Mystery Bay is a small coastal settlement tucked between Corunna Lake and the headlands of the Eurobodalla National Park, about halfway between Narooma and Central Tilba. With a permanent population of fewer than 200, it is one of the most secluded spots on the South Coast — a quiet, unhurried place of remarkable natural beauty accessed via Mystery Bay Road, two kilometres off the Princes Highway.
The Mystery Behind the Name
Mystery Bay earns its name from one of the most enduring unsolved mysteries of colonial New South Wales. In 1880, a party of five men — among them geological surveyor Lamont Young and botanist Louis Schneider — set out by boat from this bay, bound for the Montreal goldfield in the hinterland. Their boat was later found abandoned on the beach, holed in a manner considered suspicious by those who examined it. Food supplies and personal belongings remained on board. The men were never seen again, and no explanation for their disappearance was ever found. A memorial near the bay still commemorates the event today, and the name “Mystery Bay” has marked the spot ever since.
The Rocks: Ancient Geology and Tsunami Evidence
Mystery Bay is geologically remarkable. The beaches here are defined by massive, dramatically placed boulders — some weighing many tonnes — that line the shoreline and extend into the surf. These rock formations are not merely scenic; they are scientific evidence. Research published in the early 1990s identified Mystery Bay as one of the most significant sites of ancient tsunami destruction on the entire southeastern coast of Australia. The displacement and orientation of the large rocks is consistent with enormous wave events, and sediment analysis has confirmed that tsunami activity shaped this coastline thousands of years ago. At low tide, the rock platforms transform into an extraordinary network of rock pools teeming with marine life — sea anemones, crabs, sea urchins, and small fish — making the foreshore a fascinating place to explore on foot.
Natural Environment and Wildlife
The area around Mystery Bay forms part of the Eurobodalla National Park, a coastal reserve that protects a mosaic of heath, wallum scrub, coastal wetlands, and eucalypt forest. The park is home to white-bellied sea eagles, Australian pelicans, and a wide range of coastal and forest bird species. The nearby Corunna Lake lagoon is an important waterway for migratory and resident shorebirds. Mystery Bay also sits in close proximity to Montague Island (Barunguba), located offshore from Narooma, which is visible from the headlands on a clear day and is home to one of the largest Australian fur seal colonies on the east coast, as well as a thriving little penguin colony. The beaches at Mystery Bay include both surf-exposed ocean beaches and calmer coves, offering a range of conditions for swimming, fishing, and exploration.
Aboriginal Heritage
Mystery Bay and the surrounding coastline have been part of Aboriginal Country for thousands of years. The area holds significant Dreamtime stories and traditional tracks used by the local Yuin people for gathering food, camping, and travelling along the coast. Fishing and camping at Mystery Bay have remained an important cultural practice for the Indigenous community to this day. The landscape — with its rocky shores, lagoons, headlands, and rich marine resources — has sustained Aboriginal communities throughout the region for millennia before European settlement.
School Bus Services
Students travelling on these services may be eligible for a subsidised travel pass through the NSW Government’s School Student Transport Scheme (SSTS).