BARUNGUBA SEALS
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| Type of dive: |
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Animal interaction |
| Snorkelling: |
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Yes, absolutely captivating! |
| Scuba: |
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Open Water |
| Access: |
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Boat only (30 minutes) |
| Depth: |
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5 – 40 metres (15-130’) |
| Visibility: |
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10 – 30 metres (30-100’) |
| Water temperature: |
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15 – 22°C (59-72°F) |
| Seasonal: |
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No, visit anytime but August to June is best |
The seals at Barunguba are totally unafraid of humans and their antics are just amazing!
Barunguba Montague Island is a continental island located nine kilometres (5.6 mi) off Narooma, on the south coast of New South Wales.
It is the State’s second largest offshore island, the largest being Lord Howe Island to the northeast off Port Macquarie.
The Barunguba Montague Island Nature Reserve hosts an enormous array of wild life, both above and below water.
Over 90 species of sea birds have been recorded on the island and 15 species, including around 12,000 little penguins, nest there. The island is one of Australia’s major shearwater breeding sites.
Humpback whales pass during their annual winter migration and other visitors include orcas, minke whales, dolphins, turtles and ocean sunfish.
Barunguba Montague Island is also an aggregation site for endangered grey nurse sharks.
The island is eastern Australia’s northern most colony of seals and the only seal colony in New South Wales.
The seal colony on the north western tip of the island is comprised of both Australian fur seals and New Zealand fur seals and the population peaks to well over 1,000 in spring and summer for the breeding season.
Seals usually only give birth where they were born and will mate again immediately after giving birth. Females have the ability to delay egg implantation so that the fertilised egg can remain dormant to ensure birth in the summer months
After the breeding season, the population falls significantly because seal venture off to other locations.
The seals on the island are actually sea lions and unlike true seals, they have external ears, can walk on all four limbs by rotating their hind limbs forward, and have two layers of fur.
Before colonial settlement, there was an estimated 200,000 Australian fur seals in Australia and with the onset of commercial hunting, the population plummeted to about 20,000.
They are now protected and, thankfully, populations have recovered to around 90,000.
Barunguba’s seals were not immune to commercial hunting and large numbers were taken during the early twentieth century.
The Barunguba Montague Island seal colony is now one of ten remaining breeding colonies of Australian fur seals and with no resident predators, they are top of the food chain.
Fur seals are quite large animals; bulls can be 2.3 metres (7’) long and weigh up to 360 kilograms (800 lbs).
Females take around four years to mature and usually give birth from November to January each year, pups are maternally dependent for around eight months.
Sea lions can range up to 160 kilometres (100 mi) and dive to over 300 metres (nearly 1000’) preying on octopus, cuttlefish, crayfish (rock lobster) and many species of fish.
They are often in trouble with fisherman and aqua culturists because they are opportunistic predators.
Sadly, seals are very vulnerable to pollutants such as monofilament fishing line, polypropylene ropes and fishing nets. They enjoy lounging on the surface with kelp fronds which can be easily confused with plastic net, but unlike kelp, plastic does not rot so when entangled, and a seal can strangulate as it grows, resulting in a very cruel death.
The Barunguba Montague Island seals, mainly the females and pups, are totally uninhibited, friendly, playful and love mimicking divers’ somersaults, twists and turns.
Put simply, a seal experience is phenomenal!
Special thanks to the Montague Island Adventures & Underwater Safaris Teams.
Copyright © 2024 Steve Sinclair
Other great dives to do while you are there:
Shark Gutters, Wreck of the Lady Darling, The Pinnacles and Cathedral.
Local dive services:
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UNDERWATER SAFARIS |
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MONTAGUE ISLAND ADVENTURES |
Other services:
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Need somewhere to eat & drink? |
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BLAST EXPERIENCES |
OTHER INFORMATION
LOCATION
State or Territory:
New South Wales
Nearest City:
Sydney/Canberra
Nearest Regional City:
Bega
Nearest Town:
Narooma
HOW TO GET THERE
Air:
Nearest International Airport:
Sydney
Nearest Domestic/Regional Airport:
Sydney/Canberra/Moruya
Road:
Sydney to Narooma:
Just under 5 hours (350 km/320 mi) via Princes Highway/A1
Canberra to Narooma:
Just under 3 hours (215 km/135 mi) via B52 and Princes Highway/A1
Bus:
From Sydney or Canberra
Train:
Not available
Ferry:
Not available
THINGS TO DO
Whale Watching
Island Tours
Mogo Zoo
Fishing
Paddle Boarding