Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaleditions.com/i/131975
regionalstopover "The environment is so clean and fresh, and the diversity of underwater sites here is amazing." Below: Rays are an impressive sight in the area; fairy penguins nest on Montague Island. boulders and ethereal, pastel-hued submarine valleys. When willowy sea grasses catch blades of sunlight, the effect is quite otherworldly. Fringed by villages of sorbet-coloured beach cottages, a series of elaborately sculptured coves unfolds between Batemans Bay and Broulee. Mossy Point and Tomakin headlands, where rock platforms slide straight into the silky aquamarine depths, are reminiscent of the dreamy Mediterranean. As the marine park falls within the southernmost range of the warm East Australian Current, it lures many subtropical as well as temperate species. "The environment is so clean and fresh, and the diversity of underwater sites here is amazing," says Garran Carnall, director of Batemans Bay-based Pure Scuba. "There are caves, tunnels, arches, reefs and rock walls. And just a short boat ride from Batemans Bay there are grey nurse sharks." The establishment of Batemans Marine Park has had a dramatic effect, Carnall says. "In the past three years we've really seen the sea life bounce back," he enthuses, naming "lots of fish", octopuses, sharks, dolphins, eagle rays, bull rays and fairy penguins as just some of the species that visitors are likely to encounter. Along with burgeoning numbers of snapper and smaller sharks such as wobbegongs, Carnall has noticed a sharp resurgence in the number of nudibranchs, sponges and soft corals, including magnificent gorgonian fans and sea tulips. His suggestions for snorkelling include Sunshine Cove Beach, McKenzies Beach, Pretty Point Beach, Broulee Island and tucked-away Guerilla Bay, a serene aquarium encased within rock walls inscribed with impressive rock art. Entertaining marine characters such as large cuttlefish that change colour, and species such as banjo and crested horn sharks that look like they've emerged from the Jurassic period, crank up the underwater action. Church steeples poke out among the historical rooftops at low-slung Moruya. South from here, the coastline sprawls out into sweeping beaches punctuated by granite outcrops. Just beyond the sand lies a mosaic of green farmland and shimmering lakes. Aside from the big grey kangaroos that frequent the grassy verges, chances are you'll have the beaches and rock ledges to yourself around Mullimburra Point and Bingie Bingie Point, which lie within Eurobodalla National Park. Around Mystery Bay and tiny Billies Beach, the scene – above and below water – is so vividly volcanic, it looks molten even now. The breakwall of gem-coloured Wagonga Inlet offers excellent snorkelling, says local Mark Westwood, a ranger at Montague Island. You can even spot stingrays from the walkways and near the fish-cleaning stations. A passionate advocate for protecting the region's marine and bird life, Westwood embodies the heartfelt connection locals feel for their untrammelled haven. When he first visited the region decades ago, Westwood, a "water person", recalls being struck by "the bluest blue, clearest clear water I'd ever seen." XXVII