18 great bike rides in the Narooma - Tilba - Bermagui area of the New South Wales Far South Coast
Welcome to Cycling Narooma
The Narooma area provides the perfect location for some of the best bike rides, cycling holidays and cycle touring on the South Coast of New South Wales and the South East of Australia.
Whether you are a local cyclist, or are planning a weekend of bike riding or a cycling holiday in the area, there will be something for you on these pages.
Cycling Narooma provides details of 18 great bike rides in the Narooma, Tilba, Bermagui and Bodalla areas on the South Coast of New South Wales. They range from short, easy rides that are suitable for all the family, to half-day and full-day rides through some of the most magnificent coastal country one could find in the south-east corner of Australia. They cater for all tastes and all levels of fitness. We have even included a couple of challenging rides for the fit and enthusiastic riders.
We have grouped the rides under the main centres of Narooma, Tilba, Bermagui and Bodalla. There are seven rides around Narooma, two that start at Bodalla just a few kilometres north of Narooma, four rides around Tilba, and five around Bermagui.
The rides we have selected for you will take you to spectacular headlands, a lake or two to view waterbirds, to a National Trust village, along the quiet roads and tracks of State forests and national parks where you can enjoy the calls of lyrebirds and bellbirds. There are quiet rides through the countryside. On other rides, you can ride to a quiet headland and watch the whales go by (between September and November each year).
Most of the rides are along formed forest roads, or unsealed council roads. You will definitely need a mountain bike for most of these rides.
Maps
Each ride description has a mud map that you can download - they are in PDF format and will print out on one page each. But a mud map is never a substitute for a good map. We recommend Craigie's Visitors Map - Narooma and District because it is the most accurate and detailed map of this area. Another excellent map of the area is the South Coast Forest Map, published by State Forests of NSW. These can be purchased from the Narooma Visitors Centre, and from newsagents.
Visitor Information Centres
There are three visitor information centres that can answer all your questions and help you with maps and other information you might need.
The weather
The local residents seldom complain about the weather. The climate is mild, even in winter, and the summers are seldom excessively hot. In summer, temperatures range from 17 degrees to 27 degrees, while wintertime temperatures range from 8 to 19 degrees. Spring and autumn are ideal seasons for cycling - they are usually mild, and the weather stable apart from the chance of thunderstorms late in the day, usually during November and December.
No wonder locals consider this to be an ideal area for all-year-round cycling!
But we could talk cycling all day long. Bring your bikes. Bring your friends. Come and see for yourself what this area has to offer. Remember, you won't see everything in a day or even a weekend. There are just too many interesting and enjoyable rides. Allow plenty of time to see and to experience the area - there is just so much to do, so many places to see.
For visitors
And where is Narooma?
It's that beaut little town on the south coast of New South Wales. It's about five hours drive south of Sydney, nine hours from Melbourne, and less than three hours from Canberra.
For interstate and overseas visitors to the Narooma area, we have arranged for cycle-friendly accommodation providers in the area who will meet your expectations. Each of the providers shown on the ‘Links’ page will deliver a level of service that will help make your cycling experience, and your cycling holiday, most memorable. There’s a waterfront holiday park providing campsites and cabins; there’re luxury townhouses at Bermagui; a motel right in the centre of Narooma; a B & B in the historic town of Central Tilba, as well as farm cabins.
Yes, cycling really is like this ... at Tilba ... and Narooma ... and Bermagui.
Some rides will take you to the coast and National Parks.
Join local enthusiast Colin Freestone on one of his unique cultural immersion Indonesian bike trips.
With 45+ years family, work and recreational involvement with Indonesia, Colin has 9 well proven rides planned for 2016.
Three are on Sulawesi (Toraja Land, North Sulawesi, Central Sulawesi and South South Sulawesi) that spidery shaped island east of Borneo. One in (non tourist) Bali, island of the gods. And a Trans Flores ride on the island of flowers.
Colin’s trips are very well organised. They feature support vehicles, bike mechanic, quiet back roads, Indonesian language instruction, lots of interaction with the locals along the way, delicious and nutritious Indonesian cuisine, swimming and waterfall sitting.
Beginning 2009, Colin has led 18 trips for riders from Australia, the USA, Canada, Germany, Singapore and Japan with 60% male, 40% female and a preponderance of riders 55+years. Colin likes to keep the ride groups small - we limit group size to 10.
Please check out our new rides here.
Riders who come to Cycle Indonesia through this website (Cycling Narooma) will receive a 10% discount, provided full trip payment is made 3 months before start of trip. Make sure you quote ‘Cycling Narooma’.
Lifestyle business for sale. Run your own bike shop on the beautiful south coast of New South Wales. Click here for more details.
Cycling Sulawesi (Indonesia) at its best!
Testimonials are available - click here to read some of our riders’ comments.
Click for trip details here. Please ask for our special discount.
Site sponsored by Moving Furniture & Roofing Canberra ACT
If you are a cyclist in New South Wales, or if you intend visiting the State, or are cycle touring anywhere that will bring you into New South Wales, this concerns you. Please see our Issues page.