A little hole, some quicksand and a whole lot of rushing water make this swim at the Corunna Lake outlet heaps of fun at the change of tides.
The water is mostly quite shallow, but when the mouth is open, the volume of water pushing through the entrance is quite high. Bring
an inflatable and let yourself be carried upstream and downstream along the sandy channel for up to several hundred metres, or simply
plonk yourself down and let the current wash over you.
Above: The little swimming hole beside the rocks at Corunna Point.
(Order this image)
There was really only one slightly deeper hole on the bend of the outlet, directly at the end of the walking track down to
Corunna Point. It is only waist to shoulder deep, depending on the tides, but just big enough to wade into and swim a few strokes. When the lake mouth
closes, the water gets deeper here with more swimming opportunities, and no tidal influence.
When the lake mouth is open, after hopping
off your inflatable you can walk the last few metres through the water down to the sand bar that bifurcates the outlet before it hits the surf.
Above: The sand bar that bifurcates Corunna Lake outlet
(Order this image)
There are no road signs along the way to this spot, but it is easily accessible down a dirt road
from the Mystery Bay turnoff, once you know the way, with a couple of hundred metre walk from the end of the road to Corunna Point.
The walk is along an open
track up along the headland, and quite easy to follow. See the essential information below for more details.
Here is a video that I took of gondola tube riding on the outgoing tide, including a video guide of how to reach this spot and an illustration
of the quicksand.
Other Information Before You Go:
Location: Corunna Point, Eurobodalla National Park, Narooma, New South Wales, 350 km (approx. 4.5 hr drive) south of the Sydney CBD and
220 km (approx 3hr drive) south-east of the Canberra city centre.
Latitude:-36.288997
Longitude:150.129705
Getting there: From the top of Mystery Bay Road at the Princes Hwy, turn immediately left onto an unnamed dirt road. Follow
this road for 200 metres, go over the cattle grid, then veer right past the farm house and continue on for 900 metres,
past Corunna Farm, to the end of the road. You can park on the edge of the gravel turning circle at the end of the road.
The road was suitable for 2WD vehicles in dry weather at the time of my visit. From the end of the road, walk through the
gate into the national park. After around 50 metres, take the path down to the lake outlet.
Facilities: Car park
Entrance fee: None
Water temperature: Mild
Water clarity: Clear
Under foot: Sand, with some rocks on the bank.
Maximum water depth: 1 to 2 metres at high tide, less than 1 metre at low tide
Minimum swimming proficiency required: It all depends on the tides and the water depths, but this spot is
often suitable for inexperienced swimmers, under supervision, provided that you stay away from the rocks and the
lake mouth.
Prohibitions including whether you can bring your dog: No camping, no cats or dogs, no fires. No disturbing
shorebird nesting areas, with fines of up to several hundred thousand dollars or imprisonment.
Sun shade: Limited to no shade available in or out of the water
Opening times: Always open
Wheelchair access: None
Managing authority: NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service
Nearby attractions: Swimming at
Nangudga Lake Outlet at
Handkerchief Beach, 5 km to the north.
Before you head out, make sure to read the
swimming safety information and check with the managing authority for any current change of conditions.
Locality Map:
The marker indicates the approximate location of the spot where I swam. If the map is not zoomed in locally, as can sometimes occur when loading, simply click or tap on "View Larger Map" below.
View Larger Map
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