Top Family Friendly Activities

Sapphire Coast family adventure

Escape the city for a family adventure on the Sapphire Coast! Our coastline is a natural playground for kids, adults and everyone in between. From animal encounters to adventure challenges, our outdoor experiences are like nothing else on earth. You can touch a native diamond python, catch a fish, learn to surf, tear up a mountain bike trail or discover our underwater world.

Discover wonderfully wild family adventures on the Sapphire Coast.

Explore OUR lakes and rivers

Explore stunning waterways right near town or paddle the estuaries, lagoons and hidden beaches in our national parks. Take a guided tour for the best secret spots, take a lesson, or hire the gear you need and take the family on an adventure. Some great family-friendly paddling spots include the sparkling waters of Merimbula Lake (hire a SUP at Mitchie's Jetty), scenic Mogareeka Inlet in Tathra (pick up a SUP at Tathra Beach and Bike) and Pambula River Mouth.

You can book a family-friendly guided kayaking adventure with CoastLife Adventures or Navigate Expeditions.

Explore our lakes, rivers, hire and tours

Climb a lighthouse!

Green Cape Lighthouse, located in Beowa National Park around 45-minutes south of Eden, is the southernmost lighthouse in NSW and is steeped in seafaring history. Learn about disasters, survival, and shipwrecks and climb the lighthouse stairs for fantastic views of the rugged coastline. Guided Lighthouse tours are available on request and bookings are required. To book, email NPWS Merimbula or call 02 6495 5000. You can even stay overnight in the Lightstation Keepers' Cottage!

Green Cape precinct is a lovely spot for a family picnic lunch, so pack a hamper with local goodies and take in the coastal vistas while you enjoy some family bonding!

Jump on a coastal discovery cruise

Spot dolphins, fur seals, and a variety of bird life as you explore the magnificent coastline of the Sapphire Coast aboard a marine discovery cruise. Sapphire Coastal Adventures departs from Merimbula, Eden and Bermagui with adventure tours with their experienced and knowledgable crew. Every journey is different and you never know what you might discover!

Sapphire Coastal Adventures runs wildlife tours during summer and autumn, and whale watching cruises during winter and spring.

Explore more marine and wildlife experiences

Ride the waves at Surf School

Nothing says Sapphire Coast quite like surf school! Camel Rock Surf School offers beginner, family and intermediate surf lessons in Bermagui, whilst CoastLife Adventures provides surf lessons at Pambula Beach and Tathra. Surf school is a great way for kids to gain ocean skills and confidence in the water whilst experiencing some ocean stoke!

Lessons can fill up fast in the summer months so make you sure you book ahead to avoid missing your spot.

VISIT THE EDEN KILLER WHALE MUSEUM

Discover Eden's intriguing killer whale history at the iconic Eden Killer Whale Museum. You can see the skeleton of the famous of all orcas, Old Tom, and explore historic artefacts, exhibitions and films that shed light on the region's fascinating whale history. If your kids are keen history buffs, take a daytrip along the Killer Whale Trail around Eden, combining amazing history with scenic picnic spots, short walks and beautiful beaches.

Discover more history, museums and heritage sites

Explore our Mountain Bike Trails

Race your family members and soak up the beauty of our coastal forests on a mountain biking adventure! The Sapphire Coast has more than 100km of mountain biking trails in Eden and Tathra with trails suitable for all ages and abilities.

Explore 50+ kilometres of singletrack that snakes through the hills and gullies of Tathra at their Bundadung trails. The trails have it all – climbs, descents, bridges, ferny gullies, ocean views, beach destinations and local wildlife.  The town has also recently unveiled a new Mountain Bike Skills Park at the Tathra Country Club. The Mountain Bike Park aims to engage children and improve the riding skills of all cyclists in a safe and easily supervised arena. Drop into Tathra Beach and Bike for bike hire and tips for family-friendly trails for beginners, and check out Tathra Mountain Bike Club for trail information.

Gravity Eden Mountain Bike Park is a new mountain biking network in Eden with more than 58km of premium machine-built trails to discover. With over 300m elevation, Eden's trails offer an awesome mix of flow, cross-country and technical riding for all kinds of riders. The park also features a wonderful trailhead at the bottom of the trails with an asphalt pump track perfect for beginner riders looking to hone their skills. Plus an impressive dirt jump park for more experienced riders! The trailhead includes parking, signage and amenities.

If your family is after something a bit more cruisy, check out the Tathra to Mogareeka pathway, the Yili-njili pathway, and the Merimbula to Pambula pathway. Panboola Wetlands is also an excellent spot for a family bike riding adventure with a network of walking and cycling tracks located within a 77-hectare protected nature reserve in the heart of Pambula.

