South Coast Adventure:Montague Island

10 November 2026 / Story: Kay Godfrey Photos: Eilis Weir and Mark Godfrey

Eight MX-5s rolled out of Heathcote bright and early, pointing south toward Batemans Bay. Naturally, a little unplanned "scenic detour" proved eight roadsters can get lost just as easily as one, putting us fashionably late for our lunch stop at the Heritage Bakery in Milton. It didn’t dampen spirits, though, especially after catching up with Anda from the South Coast Chapter! With the weather on our side, we still had plenty of time to explore Batemans Bay before heading to the Catalina Club. A big thank-you to Maria for organizing dinner; after a quick round of musical chairs to get everyone seated comfortably, a fantastic meal and great laughs were enjoyed by all.

Day 2 traded tarmac for the open sea with our trip out to Montague Island. After an initial afternoon plan was shuffled to the morning, kay had strict orders to keep her phone glued to her hand after 7:00 AM in case conditions changed. Fortunately, no ring meant good news, and the green light was given! Out on the water, we were treated to a playful colony of seals, a quick flash of a dolphin, and plenty of noisy crested terns who clearly weren't thrilled about sharing their island with us. The swell made for a properly choppy crossing, but the skipper turned the return journey into an exhilarating ride, wave-surfing the boat back into harbour in record time. From there, we pointed the cars toward Central Tilba for lunch at the historic Dromedary Hotel, timing it perfectly to tuck inside and shelter from the predicted rain while enjoying some classic country pub hospitality.