimbula has [scuba diving](/source/Scuba_diving), with the [sponge](/source/Sponge) gardens at Yellow Rock and the *[Empire Gladstone](/source/List_of_Empire_ships_(G))* [wreck](/source/Shipwreck) off nearby Haycock Point's popular dives.

Merimbula is close to [Bournda National Park](/source/Bournda_National_Park), [South East Forest National Park](/source/South_East_Forest_National_Park) and the northern end of [Beowa National Park](/source/Beowa_National_Park). A coastal walk running through Bournda National Park from [Tathra](/source/Tathra%2C_New_South_Wales) to [Tura Beach](/source/Tura_Beach) just north of Merimbula takes in [coastal](/source/Coastal) scenery. [Southern right whales](/source/Southern_right_whale)[11] (less frequent) and [humpback whales](/source/Humpback_whale) are big feature in the areas.

It is also a short drive to other scenic places in the area such as [Tathra](/source/Tathra%2C_New_South_Wales), [Eden](/source/Eden%2C_New_South_Wales) and [Bermagui](/source/Bermagui%2C_New_South_Wales).

Merimbula offers a range of activities from [standup paddleboarding](/source/Standup_paddleboarding) and [kayaking](/source/Kayaking), to some of the best [surfing](/source/Surfing) on the [Far South Coast](/source/South_Coast_(New_South_Wales)). [Magic Mountain](/source/Magic_Mountain%2C_Merimbula), Merimbula's own [theme park](/source/Theme_park) has a roller coaster and one of the best [toboggan](/source/Toboggan) slopes in [New South Wales](/source/New_South_Wales).

The Merimbula Wharf offers its own [aquarium](/source/Aquarium) full of some of the common sea creatures on the [Sapphire Coast](/source/Sapphire_Coast). It is also a popular [restaurant](/source/Restaurant) for tourists as well as locals.

The Aquarium is a has a wide variety of marine life, 'from [sharks](/source/Sharks) to [shrimp](/source/Shrimp), [octopus](/source/Octopus) to [tropical fish](/source/Tropical_fish), it's all in the living theatre of the deep!’, according to [TripAdvisor](/source/TripAdvisor). It has 25 tanks of aquatic life.

There are many restaurants and eateries in Merimbula, including one small bar.

10 kilometres to the west of Merimbula along the Princes Highway towards Bega, Potoroo Palace Wildlife Sanctuary is located.[12] This [nature park](/source/Nature_park) has a collection of native species with some hands on opportunities for the children. It also [cares](/source/Animal_welfare) for injured or orphaned animals.

## Heritage listings

Merimbula has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

- Monaro Street: [Courunga](/source/Courunga)[13]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [Australian Bureau of Statistics](/source/Australian_Bureau_of_Statistics) (28 June 2022). ["Merimbula (urban centre and locality)"](https://www.abs.gov.au/census/find-census-data/quickstats/2021/UCL114018). *Australian Census 2021*.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Census_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Census_2-1) [Australian Bureau of Statistics](/source/Australian_Bureau_of_Statistics) (28 June 2022). ["Merimbula (Suburbs and Localities)"](https://www.abs.gov.au/census/find-census-data/quickstats/2021/SAL12586). *2021 Census QuickStats*. Retrieved 16 March 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Macquarie Dictionary (2005). Melbourne, The Macquarie Library Pty Ltd. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [1-876429-14-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-876429-14-3)

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-visitNSW_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-visitNSW_4-1) ["Merimbula"](http://www.visitnsw.com/destinations/south-coast/merimbula-and-sapphire-coast/merimbula). Visit NSW. Retrieved 28 January 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Murphy_5-0)** Les Murphy, Story (8 July 2009). ["Earliest evidence of land life found on our shores"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120302215242/http://www.merimbulanewsonline.com.au/news/local/news/general/earliest-evidence-of-land-life-found-on-our-shores/1561871.aspx). *Meribula News Online*. Archived from [the original](http://www.merimbulanewsonline.com.au/news/local/news/general/earliest-evidence-of-land-life-found-on-our-shores/1561871.aspx) on 2 March 2012. Retrieved 8 June 2012.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Young_6-0)** Young, Burrow, Long, Turner, Choo (March 2010). "Devonian macrovertebrate assemblages and biogeography of East Gondwana (Australasia, Antarctica)". *[Palaeoworld](/source/Palaeoworld)*. **19** (1–2): 55–74. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1016/j.palwor.2009.11.005](https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.palwor.2009.11.005).{{[cite journal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_journal)}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_multiple_names:_authors_list))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Flight Information"](http://www.merimbulaairport.com.au/Pages/flightinfo.aspx). Merimbula Airport. Retrieved 28 January 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["AUSSIE GOLD!! World No.20 Cooper Woods stuns moguls GOAT for Olympic glory... on a tiebreaker"](https://www.foxsports.com.au/olympics/winter-olympics-2026-mens-moguls-final-live-updates-and-results-matt-graham-australian-medal-chances-video-highlights/news-story/25310e48f20835edc3a91b2730f636b1). *Fox Sports*. 12 February 2026. Retrieved 12 February 2026.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Sharples, J.J. Mills, G.A., McRae, R.H.D., Weber, R.O. (2010) *Elevated fire danger conditions associated with foehn-like winds in southeastern Australia. Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Merimbula Airport AWS"](https://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_069147_All.shtml). *Climate statistics for Australian locations*. [Bureau of Meteorology](/source/Bureau_of_Meteorology). July 2022. Retrieved 5 July 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["- YouTube"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twTH4z299Jk). *[YouTube](/source/YouTube)*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-SEN_12-0)** South East News Blog (13 August 2010). ["Coast move to save endangered birds"](https://web.archive.org/web/20121111220413/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/08/13/2981634.htm?site=southeastnsw&section=news). Archived from [the original](http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/08/13/2981634.htm?site=southeastnsw&section=news) on 11 November 2012. Retrieved 8 June 2012.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-nswshr-235_13-0)** ["Courunga"](https://www.hms.heritage.nsw.gov.au/App/Item/ViewItem?itemId=5045262). *[New South Wales State Heritage Register](/source/New_South_Wales_State_Heritage_Register)*. [Department of Planning & Environment](/source/Department_of_Planning_%26_Environment). H00235. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) [licence](http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/help/copyright-disclaimer.htm).

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Merimbula, New South Wales](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Merimbula,_New_South_Wales).

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for ***[Merimbula](https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Merimbula#Q3306491)***.

- [Merimbula Tourism and Merimbula Visitor Information Centre](http://www.escapetomerimbula.com.au/)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Merimbula](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merimbula) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merimbula?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.