Explore our cycling and mountain biking trails

Meet our native wildlife 

Get up close and personal with furry, scaled and feathered critters at our native animal sanctuary, Potoroo Palace! You’ll be able to observe and learn about kangaroos, wallabies, potoroos, bettongs, wombats, koalas, reptiles and many species of birds in a beautiful natural setting. Their on-site cafe, 'Blue Wren Cafe' serves delicious cakes, snacks and drinks and snacks utilising homegrown vegetables and resident chooks. Visitors can dine outside on our sunny terraces or keep warm inside by the cosy fire in the cooler months. Barbeques  are also available for picnics inside the park!

For kangaroo and bird-spotting in a picturesque natural environment, visit the beautiful Panboola Wetlands in Pambula. There is a lovely network of flat walking and cycling trails as well as viewing platforms, tables, seats and information panels. We recommend heading into town afterwards for a delicious local gelato and coffee!

FAMILY BEACH TIME

Hit up our local's family-favourite beach spots for unbeatable (and free) fun. Tathra Beach, Bar Beach, Horseshoe Bay Beach, Pambula Beach, Aslings Beach and Merimbula Main Beach are all great family-friendly beaches; they have lifesaving services in the summer months, as well as amenities, parking, and delicious coffee and local eats located close by.

Other lovely spots for the family include Mitchie's Jetty in Merimbula, Cocora Beach in Eden, Pambula River Mouth and Aslings  Beach Rock Pool.

Explore our local beaches here

Hire a boat and go fishing

The Sapphire Coast is known as one of the most significant recreational fishing regions in the southern hemisphere! Visit Bermagui Bait & Tackle right on the Bermagui River and hire a powered boat suitable for up to 4 people with all safety equipment provided. They’ll also be able to fit you out with fishing gear, local knowledge and refreshments too. If you fancy chasing the bigger fish, book a day out with one of the many charter boats that call this harbour home. For boat hire further south, enquire with Sapphire Coastal Adventures.

For beach, wharf, lake and estuary fishing, visit our Fishing page for inspiration and info to get you started.

EXPLORE MERIMBULA'S MAGIC MOUNTAIN

Magic Mountain is family favourite for the adventurous at heart, found hidden in the forests of Merimbula. From waterslides to toboggan rides and their spinning 'Crazy Car', Magic Mountain provides hours of delight for locals and visitors on the Sapphire Coast. They're famous for their 'Sapphire Speedstar Coaster', a thrilling rollercoaster ride with amazing views from the top!

On-site food offerings means that you can enjoy the whole day here. Think classics like burgers, hot dogs, fish and chips, wraps, ice creams, coffee, cold drinks and more, all able to be enjoyed at their sunny outdoor picnic tables.

FAMILY-FRIENDLY strolls

Explore our beautiful environment on a family walk in nature. Family-friendly Merimbula Boardwalk (1.7km) meanders through mangroves forests and local oyster farms along the lake's idyllic shoreline. There is parking available at both ends of the boardwalk and there is delicious coffee and snacks located at Sunny's Kiosk at Top Lake. Tathra Headland Walk is a lovely 300m loop that links Tathra Headland to the historic Tathra Wharf with epic ocean views.

You'll find a network of flat, paved and grassy walking tracks at Panboola Wetlands in Pambula, whilst older kids and teens will love the Camel Rock to Murunna Point walking track (1.5km) in Bermagui. For amazing geo-history, don't miss the Pinnacles loop walking track  (1km) in Beowa National Park, located halfway between Pambula and Eden.

There are lots more family-friendly walks on offer in our towns and national parks, check them out here.

Take an archery course

Discover your inner Robin Hood and learn something new at Kianinny Bush Cottages in Tathra. Their archery course is a popular activity, enabling kids to have fun, gain a new skill and develop confidence in a new sport. And mum and dad are welcome too. Kianinny Bush Cottages is set amongst 100 acres of beautiful bushland at Tathra so don’t be surprised to spot lots of wildlife like wallabies, possums, goannas, kookaburras & parrots whilst you are mastering the ancient art of the bow and arrow.

Kianny Bush Cottages is also home to an awesome flying fox ride, an 18-hole mini golf course Wombat Holes, and an action-packed kids School Holiday Program. Find out all the details here.

DISCOVER THE CREATURES OF THE DEEP

From sharks to shrimps, octopus to the tropical fish, it’s all on display Merimbula Aquarium's living theatre of the deep. The aquarium has 27 tanks and a fantastic 70,000 litre oceanarium full of large ocean fish and sharks. And when you’re done marvelling at all the wonders that are under the water, you can head upstairs to Merimbula Wharf Restaurant for fish and chips, or cake and coffee and enjoy the spectacular views of Merimbula Bay and Main Beach.

CONQUER A PIRATE-THEMED MINI GOLF COURSE

Step into the magical and exciting world of Top Fun Merimbula's 18-Hole pirate-themed miniature golf course! Located at the top of Merimbula, their mini golf course is located outside with engaging obstacles for kids of all ages. The course record is 36 putts (unofficially), so come along and see if you can break the long-standing record.

Top Fun Merimbula is also home to a range of indoor amusements (perfect for those occasional rainy days) with Zone 3 laser tag, ten pin bowling and a huge range of amusement and video games - many with tickets awarded for prizes!