Merimbula

Merimbula is an attractive seaside town just over 3hrs drive southeast of Canberra. We often travel across Australia to be with family at Christmas, but this year we aimed for something much quieter and perhaps more relaxing. So we decided to stay for a few days over the Christmas period, including Christmas day.

Christmas Lunch

Pier One

2010 is the first time we have booked into a restaurant for a Christmas Day lunch. The RSL Club was the cheapest at $80 per head, although we arrived late on Christmas eve, and it was fully booked out. After calling three or four restaurants, we finally got a booking at ‘Pier One’ on Merimbula’s main street overlooking the water.

This was different from your traditional Christmas lunch, ham, turkey etc. Pier One advertised the lunch as a Massive Seafood Buffet, and it was right. The seafood spread was fantastic, with every imaginable sea dish perfectly cooked. The buffet included oysters, prawns, whole crabs, grilled baby octopus on bamboo skewers, smoked salmon, char-grilled salmon, baked kingfish, fried soft-shelled crabs, grilled scallops and prosciutto, fried whitebait, side salads, plus much more.

Crockenbush

When the Crockenbush plum pudding with brandy sauce, strawberries and cream, chocolate mud cake, and cheese slice arrived, I was almost too full even to taste! The bill total with drinks was a tad under $300, not the cheapest lunch we have had, but indeed 2 hours of delightful food.

Things To Do

The Merimbula Aquarium is located in the historic cargo sheds of the Merimbula Wharf. It has extensive exhibits of fish and invertebrates which live on or visit the south coast. There are tropical fish, bottom dwellers, venomous fish and tide pools. There is also a 70,000-litre tank display of ocean shoal fish.

Not something we did, but Merimbula’s Magic Mountain is a Theme Park with roller coasters, waterslides, putt-putt golf, a mirror room and several other rides and activities. If you want to make a meal of it, the park also has BBQ and picnic areas.

The Merimbula Marina also offers a range of fishing charters, cruises of the bay, Dolphin Cruises and Whale Watching expeditions.

Accommodation

Sorrento Apartments

We stayed at the four-and-a-half-star Sorrento Luxury Apartments, which are almost in the heart of town. Our apartment was on the third floor overlooking the Bay, with an OK view and very relaxing. If you don’t like stairs, stay on the ground floor without a view. From the balcony, we could see some of the yachts from the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, heading south to Hobart.

All apartments have a spa bath in the main bathroom and an ensuite in the main bedroom. The kitchen has a dishwasher and microwave, and a table and chairs in the dining area (dryer and washing machine in the laundry).

Rooms have direct dial phones, good sized lounges with TV and movie channels. A small private balcony and outdoor setting complete the deal.

If you plan to stay over the Christmas period, get in early, as although there seem to be a lot of accommodation places, they are booked out quickly.