About Moruya

Moruya is a picturesque rural centre located on the Moruya River and Pacific coast about 300kms south of Sydney. Moruya offers shopping, a weekly country market, historic buildings, restaurants, cinema, airport, racecourse, speedway and skateboard park. Moruya is the perfect holiday base to explore the hinterland and coast.

Moruya is famous for its Granite stone. Granite quarried in Moruya was used to form the pylons of the Sydney Harbour Bridge as well as many other famous Sydney buildings, such as the decorative columns of the facades at the Sydney GPO, the statue of Captain Cook in the Sydney Botanical Gardens, St Mary's Cathedral and the headquarters of the Bank of NSW as well as many of Moruya's old buildings.

Explore the rugged Deua National Park or the well known tourist spots of Mogo, Batemans Bay, Narooma and Tilba, here you'll find arts and crafts, Mogo's famous zoo, beautiful sandy beaches and waterways. Nearby Montague Island is the perfect place to see the seals and penguins,

For the fishing enthusiast enjoy beach, deep sea, game, rock and river fishing.

Moruya has a also has a museum, antiques and second hand shops.

Moruya’s main industries include timber, dairying, cattle, vegetables, fish, oysters and tourism.

Thomas Florance first surveyed the south coast from Batemans Bay to Moruya in 1827. Francis Flanagan became the first resident landowner in the district the following year. The first harbour in the district was established at Broulee due to a sand bar at the mouth of the Moruya River making it difficult for shipping. The sand bar was later washed away by a flood opening up the area to more settlers.

In 1851 gold was discovered 60 kms upstream at Araluen and on smaller creeks running into the river between Araluen and Moruya. The Araluen valley became one of the richest goldfields in the county. Moruya prospered as a gateway to the goldfields. In the 1860’s gold was mined at Wagonga and a silver mine opened in Moruya in 1861,

In 1892 the Moruya Co-operative Dairy factory was opened, supplying the Sydney markets. A cheese co-operative was formed the same year in Bergalia and the Union Dairy Factory opened there in 1893.

Deua National Park
Deua National Park is the largest national park in the South East region. Here you can explore pristine wilderness areas, mountains and forests and the Deua River.

Francis Flanagan's family home
Francis Flanagan known for leasing farms to Irish immigrants was a board member for the first Catholic school, which was established on his property in 1847. His home 'Shannon View', named after an Irish river can be found off Larry's Mountain Road.

Historical Buildings
Moruya offers a wealth of history including the Court House (1879), the Sacred Heart Catholic Church (1889) built from local granite, the Uniting Church, formerly the Wesleyan Church (1864), also built from local granite, the post office (1887), the Rectory (1874) and St John's Anglican Church (1891).

Kiora House
Kiora House was built in 1833. Its owner John Hawdon was reknown for lavishly entertaining guests as noted Australian poet Henry Kendall, and author Thomas Alexander Browne. Kiora House was built from the first convict-made bricks in the area, and faces the Deua River. Kiora is privately owned by a descendant of hawdon. The house is not open to the public but it can be viewed from Araluen Road.

Markets
The Moruya markets are held every Saturday morning from 9 am in Shore St, behind the Adelaide Hotel. Browse a wide array of stalls including arts, crafts, clothing, local produce and much more.

Moruya Museum
The local museum is run by the historical society and has wonderful exhibits and information about Moruya’s rich maritime, dairying and gold mining history.

Moruya River
The picturesque Moruya River is the ideal place to enjoy canoeing, boating, waterskiing and fishing.

Moruya has a mild mediterranean climate. Typical summer and winter temperatures are:

Average Winter temperatures: 6 degrees Celsius to 17 degrees Celsius
Average Summer temperature: 14 degrees Celsius to 24 degrees Celsius

Getting there